| 1. |
On behalf of the Singapore National Olympic Council and the
Singapore Sports Council I extend a warm welcome to all of you
to this Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme (MAP) Awards and
Team Singapore Appreciation Dinner to celebrate the Singapore
Team’s success at the 22nd SEA Games.
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| 2. |
The Singapore Team did well in Vietnam, it was a good all
round performance from our 295 athletes. Of the 23 sports entered
for the Games, only 4 sports failed to deliver any medal. The
19 other sports fulfilled their promise to deliver a bronze
medal or more. It is significant to highlight here that some
sports last won their SEA Games medals ten years or so ago.
SEA Games debutant archer Albert Low’s Silver medal deserves
special mention as Archery last won a medal twenty years back
in 1983. The Basketball (Women) Team’s Silver medal is
equally noteworthy as they last won a Bronze medal eighteen
years back in 1985. Gymnastics won 3 Silver and 1 Bronze medals
in Hanoi, they last won a Bronze medal ten years ago in 1993.
Although the Badminton (Women) Team last won a Bronze medal
eight years ago in 1995 they have never gone beyond the Bronze
medal in the history of the SEA Games, so their first Gold medal
in Ho Chi Minh City deserves praise. |
| 3. |
In overall medal tally, we hauled 113 medals. This is one
of the only eight times of the 22 editions of the SEA Games
that we have won more than a hundred medals. We achieved this
when we hosted the SEA Games on three occasions, but only on
four other away occasions did we win more than a hundred medals,
in Bangkok,1974 (124 medals), Jakarta, 1987 (120 medals), Kuala
Lumpur, 1989 (117 medals), and the last in Jakarta in 1997 (107
medals). Well done the Chef de Mission, the athletes and officials. |
| 4. |
The sports which brought us the most gold medals were Swimming
with 9 golds, and Table-tennis with 6 golds. Well done to the
athletes from these two sports. |
| 5. |
We have to also acknowledge the contribution of our stalwart
SEA Games Gold medalists who, SEA Games after SEA Games, continue
to deliver their Gold medals. They deserve special mention because
sometimes we take them for granted. The Waterpolo Team has been
delivering Gold medals for twenty consecutive SEA Games, their
first from the 3rd SEA Games in 1965, thirty-eight years ago.
Thrower James Wong has delivered seven consecutive individual
Discus Gold medals since 1991. Shooter Lee Wung Yew’s
first Gold medal was way back sixteen years ago in 1987. And
we have swimmer Joscelin Yeo, who has never failed to deliver
three Gold medals or more at every SEA Games since 1993. What
can we say about these individuals and the Waterpolo Team? They
are a rare breed of athletes who have taken hard knocks, experienced
defeat at some stage of their sporting career I am sure, yet
they always come back stronger, to deliver when the nation calls.
They are also great role models and they epitomize what Olympism
and the Olympic spirit is all about. They have shown that you
can blend sports with education and career, and still find joy
in the sports you do, without compromising the Olympic ideals
such as dignity, respect of the individual, courage and fairplay.
I hope our young budding athletes and teams can take after James,
Wung Yew, Joscelin and the Waterpolo Team for this is what we
want our champions to be. |
| 6. |
Tonight, we will be presenting MAP cash awards to the Gold
medalists from the SEA Games, and tokens of appreciation to
SNOC and Team Singapore partners and sponsors to the 22nd SEA
Games. We also have a sumptuous dinner laid out for you. This
‘Appreciation’ dinner is for all of you, athletes,
volunteers, team officials, supporters, employers, parents,
sponsors and media, who were part of Team Singapore at the 22nd
SEA Games. Thank you, for without you we would not have this
success. |
| 7. |
I wish everyone an enjoyable evening. Thank You. |
