Team Singapore Aims High For 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games

Team Singapore Aims High For 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games

• 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina will also see 15 young athletes compete with world’s best

• TeamSG’s Hoe Wah Toon, Nur Syahidah and Koen Pang unveiled as flag bearers

Singapore, 29 July 2018 – Team Singapore is aiming for a strong performance once again as her largest Asiad contingent gets ready for their upcoming 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games, taking place at Jakarta and Palembang. Come August, a total of 265 athletes across 21 sports will compete in the Asian Games while another 44 athletes across 10 sports will compete in the Asian Para Games in October.

Additionally, October will see another 15 youth athletes from eight sports take on the world’s best youth athletes at the Youth Olympic Games. Along with the recent Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games, this will be the first time Team Singapore will be represented in five major Games in a single year.

At the official Flag Presentation Ceremony this morning, TeamSG gymnast Hoe Wah Toon, TeamSG archer Nur Syahidah and TeamSG paddler Koen Pang were unveiled as the flag bearers for the Asian Games, Asian Para Games and Youth Olympic Games respectively; while TeamSG swimmer Amanda Lim was the pledge taker.

The event was presided by guests-of-honour Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament and President, Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) and Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. Both presented Singapore flags to the Chefs de Mission who then handed them over to the flag bearers.

Ms Fu said, “Congratulations to the athletes who have worked hard to qualify for their respective competitions. They have been putting in long hours to train, and are determined to make us proud.”

“Our athletes show what Singaporeans have the potential to achieve, when we put our hearts into it, when we work hard and are prepared to make personal sacrifices, and when we are determined to overcome the obstacles we face. I encourage everyone to cheer them on as One Team Singapore,” she added.

2018 Asian Games

Mr Lee Wung Yew, Chef de Mission for Team Singapore at the Asian Games said, “With the largest Team Singapore contingent heading to the Asian Games, we are certainly expecting the best of them. They have outdone themselves consistently at recent major Games, and we hope this streak continues in Indonesia. We hope they put in their best efforts, perform to their potential and be exemplary ambassadors for Singapore.”

While this year’s Asian Games looks set to be an exciting one for the athletes who qualified, this will be especially so for the 203 of them making their Asian Games debut. This Games will also be the first time the sport of Synchronised Swimming, Ju Jit-su and Paragliding will be sending a team to the Asian Games.

Unlikely to be overawed by the Games will be the experienced Hoe, who first represented Singapore in the SEA Games in 2005. Hoe said, “To be able to carry the flag on behalf of Team Singapore at 2018 Asian Games brings me immense honour and is a responsibility which I do with my utmost best efforts. Since coming out of retirement last year, I have had to train harder and smarter to stay on top of the game and being able to represent Singapore at the Games is an opportunity I am very thankful for.”

2018 Asian Para Games

Taking place from 6 to 13 October, 44 Team Singapore athletes will compete across 10 sports at the 3rd Asian Para Games. Mr Ali Bin Daud, Chef de Mission for Team Singapore at the Asian Para Games, showed optimism in the athletes. “Our para athletes are fully committed and training very hard for the Games. I am confident that our athletes will do better than the last APG in Korea. Our current contingent is well prepared to face other top Asian countries in this region and we will make Singapore proud. Together, we will succeed.”

Nur Syahidah who is making her debut at this Games said, “I feel very honoured and proud not only to represent for Archery, but also to bear the Singapore flag in my first Asian Para Games. This is a new milestone in my career as an athlete. I will continue to give my best in the coming Games.”

2018 Youth Olympic Games

The last major games event that Team Singapore will take part in this year will be the Youth Olympic Games where 15 athletes have made the cut so far to represent the nation in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 18 October.

Ms Tao Li, Chef de Mission for Team Singapore at the Youth Olympic Games said, “The Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games will be a first in many aspects and it is shaping up to be an exciting Games. I’m looking forward to share this experience with the athletes and also hope that my experience as an athlete can help in guiding them to a fruitful and successful outing in Buenos Aires.

Show your support: #OneTeamSG

Members of public can show their support for Team Singapore by posting well wishes and hashtagging #OneTeamSG on the Team Singapore Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TeamSG or on their Instagram page at @TeamSingapore. By doing so, you may also stand a chance to win a Team Singapore goody bag with a limited Team Singapore jersey and other Team Singapore premiums.