GUEST OF HONOUR : DR YAACOB IBRAHIM (MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SPORTS)
EVENTS : THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR AWARD PROGRAMME AND TEAM SINGAPORE APPRECIATION DINNER OF THE 22ND SEA GAMES 2003
VENUE : THE ASIAN CIVILISATION MUSEUM, EMPRESS PLACE
DATE : FRIDAY, 16 JANUARY 2004, 7.30PM

Rear-Admiral Teo Chee Hean
President Singapore National Olympic Council and
Minister for Defence

Our Team Singapore contingent, officials and well-wishers

Ladies and Gentlemen

We have gathered here this evening to recognise our star performers – athletes who made the Singapore flag fly high at the 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam.

We did well at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. We did well at the Asian Games in Busan. Team Singapore has now done us proud by doing exceeding well at the SEA Games in Vietnam. Our athletes performed beyond our expectations. They fought hard and triumphed. To the athletes here tonight, I commend you for not only for your performance but for your perseverance and dedication to your sport. In so doing, you have brought glory to Singapore.

Behind the success of our star athletes lies the firm commitment and support of their loved ones, officials and coaches, working partners, faithful supporters, the media and of course, their NSAs, the SSC, the SNOC and my Ministry. We sometimes forget that it is not just the talent, the guts and the determination of the individual, but that there is whole team behind the athlete that has worked together to produce a champion. So I must also extend my congratulations to everyone who made this achievement possible. Together as Team Singapore we have achieved!

The spirit that was behind Team Singapore success also helped us overcome the challenges we faced as a nation last year. And the more Singaporeans see examples of this spirit at work in our day-to-day lives, the easier it will be for us to count on that can-do spirit when the need arises. When fellow Singaporeans see you as sportswomen and sportsmen fight your guts out as a team in the face of intense competition, they are charged up to emulate your spirit in facing the challenges they may meet in the course of their lives.

When I was at Vietnam, I was deeply impressed by the passion and dedicated support shown by the Vietnamese whenever their athletes won. Every artery of the city would be packed with patriotic people cheering their hearts out. This is kind of passion we would love to see in Singapore – not only for the future of sports but also for bringing together and bonding our people in one spirit.

I saw that in the eyes of Singaporeans who flew to Vietnam especially to support our athletes in their quest for glory. I was also moved by the effort that families and friends put in to support all of Team Singapore at the SEA Games. For example, Mr Tan Puay Hin and his wife, being very supportive of their daughters’ interests, brought both of them to watch gymnastics, table-tennis and athletics, besides joining them to cheer their cousin Amanda Ng in fin-swimming.

And of course, the mere presence of Patricia Chan, our Hall of Famer, was an inspiration for all our young swimmers at the Aquatic Centre.

We even had overseas Singaporeans who so warmly welcomed the Team Singapore Contingent when we arrived in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They made us all feel at home.

I would also like to salute our keen supporters back home. Many turned up at the airport to wish our athletes well at the send-off and cheered them upon their return. Grassroots leaders and the sports club operators arranged for “live’ telecasts at their premises during the SEA Games. They helped bring sports closer to the heartlands, and allowed our people to catch a piece of the action.

Of course our Team Singapore sponsors and partners who are with us today played a big role. Our success at Vietnam was made possible because of their contributions.

Last but not least, let me once again congratulate our Team Singapore contingent on a job well done. Your determination and teamwork helped us celebrate as a nation. Thank you.