‘A trailblazer for women in sports’: Tributes pour in for hockey icon Annabel Pennefather

SINGAPORE — She was a trailblazer for female athletes in Singapore, a woman who left an “indelible mark” on the country’s sports scene.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong led a string of tributes for the hockey icon, lawyer and champion for women in sport Annabel Pennefather, who died on Monday (April 27) at the age of 72.

Said Mr Lee: “In her hands, our flag always flew high. A well-respected role model, she guided our sports talents, imparting in them resilience, discipline and teamwork. She made sure they had the right environment to succeed.

“As a trailblazer for women in sports, she worked tirelessly to increase participation by women and girls. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.”

A senior consultant at Withers KhattarWong, Pennefather’s achievements precede her. Apart from being Team Singapore’s chef de mission for several Southeast Asian, Asian, Commonwealth and Olympic games, she also held key positions in numerous national and international sports organisations.

She represented Singapore in women’s hockey from 1964 and was the team’s captain for more than 10 years. She went on to serve the game, and sport in general, as an administrator long after her retirement in 1980.

In 1996 and 2000, Pennefather was the technical delegate for the hockey women’s competition at the Olympic Games. She also served as vice-president of the Asian Hockey Federation and the International Hockey Federation.

In 2002, Pennefather became the first woman to be elected as vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), a position she had served until 2018.

She also served as the first female president of the Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) from 2004 to 2012.

Outside of sport, she was vice-president of the Law Society from 1995 to 1996.

Pennefather was due to be inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in March but due to the Covid-19 situation, the induction ceremony was postponed to March 2021.

Awarded by the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations, past Hall of Fame inductees include Singapore’s First Lady Noor Aishah, founding father Lee Kuan Yew’s wife Kwa Geok Choo, and Pennefather’s grandmother Alice, who was Singapore’s first women’s singles badminton champion in 1931.

THE FORCE BEHIND MANY HOCKEY MILESTONES

During her playing career, she was a great captain who gave great advice and motivated team-mates both on and off the pitch.

“She was inspiring and able to get everybody to buy into her vision,” said former national hockey star Melanie Martens, who played alongside Pennefather in the national team for two years in the 1970s.

Ms Martens, 59, remembered how, during a match against regional kingpins Malaysia in 1976, Pennefather was hit on the ankle but continued playing.

“It was only after the game that we had a look at the bruise on her ankle — it had swelled up like a golf ball,” Ms Martens said.

After her retirement, Pennefather also played a part in helping Singapore win the gold medal in women’s hockey at the 1993 SEA Games, the country’s only victory in the biennial games to date.

“Our SEA Games gold medal in 1993 was the result of her working so hard behind the scenes to get moral support for women’s hockey,” said Ms Martens.

“She attended training sessions regularly to encourage us and she was the one who sourced around the world for a good sports psychologist and a coach who would suit our team.”

Those who have worked alongside Pennefather in the hockey scene said she tirelessly promoted the sport and was the moving force behind many key milestones.

One of her key contributions, said Mr Mathavan Devadas, the 60-year-old current president of the SHF, was working with the Singapore Sports Council and then Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam to have Sengkang Hockey Stadium built in 2009.

Mr Devadas, who worked with Pennefather as a fellow vice-president of the SHF in 1994, said: “She brought the Men’s Junior World Cup to Singapore in 2009 and she was key in getting the Sengkang Hockey Stadium for us in 2010 when we hosted the Youth Olympic Games.

“She worked very hard to get that stadium, which is one of the best hockey stadiums in the world, and that’s her legacy to hockey.”

‘THERE’S ONLY ONE ANNABEL’

Pennefather also went above and beyond for local athletes in other sports.

She gave legal advice to Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling’s family before he left for the United States to study in 2009, said his mother May Schooling, who is in her 60s.

“She was always available for us whenever we had questions… She has always fought for the good of sports and athletes in Singapore,” Mrs Schooling said.

Senior lawyer Rajan S Menon, 72, who was Pennefather’s old friend and colleague, recalled how in 1992 she had fought for the Singapore Women’s Hockey Association to merge with the SHF.

He said she felt strongly for the need for the two organisations to unite so that resources can be better utilised to support the sport as a whole.

Partner at Rajah and Tann LLP Chandra Mohan, 70, a former teammate and colleague in the Law Society, said that Pennefather was recognised both in law and hockey.

He said: “She was a very good lawyer and was well respected. She was also known for her passion and contributions in bringing the hockey scene forward.”

Working in a largely male-dominated field of hockey, Ms Martens said she admired Pennefather for staying true to who she was, despite the challenges.

“I suppose if you want to break the glass ceiling, often the stereotype is you have to be like a man – shout or maybe indulge in politics. But she always stayed true to who she was and she did it with a lot of grace.”

Agreeing, Mr Chris Chan, SNOC’s secretary-general, said Pennefather’s gentle but firm leadership style was what made her a respected figure, both here and internationally.

“She always looks out for people, and you know that she is genuine about it,” Mr Chan said. “Her patience and her ability to listen and be impartial, that’s something she carries with her.

“There’s only one Annabel, and she will be missed.”

CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this story, we reported that Pennefather was elected as vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council in 2006. She was elected in 2002. We are sorry for the error.