Mr Ng Ser Miang, Vice President of Singapore National Olympic Council
and International Olympic Committee member in Singapore
Mr Chris Chan, Secretary General of Singapore National Olympic
Council
Mr Soon Min Yam, Director, Sports for Life Division, Singapore
Sports Council
| 1. |
Olympic Day Run. When I received the invitation
to grace the event today, the first thing that flashed across
my mind was the torch being passed on by the athletes. As all
of you know, the Olympic Games is an international sport event
which is held once every four years. The year 2002 was a good
one for Singapore in terms of sports. Our Singaporean athletes
did well to bring glory for our country by winning main events
in the 14th Asian Games held in Busan. |
| 2. |
Today, on behalf of the Olympic Movement, I would like to
welcome everyone to this year’s edition of the Olympic
Day Run. This annual event, which commemorates the founding
of the International Olympic Committee by Baron Pierre de Coubertin
on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France,
has been organized by the National Olympic Committees since
1987. |
| 3. |
It is heartening to note that North East CDC together with
Singapore National Olympic Council, Singapore Olympic Academy,
Singapore Sports Council and Singapore Pools have come together
to celebrate this special day with all our North East residents.
This year, the 17th edition of the Olympic Day Run will continue
to bring joy to millions of men, women, children and disabled
persons of all ages and backgrounds from all over the globe.
The theme for this year’s Olympic Day Run is to spread
the message of Olympism to our youths in the heartlands. The
practice of physical activity by every individual is a basic
right, which forms part of the goal we all share:- to place
sports at the service of the harmonious development of humankind
everywhere. |
| 4. |
At today’s event, we are all gathered here to learn
about the spirit of Olympism. Olympism is a source of multiple
passions, which unite the worlds of sport, art and culture.
Apart from our run today, we also have other activities such
as treasure hunt, jigsaw assembly, pacing relay and on-the-spot
art competition for our youth, grandparents and families. |
| 5. |
We believe that sports can be used as a gel to bond people.
Through sport, players learn about commitment, teamwork, co-operation
and many other positive traits. The pursuit of a common tangible
goal like winning a game or tournament would indeed see participants
of different backgrounds putting aside any differences and working
as a team. |
| 6. |
With the current health situation, it has become increasingly
important to take good care of one’s health. One way of
increasing a person’s immunity would be to exercise regularly
and stay healthy through a balanced diet. The well-being of
the youth today is an important aspect of the Olympic Movement
and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) believes the Olympic
Day Run achieves this goal. |
| 7. |
I urge all of you to give your best and compete in the spirit
of sportsmanship. I wish all of you an exciting and enjoyable
morning. |
| 8. |
Thank you. |
