92 Athletes To Benefit From Enhanced High Performance Sports System

24 Sep 2013

Singapore, 24 September 2013 - The High Performance Sports (HPS) Steering Committee awarded 66 athletes across 15 sports the inaugural Sports Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship) today. In addition, 26 athletes from nine sports who have demonstrated potential to progress to the level of a spexScholar in the future have been identified for targeted support.

2. The spexScholarship was announced earlier in March to provide enhanced support for highly talented Singaporean athletes with demonstrated potential for international sporting achievements. It will also increase the level of the support given through the existing HPS System.

3. In all, the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) received 218 nominations across 28 sports by the end of April 2013, of which 152 athletes from 20 sports were shortlisted for interviews. Following the interviews, the HPS Selection & Performance Sub-Committee and the HPS Steering Committee reviewed the shortlisted candidates and confirmed the list of spexScholars.

4. The SSI is in the process of working out training programmes with the respective spexScholars and their NSAs and will be starting off these programmes progressively over the next three to four months.

5. Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Chairman of the HPS Steering Committee, said: "The spexScholarship will provide the selected Team Singapore athletes with an enhanced level of support to enable them to fully realise their aspirations and their competitive potential. With the introduction of the spexScholarship, we hope to see more Singaporean athletes focus on the fulltime pursuit of sport excellence.

6. "Beyond this group of spexScholars, we have also identified another group of athletes who have shown potential to be a spexScholar but are not at that level yet. We will provide them with additional support, and we hope that they will be able to advance to the level of a spexScholar within a year or two,"

7. These 26 athletes from nine sports will be given targeted support such as overseas training camps, competitions and equipment to enable them to maximise their potential. At the same time, they will continue to be eligible, just like all other athletes in the carding system, to the spexGrants support provided by the SSI.

8. Nominations for the second intake of spexScholars will take place in April 2014.

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Annex A:

Sports Excellence Scholars (spexScholars) 2013 Badminton Danny Bawa Chrisnanta Neo Yu Yan Vanessa Liang Xiaoyu Bowling Tan Shi Hua Jazreel Ng Lin Zhi Shayna Tan Shi Hua Cherie Tan Shi Jing Daphne Lim Hui Ying Bernice Muhammad Jaris Goh Bin Ali Akbar Goh New Hui Fen Canoeing Lee Wei Ling Geraldine Suzanne Seah Chen Jiemei Sarah Chen Jiexian Stephenie Lee Yang Jing Wilona Ng Xiang Ru Annabelle Cuesports Peter Edward Gilchrist Disability Sports Laurentia Tan Yen-Yi Nurulasyiqah Binte Mohammad Taha Mohamed Ismail Bin Hussain Tan Chern Maximillian Gemma Rose Foo Jen Yong Phen Chong Thomas Toh Sze Ning Fencing Lee Huimin Ann Wong Ye Han Cheryl Lim Ian Joshua Lim Wei Wen Khoo Zile Willie Wong Ye Ying Liane Golf Woo Ke-Jun Jonathan Gymnastics Tam Jing Ying Joey Lim Shu Min Nicolette Yeo Yan Charmaine Zeng Qiyan Lau Wei-Ning Ashly Dai Min Yi Janessa Michelle Teo Yin Zhi Sailing Cheng Xinru Colin Yin Yueling Elizabeth Scott Glen Sydney Lim Min Kimberly Savannah Siew Kiah Hui Chan Jing Hua Victoria Lo Jun Han Ryan Shooting Ser Xiang Wei Jasmine Lim Yee Xien Yang Shuet Hwei Teh Xiu Yi Silat Muhammad Shakir Bin Juanda Muhammad Iqbal Bin Abdul Rahman Muhammad Nur Alfian Bin Juma?en Swimming Joseph Schooling Quah Zheng Wen Tao Li Lim Xiang Qi Amanda Danny Yeo Kai Quan Samantha Louisa Yeo Ginn Table Tennis Feng Tian Wei Yu Meng Yu Gao Ning Yang Zi Zhan Jian Li Hu Waterski Sasha Siew Hoon Christian Wushu Samuel Tan

Annex B

Athletes with Future Potential for spexScholarship 2013 These athletes will be given targeted support such as overseas training camps, competitions and equipment to enable them to maximise their potential. They continue to be eligible for the spexGrants support provided by the SSI, like all the other athletes in the carding system. Archery Tan Si Lie Ng Wei Qing Justin Athletics Yeo Foo Ee Gary Kang Li Loong Calvin Badminton Yeo Jia Min Canoeing Teo Guang Yi Lucas Chua Lip Heng Clarence Muhammad Syaheenul Aiman Bin Nasiman Tay Zi Qiang Brandon Ooi Wei Cheng Benjamin Low Wei Fu Lee Wei Liang Bill Disability Sports Tan Eng Kiong Benson Goh Rui Si Theresa Football Hariss S/O Harun Mohamad Izwan Bin Mahbud Sailing Bertha Han Jing Teo Yee Kang Ryan Koh Yi Kun Neo Jiun Jie Samuel Fathin Rasyiqah Bte Mohamed Firdaus Swimming Lim Shu-En Lynette Ong Chui Bin Mylene Table Tennis Zhou Yi Han Isabelle Li Siyun Lin Ye

Annex C

spexScholarship Fact Sheet Sports Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship) The Sports Excellence Scholarship is a scheme under the High Performance Sports (HPS) System that provides an enhanced level of support for highly talented Singaporeans athletes with demonstrated prowess for international sporting achievements. The scholarship will increase both the breadth and depth of the existing HPS System. The increase in programme depth is achieved by supporting highly talented athletes along the entire pathway, from the point of talent identification at national sports level onwards and not only at the apex of the Sports Excellence pathway. Highly talented athletes from Youth Sports programmes can now continue their sports development through this scheme when they leave the School Sports system. The spexScholarship, therefore, provides continuity from School and Youth Sports to National representation in International Sports.

The spexScholarship will provide the following:

Financial support

Monthly stipend to sustain full-time training at SEA Games and higher levels
Median annual stipend amounts are $$24,000 (SEA Games or equivalent), $60,000 (Asian Games or equivalent) and $$90,000 for (Olympic Games or equivalent)
Coaching
Training, competition and equipment

Education support for student athletes: e.g.

Flexible education programme
Education service support (programme counseling, university applications)
Effective studentship (extra tutorial, goal setting etc)

Career preparation for adult athletes: e.g.

Athlete-friendly employer networking
Career counseling
Internships and job attachments
Training e.g., interview skills, effective working habits, and personal grooming.

Personal and life-skill development: e.g.

Time management
Communication skills
Financial and life planning
Conflict resolution

Total Cost of the spexScholarship: The spexScholarship will cost about S$40 million over 5 years.

Selection Process

The main point of entry into the selection process is through nomination by the respective NSAs. Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) can also introduce candidates into the selection process through its own channel of identifying talented athletes for the scheme.

All candidates were shortlisted and selected through an interview by a selection panel. Candidates who were successful in this round were then forwarded to the HPS Selection & Performance Sub-Committee for support before they were floated to the HPS Steering Committee for final approval. Athletes who are not successful in the selection will continue to receive spexGrant support under the HPS pathway.

The key principles of selection are to select athletes with demonstrated potential for podium success, training commitment as well as good attitude & behaviour.

The candidates were assessed on the following:

a. Training commitment:
Training volume profile (> 12 months) of the athlete will be benchmarked against the volume of a full-time training load i.e., 10 sessions / week or about 30hrs/week

b. Sports Performance:
Sports performance track record (>12 months) will be benchmarked against the standards of the medallists (Gold, Silver and Bronze) at the respective major Games. For example, an athlete at the Asian Games level will be benchmarked against the standards at the Asian Games or equivalent competition. The benchmark standards are derived from an international sports database that we subscribe to (Infostrada). The type of measurement we use for benchmarking will be unique to each sport (e.g., world ranking, positions over a series of competitions, timings, distance etc)

c. Attitude and Behaviour:
This will come in the form of character reference from Coaches / administrators / peers and, if necessary, independent character reference. Our Sport Psychologists will also be involved in the selection process and present during interviews.

d. Performance and Laboratory Tests:
Such tests will be conducted only when necessary and on a case-by-case basis. For example, aerobic capacity test to differentiate the potential between two endurance athletes; cognitive performance and motor skill tests for skill-based sports.

Programme Operation: Functional Sports Programme

Once the selection of the athletes is finalised, SSI will go into a formal partnership with the respective NSA to start a Functional Sport Programme (FSP) for each sport. The FSP will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the programme. All the FSP will come under the management of SSI and each FSP comprises the SSI High Performance Manager, Coaches, NSA representative, and Sports Science and Medicine Personnel.

Duration of Scholarships

The duration of the scholarship is tied to the Games-cycle (also Carding cycle) of the respective levels in the HPS pathway

Levels 1 and 2: 4 years
Levels 3 and 4: 2 years

All the contracts will be reviewed for renewal at the end of each game-cycle e.g., Olympic Games or SEA Games.

Obligations of the Scholar Athletes

Under the spexScholarship, the scholar athletes are expected to:

Commit fully to the training programme
Take personal responsibility to balance between academic / career, personal and sports development
Fulfil the social outreach programme requirements
Participate actively in the life-skill development programme
Be a role model for the youths of Singapore

Annex D

Overview of High Performance Sports System

Annex E

High Performance Sports (HPS) Steering Committee Chairman Lawrence Wong Ag Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Members Teo Ser Luck Minister of State Ministry of Trade and Industry Dr Ben Tan President, Singapore Sailing Federation Deborah Tan Principal, Singapore Sports School Edmond Pereira Executive Director Edmond Pereira Law Corporation Hugh Lim Deputy Secretary Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth Dr Lam Pin Min President, Singapore Dragon Boat Association Ng Ser Miang Vice President Singapore National Olympic Council Richard Seow Chairman Singapore Sports Council Tan Ju Seng President Singapore National Paralympic Council Tan Soo Nan Chief Executive Officer Tote Board High Performance Sports (HPS) Selection and Performance Sub-Committee Chairman Teo Ser Luck Minister of State for Trade and Industry Members Abdullah Tarmugi Former Minister and Speaker of Parliament Top School Sportsman Annabel Pennefather Vice President, Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) Deborah Tan Principal, Singapore Sports School Dr Patrick Goh Chairman, Anti-Doping Singapore Advisory Board Chairman, SEA RADO A/Prof Teo Koh Sock Miang President, Special Olympics Gary Pryke MD, Corporate & Finance, Drew & Napier Master Athlete, Runner and Ultra Distance Swimmer Ho Ren Hua Executive Director and Country Head, China, Banyan Tree Holdings Ltd Top School Track & Field athlete Triathlete C Kunalan Olympian Singapore Sporting Icon Lim Teck Yin CEO, Singapore Sports Council Tan Yen Yen Senior Vice-President, Oracle Application Triathlete and Advocate for Corporate Sports

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