Moving Singapore's Para Sports Forward

Mr Fong Yong Kian

Chief Executive of Tote Board,

Mr Kevin Wong

Chairman of the Singapore National Paralympic Council and

President of the Singapore Disability Sports Council,

Athletes, coaches, officials,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

1. A very good evening to all of you. I’m so delighted to be here, to join you at the 9^th ASEAN Para Games (APG) Athletes’ Achievement Awards and 3^rd Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) Team Flag Presentation Ceremony. Glad to see so many familiar faces again and I can’t wait to talk to you later on!

Congratulate APG athletes for their achievements

2. First of all, let me extend my heartiest congratulations to our APG contingent! This year, Singapore sent our largest away contingent of 90 athletes competing across 11 sports, comprising 21 debutants. The achievement of 50 medals won by our athletes (comprising 9 Golds, 17 Silvers and 24 Bronzes), constitutes our best away haul for the APG. Congratulations to all of you! The journey wasn't an easy one, it was arduous and punishing, but to see you flying the Singapore flag so high at the Games brought chills to my spine.

3. I was very moved to see all of you, whether veterans or debutants, giving your best and flying the Singapore flag high at the Games. Swimmer Theresa Goh, for instance, has competed and won Gold in every APG since the inaugural edition in 2001. Last month, she continued her golden streak and won her 30^th Gold Medal. That is an amazing achievement. Theresa, you have truly been an inspiration to the rest of the contingent!

4. Our paddler, Jason Chee, captured the nation’s imagination with his journey to the Games. He underwent eye surgery earlier this year which affected his depth of perception. Instead of giving up his dreams of being an elite athlete, he trained even harder than before, and adjusted his technique. His hard work paid off when he won Gold in the Single Class 2 event, his first Singles Gold after losing out narrowly in 2015.  Well done Jason!

5. This year, para-cycling was featured for the first time at the Games, and our cyclists managed to clinch 1 Gold, 5 Silver and 8 Bronze medals. Emily Tan and her pilot Sarah Tan led the pack with 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze medals. Emily’s husband, Jessen Ng, who was making his Games debut, teamed up with pilot Calvin Sim and won 1 Silver and 3 Bronzes. Congratulations to our para-cyclists. Our other debutants did extremely well, collectively contributing to 40% of our medal haul. 

6. Medals aside, all of you showed tremendous tenacity and fighting spirit in your sporting journey. Take cyclist Abdul Alim for example. He sustained an unfortunate injury before his races, and could not compete. When I visited Alim in the hospital in KL, I was struck by his positivity. He was all ready to go and participate in the race after a major surgery. That kind of fighting spirit is really what inspired all of us. It is something that the para athletes have given us that nobody else could do. I am looking forward to cheering Alim on at future competitions.  I’m sure he’ll be back stronger than before.

The team around the team

7. The achievements of our athletes would not be possible without the strong support of the “team around the team” – family, coaches, caregivers, Officials, SDSC and SNPC Council Members, and important teammates and volunteers like the Boccia assistants and Cycling pilots. You’re the ones who would week after week be there as the athletes train; you’ll be the one to do all the heavy lifting for them; looking after them; encouraging them and pushing them hard. Not only do you provide round-the-clock care for our athletes, they also take on some of the tough work, such as carrying and preparing the equipment to ensure that our athletes are able to train and compete at the highest levels. Thank you for your tireless commitment and dedication. You’re not on the podium, but in our hearts, you are together with the athletes.

Acknowledging sponsors and Tote Board

8. I would also like to acknowledge the Tote Board for sponsoring tonight’s awards, as well as the other sponsors who have supported our athletes in various ways. Partners like yourselves are crucial in growing the sports ecosystem and developing a stronger pipeline of sporting talents. I hope more corporate partners will come on board this meaningful journey, to recognise our athletes’ achievements, and play a part in building a more inclusive Singapore through sport.

Inspiring a new generation of athletes

9. As you celebrate your achievements on the sporting arena, I also encourage you to find ways to give back to the community, and inspire a new generation of athletes. For example, sailor Jovin has been proactively obtaining his coaching badges so that he can pass on his knowledge to younger para sailors. He is now a qualified coach and started conducting SDSC’s Learn to Sail programme a few weeks ago. Pin Xiu will be leading the Team Singapore contingent at the Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai as Chef de Mission. Athletes like Kalai and Jason are also actively reaching out to other persons with disabilities to take up powerlifting and table tennis respectively. I would like to commend all of you for your efforts in contributing back to the community, and growing the community.

10. Tonight, we are also here to wish our young athletes the very best for the Asian Youth Para Games in December. There will be 31 athletes representing Singapore across 6 sports, more than triple the last edition in 2013. The numbers are reflective of a wider trend – thanks to the Singapore Disability Sports Council’s and Sport Singapore’s concerted efforts to encourage more young persons with disabilities to participate, train and excel in sports. This is a step forward for Singapore, as we become a more caring and inclusive society by providing more opportunities in para-Games. 

11. I am sure you are all very excited to represent Singapore at the Games. I hope the achievements of the APG athletes will inspire you to do your best in Dubai. More importantly, I urge all of you to stay committed to your sporting aspirations and continue to persevere even as you face challenges along the way. Have fun, make friends and enjoy your time there. Win or lose, we can all learn from the experience and take a step toward being a better athlete.

Concluding remarks

12. Once again, my congratulations to all our athletes tonight, have a wonderful evening and all the best to our Asian Youth Para Games athletes.

13. Thank you very much.