8th ASEAN Para Games A Celebration of Extraordinary Spirit

8th ASEAN Para Games: A Celebration of Extraordinary Spirit

With just over 100 days to go, the Singapore ASEAN Para Games Organising Committee (SAPGOC) today assured that the 8th ASEAN Para Games will be an inspiring festival of sport; showcasing the courage and skill of Southeast Asia's best para athletes.

2. Mr Lim Teck Yin, Chairman, SAPGOC EXCO, urged the community to get behind the Games: “This is the first time that Singapore will be hosting the ASEAN Para Games and it is a key milestone event in Singapore's sporting history. This is a special year for all Singaporeans and we encourage everyone to come together to cheer these inspiring athletes and embrace an event that is all about inclusiveness and courage to rise above life's challenges.”

Celebrating the spirit of our para athletes

3. Beyond just sporting excellence, SAPGOC also hopes to use the 8th ASEAN Para Games as a platform to garner more support, understanding and appreciation for para sport and for persons with disabilities (PWD).

4. The Games will see the largest ever contingent of 145 Team Singapore athletes – almost three times larger than the previous record of 59 athletes in 2008. Out of these, 80 athletes will be participating in the Games for the very first time.

5. “I am confident that our Team Singapore athletes will put in a performance of their lifetime come December,” Mr Lim added. "They are all already winners for stepping up to the plate in wanting to represent our country. The best recognition we can give them is to come to the Games as One Team Singapore."

Celebrating the Singapore spirit

6. Preparations for the Games in December are in full force with 10 venues around Singapore confirmed as locales for competition during the Games. A primary consideration for the selection of the venues is the need to provide ease of accessibility for the PWD community, not just for the athletes, but for spectators as well.

7. “We are working with venues and potential vendors to ensure that they are ready to welcome our athletes and spectators from Southeast Asia. Some initiatives that we are looking at bringing in include ramps, wheelchair accessible toilets and also additional seating capacity for wheelchair users,” added Mr Lim.

8. In the final run up to the APG, several key activities have been organised to create awareness and muster support.

• The #BackupAPG2015 movement is a show of support for the athletes at APG and the PWD community. The community is encouraged to take a photo of themselves putting their right hand on their left shoulder to pledge their support. The symbol indicates that the community has the back of the athletes and the PWD community.

• The ‘Sports without Boundaries’ Roadshows, which give the public an opportunity to meet Team Singapore athletes and find out more about the different Para-sports, started in July at the Jurong West Sports Centre and will move across various heartland areas on the island. There will be a roadshow held at the Choa Chu Kang Sport Centre in September, and two more in November at the Sengkang and Pasir Ris Sports Centres.

• There will also be several Para Sport invitationals organised to inspire communities in Singapore to get excited for the Para Games. A Table Tennis invitational was held at Marina Square in July which saw 22,000 watch Team Singapore paddlers play against some of the region’s best. On 26-27 September, a Football 7-a-side invitational will be held at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh, whilst a Powerlifting invitational will be held in October.

• Since January, SAPGOC has reached out to more than 16,500 students from 19 schools. SAPGOC is targeting to reach out to another 31 schools over the next three months.

• Come October, the town will again be painted red in support of Team Singapore and to get the community excited about the APG.

• The Team Singapore Flag presentation will be held at Marina Bay in conjunction with The Reindeer Walk, a charity fundraiser walk by Singapore Disability Sports Council. This will be a 3km walk will start at the Marina Bay Promontory and end at the MBS Event Square. Before the walk, members of the public can wear red and join hands with Team Singapore athletes to form a Human Heart Formation.

• During Games time, there will be a Carnival held at the Sports Hub where participants will be able to try out the different para sports, learn how to play the sports and of course watch the APG live. There will be something for everyone in the family to have an enjoyable and meaningful time. Concurrently, there will also be a “Breaking Boundaries Tour” that corporates, VWOs and schools can sign up for.

• The familiar Songs of the Games that were released for the SEA Games will be returning for listening and watching enjoyment. Unbreakable and Ordinary will have two new music videos released starring out own Team Singapore para-athletes.

Accessible and affordable events for the community

9. As the final iconic celebration to SG50, the Games is set to be one of the most accessible games with tickets available to members of the public free of charge.

10. “We decided that as one of the major events of Singapore’s SG50 celebrations, we should make the events accessible so that everyone has the opportunity to experience the Games, especially one that rallies us to appreciate how we can all Live Better Through Sport,” adds Mr Lim.

11. Those interested in attending events during the Games can register their interest on the official Games website.