Schooling in for 5 events, as Team S’pore fields largest-ever Asian Games contingent

SINGAPORE – Team Singapore’s swimmers could be set for a historic haul of medals at the 2018 Asian Games, as Olympic champion Joseph Schooling will compete in an expanded schedule of five events at the August 18 to Sept 2 event in Indonesia.

A total of 246 athletes in 22 sports were selected by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) selection committee on Wednesday (May 30) in what is set to be the largest contingent to represent Singapore at the quadrennial event, which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang.

At the 2014 edition in Incheon, South Korea, Schooling won a gold, silver and bronze medal to add to the total swimming haul of six medals.

While Schooling, 22, is penciled in for the 100m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly individual events this time, he will also be taking on additional duties in the men’s 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay events.

The University of Texas senior told TODAY in an earlier interview that he had requested to be included in the relay teams as he wanted “to help out as much as I can”.

“My goal for Asian Games is to do my best for the country, bring glory to Singapore and helping out the younger kids, we have a young team and I’m super excited particularly for the relays,” he said.

Schooling will be joined by United States-based swimmer Quah Zheng Wen, a multiple SEA Games gold medallist who also qualified for two semi-finals at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Team Singapore’s best-ever swimming haul was at the New Delhi Asian Games in 1951, when Neo Chwee Kok won three gold medals in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle before leading the 4x100m freestyle quartet to claim gold against their Asian rivals.

While there were no surprises in the swimming squad, the men’s table tennis team was a shock omission from the list, with veteran Gao Ning the sole male paddler selected for the mixed doubles. This is the first time since the 2002 Asian Games that Singapore has not qualified a men’s team in the table tennis competition.

The 2018 Asian Games will also see Team Singapore making its debut in artistic swimming, jujitsu and paragliding.

Mr Chris Chan, Secretary-General of the SNOC said: “Our athletes have made some breakthroughs at the major Games in recent times. With the largest contingent to the Asian Games ever, we hope to see more inspiring and credible performances by Team Singapore in Indonesia.

“The synchronised (artistic) swimming team is making an entry into the Asiad with a young team of athletes. From playing second fiddle to our Southeast Asian counterparts not too long ago to defending their SEA Games crown last year, they will now face a bigger test at the Asian Games.”

At the last Asian Games in Incheon four years ago, Team Singapore’s contingent of 223 athletes won five gold (bowling, sailing, swimming), six silver, and 14 bronze medals.

The 2018 Games will offer a total of 462 gold medals across 40 sports.