June 22, 2007 – Singapore’s sporting community had much to celebrate at the Singapore Sports Awards 2007, thanks to a record-breaking year in sports achievement in 2006. “It was a year in which we proved we are capable of greatness in sports,” said Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Defence and the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, at the Awards Ceremony on June 21st.
At international games in 2006, Singapore’s athletes won more medals and set more national records than ever before. For Mr. Teo, the breakthroughs in 2006 bode well for Singapore’s dream of standing on the podium at the Beijing Olympic Games 2008. It will be a landmark in Singapore sports history if the country can win its first Olympic medal in almost 50 years. “We need to shake off our doubts and believe that we can do it,” Mr. Teo told the 500 sports people in attendance.
The recipients of the Sports Awards 2007 revealed Singapore’s growing depth and diversity in sports excellence. Teenage swimming sensation Tao Li was named Sportswoman of the Year after winning a gold medal in the 50m butterfly at the Asian Games in December. Bowler Remy Ong claimed his second award as Sportsman of the Year through his win at the Bowling World Championships in October 2006—it was the first time that a Singaporean bowler had won the world title.
The Team of the Year Award for 2007 was presented to the Women’s Table Tennis Team on the back of their incredible performance at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March. The women’s players from Singapore swept the podiums in singles and mixed doubles and claimed the gold and silver medals in women’s doubles.
Singapore’s sailors also featured strongly at the Sports Awards this year. Colin Cheng was honored as Sportsboy of the Year in tribute to his victory at the Laser 4.7 World Championships in France in 2006. He was the first Asian to win the event in its 17-year history.
Sailing coach Zhang Yong Qiang won his second consecutive award as Coach of the Year, thanks to the consistent, medal-winning performances of his sailors at both the Asian Games and the Asian Sailing Championships in 2006. Zhang’s sailors brought home to Singapore a total of four gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes last year.
Mr. Teo also paid tribute to three coaches from Singapore Bowling who jointly brought 13 bowlers to medals at the Asian Games, the Asian Bowling Championships and the Asian Youth Bowling Championships. The trio of Henry Tan, Mervyn Foo and William Woo also coached Remy Ong to Singapore’s first world championship title in bowling and Valerie Teo to Singapore’s first youth world championship title.
Nineteen year old Vanessa Yong was named Sportsgirl of the Year in recognition of her silver medal at the Asian Games in the 10m Air Rifle. The Junior Team of the Year Award went to Vanessa and her fellow shooters Adrienne Ser and Jasmine Ser for their silver-medal winning performances at the Asian Games.
Overall Singapore’s athletes outperformed expectations across the board in 2006, said Mr. Teo. Their international successes led to the forming of ‘Project 0812’ by the SNOC and the Singapore Sports Council to put a Singaporean athlete on the Olympic podiums in 2008 and 2012. “Project 0812 is our belief put into action.”
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