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SEA Games: Well done Team Singapore, here’s an A-

KUALA LUMPUR — Singapore’s chef de mission (CDM) Milan Kwee has awarded Team Singapore an ‘A-’ grade for its performance at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games after the 560-strong contingent delivered its best-ever away Games haul of 57 gold, 58 silver and 73 bronze medals.

The Team Singapore contingent at the opening ceremony of the SEA Games. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

The Team Singapore contingent at the opening ceremony of the SEA Games. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

KUALA LUMPUR — Singapore’s chef de mission (CDM) Milan Kwee has awarded Team Singapore an ‘A-’ grade for its performance at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games after the 560-strong contingent delivered its best-ever away Games haul of 57 gold, 58 silver and 73 bronze medals.

Fifteen Games records, 12 national records, and 29 personal bests were also achieved. The result was also the second-best medal haul after the 2015 Games at home, where a total of 84-73-102 medals were won, and also topped the previous away best of 43-43-41. 

For the first time in 18 years, Singapore finished fourth on the overall medal tally, just one gold short of third-placed Vietnam (58-50-60), while hosts Malaysia topped the table with 145-92-86 and Thailand finished third on 72-86-88.

Said Kwee, who is also the president of the Singapore Taekwondo Federation, as he delivered the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) report card at a media conference on Wednesday (Aug 30): “Overall, it was a successful outing, a safe Games with exceptional results.

“While Team Singapore did well, there are improvements to be made. So I feel that A- is a grade befitting (of their performance), and I hope the results are indicative of bigger things to come.”

Of the 560-strong contingent, 303 made their Games debuts, with 71 of them winning medals. Among those who shone were 50m freestyle swimming champion Teong Tzen Wei, 16-year-old fencer Amita Berthier who won the women’s foil, and the men’s bowling team comprising four newcomers who won a surprise team gold. 

There were also breakthrough performances in cycling, golf, squash, cricket and ice skating, which saw athletes ending long-time gold medal droughts. In cricket and figure skating, which were making their debuts, the men’s T20 team emerged victorious while teenager Yu Shuran also won gold. Swimming proved the top performer yet again, reaping a total of 19 gold, six silver and 10 bronze medals. 

Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) chief Toh Boon Yi also singled out swimming and sailing as examples of sports that had thrived as a result of good governance and leadership. 

But there were some sports that fell short. Singapore’s Under-22 footballers were booted out of the competition after the group stage with two wins and two losses, while athletics sputtered at the start line, winning just two out of 46 gold medals on offer: The men’s marathon (Soh Rui Yong) and women’s high jump (Michelle Sng).

Toh did not mince his words when commenting on both sports.

“Obviously, we’re not happy about football’s performance,” he said. “We all want it to do well, it’s our undeclared national sport.”

“But we have to see this as part of a long-term process of development - and a lot of work is needed to continue to build the sport ... It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes years and multiple Game cycles.”

The same goes for athletics, he said.

With Singapore Athletics embroiled in infighting and disputes with its coaches and athletes, Toh said it needs to get its house as it is “not pulling (its) weight.”

“There are 46 medals to be won, and our market share was two, that is way below par,” he said. 

“If we want to be in the top half of the table this cannot continue. We need to be competing in more than two-thirds of the events.

“Athletics needs to work on its system, improve its club scene and pathway, form a national junior squad. They could take a leaf out of what swimming has done. 

Kwee added: “For those that are lacking, everyone has to go back to the drawing board and see how to sort out their problems.”

With Games hosts Malaysia hit by accusations from other countries about unfair judging and scoring, and including sports that Malaysia was good at, SNOC secretary general Chan said he would be highlighting some issues to the SEA Games Federation, such as the “changing of rules” for certain sports. 

While he did not identify the sports, there has been unhappiness over scoring at the Games in sports such as synchronised swimming and silat.

Toh added: “This is part and parcel of the Games, our athletes need to take that in our stride.”

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