Younger athletes, more women to represent country
Singapore fields record team to Commonwealth Games in Melbourne

Singapore will be sending a record 63 athletes to compete at the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, held from March 15th to 26th. With 71 countries competing at the Commonwealth Games, Singapore this year will be fielding some of its youngest athletes to fly the national colours.

Melbourne is Singapore’s 13th appearance at the Commonwealth Games. However, for many of the young athletes, the Games will be their first international event at this level of competition. Singapore’s best medal tally at the Commonwealth Games was in 2002 in Manchester, with four golds, two silvers and seven bronzes. Surpassing that achievement “is not impossible, but we must realize that it will be difficult,” said Minister Teo.

Competitions at the Commonwealth level are generally at a higher level than at the South East Asian Games as many of the athletes train full time. However, the Singapore team across the board qualified for the Games. “Whether you win a medal or not, I would like to commend and thank you for the effort, the sacrifice, and the accomplishments in the arduous months of preparation for the Commonwealth Games,” Minister Teo said to the athletes.

This year’s mix of athletes at the Commonwealth Games differs from previous years in terms of sport and gender, too. Not only is Singapore sending more athletes than ever before, “we are sending more women,” Minister Teo said.

For the first time, Singapore’s female athletes will outnumber male athletes, 36 to 27 athletes, thanks to the 12-woman National netball team, which will be making its inaugural appearance at the Commonwealth Games, he noted. In fact, Singapore will be the only Asian netball team at the Commonwealth Games.

Singapore also will be sending its first gymnast, 17 year-old Ho Wah Toon, to the Commonwealth Games, with in the Men’s Vault. With a strong performance in the Men’s Vault at the Sea Games, Wah Toon qualified for the Commonwealth Games.

Of the 13 swimmers going to Melbourne, nine are 18 years old or younger. Six of the badminton players also are 18 years old or less. Eleven shooters, consisting primarily of air pistol and rifle marksmen, also will be competing. It is the biggest contingent of shooters to represent Singapore at the Commonwealth Games, and four in this group also are under 19. Four of the table tennis players also are 18 years old or younger.

“Do your best and do so in the true spirit of sportsmanship,” Minister Teo said. “Achieving a personal best or a national record would be a fine accomplishment; a medal of any colour would be a bonus and really do our country proud.” Singapore Post plans to issue special stamps of the medal-winning athletes.

Four athletes will be representing Singapore in Elite Athletes with Disability events in Melbourne, versus 2 in Manchester 2002. The EAD events have been integrated into the main program at the Commonwealth Games for the second consecutive time.

Chef de Mission Dr. Tan Eng Liang and the team officially leave for Melbourne on March 11th.

At the Commonwealth Games, our greatest success has been in weightlifting. In all, our weightlifters won eight medals - four golds (two by Tan Howe Liang and one each by Tan Ser Cher and Chua Phung Kim), one silver (by Phung Kim) and three bronzes (Chye Hong Tong, Chua Koon Siong, Teo Yong Joo). Boxer Abdul Syed Kadir did his sport proud by bagging a bronze in the 1974 Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Since 1986, we did not win a medal - until our latest success in 2002 in Manchester where our medal tally (4-2-7) exceeded all expectations. The first gold in 2002 - by the women's paddlers Li Jiawei, Jing Junhong, Tan Paey Fern and Zhang Xueling - was especially significant and emotional. It marked our first triumph since Chua Phung Kim and Tan Howe Liang bagged gold medals at the 1962 Games in Perth, Australia.

"For any sportsman or woman, representing one's country in a major Games is always an honour and there is a very special feeling. For me, there is added meaning whenever I represent Singapore. This is because I came from China originally. But after being groomed by the Singapore system, I have been able to go to events like the SEA, Asian and Commonwealth Games. I feel like I have been given a privilege and must treasure it even more." - paddler Li Jiawei who has won gold medals in the SEA Games and Commonwealth Games as bronzes in the Asian Games.