Chef de Mission for 24th SEA Games, Mr Low Teo Ping; Chef de Mission for 4th ASEAN Para Games, Mr Henry Tan; Team Singapore officials and athletes; Friends of the media; Ladies and Gentlemen
| | A very good evening |
| 1. |
I am very happy to be here once again to be part of this special occasion – the Flag Presentation Ceremony for the SEA Games 2007 and ASEAN Para Games 2008. As these games approach, I hope many of you share my excitement. Today, as many of you are aware, Sports in Singapore is at a most exciting phase. It is fast emerging as an important component as we establish our status as a developed nation. This is good news for many of us in the sports fraternity as the Singapore sports scene continues to charge ahead at full steam with groundbreaking developments such as building manpower capabilities in the sports industry and enhancing sports events to provide new customer experience. |
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The Sports Hub, Formula One and the motor racing track project at Changi plus our bid for the Youth Olympic Games in 2010 are exciting projects we can look forward to. I therefore urge everyone here to be a part of our achievements as Singapore aims to be one of Asia’s top sporting nations. |
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Our athletes are soaring high |
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Most recently, Team Singapore athletes have done Singapore proud with world-class performances on the international sporting stage. In September 2007, bowler Jazreel Tan took the silver at the World Women’s Championship in Mexico, and the Women’s Foil Fencing team won the bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships in July this year. The silat team came back with three gold medals from the World Silat Championships in October 2007, and in that same month, our SEA Games-bound swimmers won four silver and six bronze medals at the FINA/Arena World Cup Short Course event held at the Singapore Sports School. I am also pleased to share that Sailing has qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympics in the 470 Class. Meanwhile, Swimming’s Tao Li has also qualified for the Olympics Games as well. This is good news for Singapore Sports indeed. |
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On the other hand, our Paralympics Team Singapore athletes have also done well. Muhammad Firdaus Bin Nordin, a budding Team Singapore racer, bagged Singapore its first Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games qualifying spot with his silver win at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships Assen 2006. In just seven months from August 2006 to March 2007, swimmer Theresa Goh rewrote two world records and also earned herself a qualifying slot for the Beijing Paralympics. I am very heartened to learn of these performances and am sure that Team Singapore will continue to do well in the coming SEA Games and the Asean Para Games. |
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At the last SEA Games in the Philippines in 2005, Singapore returned with 129 medals, 42 of them gold, surpassing our previous best gold medal haul of 30. Equally impressive were the performances of our athletes at the 3rd ASEAN Para Games in 2005. They improved on their 19-medal performance in 2003 by returning with 34 medals, including 15 gold medals. With each Games, we see the rise of new sporting heroes and heroines who will do Singapore proud. And this year, we hope to see the rise of younger heroes and heroines. |
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What’s in store for SEA Games 2007 and Asean Para Games 2008 |
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As we approach the SEA Games, I am heartened to note that we are sending our biggest contingent to date to compete. I understand to date, 424 athletes competing in 35 sports will represent Singapore. The SEA Games is an entry-level regional competition so the young ones should have every chance to experience the competition and gain exposure if they have qualified for the games. This will also put them in good stead if Singapore wins the Youth Olympics Games bid. |
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And for the Asean Para Games, Singapore will be sending 62 athletes to participate in eight sports, doubling in numbers for both athletes and sports as compared to 2005. More than 70 per cent of the athletes will be making their debut at the international sporting scene. Our athletes with disability have shown an increasingly stellar performance over the years, and I wish to congratulate them for their achievements. |
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Building the future for Singapore Sports |
| 8. |
Singapore Sports is on a high and the sports scene can only grow better and more vibrant. It is therefore important for us to build for the future, a continued pipeline of sporting talent that will do us proud on the regional and global sporting stage. Therefore, our young athletes, in as many sports as possible, must be given competitive exposure. |
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| 9. |
In closing, I urge you to do your very best – for yourself, your sport and Singapore at the coming SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. You hold the key to the sustained success and growth of sports in Singapore and I hope you will use this opportunity as a springboard to greater sporting achievements in the years to come. |
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As you compete, I would also like to remind you that you should do so in the spirit of respect, friendship and sportsmanship, for you are flying the flag of Singapore. |
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| 11. |
I look forward to watching some of you in action in Thailand, and I wish you all a successful 24th SEA Games and 4th ASEAN Para Games. |
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Thank you. |
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