Athletes overcame adversity and displayed great sportsmanship

Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, President Special Olympics Singapore
Exco members
Distinguished Guests
Parents, special athletes, coaches,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. A very good evening to all of you! It is very good to see all of you after four days of sports and athletic events. It looks like all of you had a wonderful time and is in high spirits.

2. The past four days of competition in the six different sports must have been very exhilarating for all of you

3. Many of you have won medals and made your coaches and parents proud of you. You have trained hard and your efforts have borne fruit. I commend you all for your efforts.

4. These Games show that we can achieve great things in spite of the challenges we may face. Whether you have won medals or not, you have shown courage and perseverance. You have truly lived up to the athlete's oath – “let me win but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt”. You have shown that all of us can overcome adversity and achieve our goals, as long as we put our minds and heart to it. Congratulations to all! You are an inspiration to us all!

5. I would like to also make a special mention of the visiting athletes and officials from Malaysia and the Philippines. I thank you for your participation, for being here and adding vibrancy to the Games. Your participation has brought an additional dimension to the Games, and we have benefited from the cross border exchanges on and off the field of play during these Games. I also hope that many friendships have been forged and you will continue to maintain these friendships even after the Games is over.

6. For 30 years, Special Olympics Singapore has been providing these opportunities for promoting sports, health and integration among persons with special needs. Your hard work has enriched the lives of many individuals and also promoted the spirit of volunteerism within our society. There are many stakeholders, supporters, volunteers who have helped made this Special Olympics Movement truly a very special one. To all the coaches, volunteers and parents, thank you for your dedication and service.

7. Once again, I would like to thank the organising committee and all the people who have made this Games possible and to congratulate all athletes for giving your best at these Games. As this Games is coming to an end, I hope you will continue to keep in touch with one another, continue your involvement in the sports and to look forward to the next National Games which will be better than this edition. I wish you all a great evening celebrating your achievements among your families, friends and supporters.