Singapore athletes up to the challenge to deliver AYG medals

Channel NewsAsia, 11 May 2009

Singapore athletes up to the challenge to deliver AYG medals
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 11 May 2009 1700 hrs


SINGAPORE: Singapore's athletes competing in the inaugural Asian Youth Games (AYG) will face added pressure given that their country is the host of the June Games.

But the young ones are coping well and will use the extra attention to their advantage by improving on their performance. That attitude may just land a few medals for Singapore!

Swimmer Quah Ting Wen could be the one to look out for at the AYG. The 16-year-old broke three national records in March, most notably Joscelin Yeo's 100-metre freestyle.

Singapore will field 24 swimmers at the Games, and Rainer Ng, who is competing in four events, is another medal hopeful.

If China and Japan send their best youth athletes, Singapore swimmers can expect a tough time in the pool.

Also expecting stiff competition from the East Asian countries is shooter Jodie TAN Jia Yi.

The 17-year-old polytechnic student scored 396 out of 400 points in the 10-metre Air Rifle event at last year's South East Asia Shooting Championship in Vietnam.

More recently, Goh finished 6th at the International Junior Championships 2009 in Suhl, Germany with a score of 395 out of 400 points.

Goh said: "I have been to a training camp last year and an overseas competition around January. There is bound to be a little pressure but I think I will deal with it very well."

The shooting team will send eight athletes - four boys and four girls for both the rifle and pistol categories.

Sailing is another sport that is expected to deliver medals at the AYG.

That's because Singapore's young sailors have traditionally done well at the international level.

A case in point - Singapore won five gold medals at the 2006 Asian Games.

Two sailors for the Byte CII class and two windsurfers will be flying the Singapore flag.

The dinghy sailors also put in credible performances at the Byte CII Asia Pacific Championship this year.

Team Singapore sailor Najwa Jumali said: "Even though we are the favourites and expected to win, we will not let that cause us pressure or affect us, instead (we will) really do well on that day and hopefully win medals for Singapore."

Other advantages the sailors have over their rivals are familiarity with home waters, wind conditions and more time on their boats.

Darren Choy, another Team Singapore sailor, said: "The boat tends to be harder to control and a little more powerful than the last class of boat I sailed, which is the the Optimist."

Paddler Isabelle Li and the bowlers are also medal contenders.

1,100 athletes from 45 countries will compete in nine sports at the AYG which starts on 29 June.