YOG athletes hailed for spectacular showing

SINGAPORE — Team Singapore’s 18-strong contingent to the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing have been given a glowing report card by chef-de-mission Mark Chay.

The Republic finished the quadrennial meet, which ends today, with two gold and two silver. It is an improvement from the inaugural edition four years ago on home soil, where they finished with two silvers and four bronzes.

“The past 11 days in Nanjing brought a lot of wonderful celebratory moments for Team Singapore,” said the former national swimmer yesterday. “The athletes have performed well in their sports, some made personal bests, and the sailors and shooters were extraordinary in their inspiring performances.”

Teenage shooter Martina Lindsay Veloso — winner of the women’s 10m air rifle at this year’s International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup — delivered Singapore’s first medal at the Nanjing Games when she won silver in the 10m air rifle.

Fellow shooter Teh Xiu Yi followed up with a surprise medal next, teaming up with Egypt’s Ahmed Mohamed in the 10m air pistol mixed international teams to clinch a silver.

Sailors Bernie Chin and Samantha Yom proved the star pupils, clinching gold in the men’s and women’s Byte CII respectively to end the Republic’s four-year wait for its first gold since the inaugural Games in 2010.

Personal bests were also set by the youth athletes in shooting, triathlon, swimming and gymnastics, and Chay believes the grit and stellar performances bode well for their futures.

“The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games will be very memorable for many of these young athletes,” Chay added. “The YOG has proven to be a fantastic platform for young athletes to gain competition experience to prepare them for their senior careers ahead.”

Over 3,500 athletes aged 14 to 18 from 201 National Olympic Committees competed across 28 sports at the Nanjing Games, with new elements like mixed international team events for athletics and shooting proving a hit among the athletes and spectators alike.

Also well-received was the Games’ Culture and Education Programme, which allowed Singapore’s athletes to connect with athletes from other nations via activities such as cooking workshops and treasure hunt games.