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GUEST OF HONOUR : RADM TEO CHEE HEAN (Minister
for education and Second minister for Defence, President SNOC)
EVENTS : THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR AWARD AND APPRECIATION
DINNER ON 28 AUG 2002
VENUE : SOUTH FOYER, SINGAPORE INDOOR STADIUM
DATE : WEDNESDAY 28 AUGUST 2002
Our Guest-of-Honour, Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong and
Mrs Lee,
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Acting Minister for Community Development and
Sports,
Mr Lim Swee Say, President of the Singapore Badminton Association
and Minister for the Environment,
Distinguished Guests, Athletes, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Evening.
| 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 Award and Appreciation Dinner for the Singapore
Contingent to the 17th Commonwealth Games, 2002. I am also delighted
to welcome as our Guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lee
Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee. Thank you DPM and Mrs Lee for gracing
this event. |
| 2. |
Tonight's award ceremony is to honour the medal winners from
the 17th Commonwealth Games. In all, 17 athletes from the 26
in the contingent to Manchester won medals, with some winning
even up to four medals individually. It is worth reiterating
that in Manchester we garnered 4 Golds, 2 Silver and 7 Bronze
medals, a total of 13 medals, from badminton and table tennis.
This figure far surpasses the 9 medals we have won from the
previous eleven Commonwealth Games before Manchester. For the
medal winners, he or she will be receiving a cash award commensurate
with the number of medals won and their colour. Congratulations
to all the medal winners, you've earned and reserve the awards. |
| 3. |
But let us not forget the other athletes who came to close
and missed out on a medal. Along the way they battled bravely
and kept our flag flying. Some of them reached the semi-finals,
some the finals, where they stood among the Commonwealth's best.
How many of us here know that Joscelin Yeo broke two National
records, the eight year old 50m Butterfly record and the 50m
Freestyle record, or that Theresa Goh set a games record for
the 50m Freestyle and the 100m Freestyle in her S5 disability
class? Wong Meng Ee did a personal best for the 50m Freestyle
in his S12 disability class. The double trap pair of Lee Wung
Yew and Tan Chee Keong missed the bronze medal by a mere six
birds, and Mark Chay and Christel Bouvron achieved their best
times of the season in two of their respective events. Even
our big-man Dong Enxin, not so big when he stood among the Commonwealth's
best shot putters, despite an injury qualified for the final.
To all of you we say well done, you all played a part in this
the best all round performance by our contingent in any Games.
We are proud of you. |
| 4. |
Of course behind the athletes' success are the coaches, officials,
parents, employers, NSAs, SSC and sponsors. The athletes' success
would not have been possible without you. I have to single out
for special mention here the sponsors, and in particular a special
sponsor Singapore Pools, for without their sponsorship we would
not have this Multi Million Dollar Awards. The cash awards to
be handed out tonight for a haul of 13 medals is by no means
an insignificant amount. It reflects the commitment that Singapore
Pools has made to sports excellence in Singapore. MAP is important
for sports excellence in Singapore because it motivate athletes
to excel and win, by recognising and rewarding them when they
do. |
| 5. |
Tonight is a special night for the sporting fraternity as
we join the athletes and officials to celebrate our success
in Manchester. I wish everyone an enjoyable evening. |
Thank you
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