Anticipation Builds as 427 Athletes Prepare for Regional Showdown
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s athletes are excited and ready to compete in next month’s Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games) in Hanoi, Vietnam, according to chef de mission S Sinnathurai on Wednesday (Apr 27).
“After a year of postponement, our athletes are very eager to compete to put their training and hard work to the test,” said Mr. Sinnathurai, a former national taekwondo athlete.
A total of 427 athletes will represent Team Singapore at the Games, competing across 33 sports. Among them are notable athletes such as Rio Olympic champion Joseph Schooling, badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew, and three-time Silat world champion Sheik Farhan, who will serve as the flag bearer for the contingent.
More than half of Singapore’s athletes—243—will be making their debut at this regional event, which was postponed from December 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team includes 14-year-old diver Max Lee, Singapore’s youngest athlete, and billiards world champion Peter Gilchrist, who at 54 is the oldest athlete in the contingent.
The first event for Singapore will kick off on May 6 with the beach handball competition.
“Representing Singapore has always been special to me, and being the flag bearer this time makes this SEA Games particularly memorable,” said Sheik Farhan, 24. “I can’t wait to compete at a major event again and look forward to enjoying the experience in Hanoi.”
This will be the second time Vietnam hosts the SEA Games, which will run from May 12 to May 23, featuring a total of 526 events across 40 sports.
Staying Safe Against COVID-19
Measures have been implemented to safeguard the contingent’s health and safety, similar to protocols used during the Tokyo Olympic Games, according to the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). Athletes are scheduled to arrive two days before their competitions begin and will depart within 24 hours after their events conclude.
A “safety and hygiene protocol” is also established to ensure athletes maintain peak health, the SNOC added. All contingent members eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine have been fully vaccinated, reported chief medical officer Kelvin Chew at a press conference.
Each athlete will receive a food and nutrition pack along with a care package containing COVID-19 test kits, hand sanitizers, and masks. The Games will operate under a “bubble” system, restricting movement to training venues, game venues, and accommodation only.
According to the COVID-19 protocols set by local organizers, every athlete must undergo testing 24 hours prior to competition and every three days thereafter, stated Dr. Chew.
If an athlete tests positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic or exhibits mild symptoms, they will be isolated at their residence and monitored by team doctors. A recovered athlete must present one negative test result and obtain certification from a team doctor to compete.
At the last SEA Games in the Philippines, Singapore’s largest contingent—comprising 659 athletes in 48 sports—returned home with 53 gold, 46 silver, and 68 bronze medals. Team Singapore’s best performance was at the 2015 Games on home soil, where they secured 84 gold, 73 silver, and 102 bronze medals. Their best performance at away Games was in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, where they earned 58 gold, 59 silver, and 71 bronze medals.
When asked about the medal targets for Team Singapore at the upcoming Games, Singapore Sports Institute chief Su Chun Wei remarked that the athletes will strive for their best performances. “It’s reasonable to expect them to achieve personal bests,” he added. “We focus on the journey thus far and the unity of Team Singapore. The medals will come as a result of that commitment.”
