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Sports pioneers immortalised

SINGAPORE — Last month, Singapore won the Asian Netball Championships for a third time and earned their ticket to the World Championships in Australia next year. But very few knew how Tan Yoon Yin fought to set up the Singapore Women’s Netball Association — now known as Netball Singapore (NS) — in 1962 to help make that possible.

SINGAPORE — Last month, Singapore won the Asian Netball Championships for a third time and earned their ticket to the World Championships in Australia next year. But very few knew how Tan Yoon Yin fought to set up the Singapore Women’s Netball Association — now known as Netball Singapore (NS) — in 1962 to help make that possible.

Last night, the former NS president was among more than 200 of the Republic’s sports pioneers honoured at the opening of the Singapore Sports Museum and Singapore Youth Olympic Museum at the Sports Hub in Kallang.

The museums, which cover 2,200 sq m and can hold up to 500 visitors at any one time, showcases many of Singapore’s most valued sporting artefacts and moments.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong, who officially opened the museums, also announced that all Singapore pioneer athletes, officials and coaches who were involved at major Games for Singapore will be offered free lifetime access to ActiveSG swimming pools and gyms islandwide.

They will also be invited to major sporting events and programmes at the Sports Hub, including next year’s South-east Asian and ASEAN Para Games.

“Back then, the support system and infrastructure for sports was much more limited,” said Wong.

“But our pioneers persevered against the odds, and blazed the trail for us ... Through their efforts, they inspired many young athletes who now dare to pursue their sporting dreams and passion. I hope that our athletes today will continue to uphold the never-say-die spirit of our pioneers, and scale even greater heights of sporting achievements.”

Describing the opening of the museums as a “homecoming”, Sport Singapore CEO Lim Teck Yin also said: “It’s a time for us to reconnect and I believe that this is a living museum, which will continue ... for future generations.”

Incorporated into the museums are interactive components, such as touchscreens detailing the career highlights of Singapore’s sporting icons, including 1982 Asian Games men’s 100m freestyle champion Ang Peng Siong and 1966 Asian Games men’s 100m silver medallist Canagasabai Kunalan, and a video of Fandi Ahmad’s goal for Dutch side Groningen against Italian giants Inter Milan in a UEFA Cup match in 1983.

“We added on a more experiential aspect to it,” said Hairini Joshi, the museums’ director. “We have touch screen interactives, video documentaries, (you can) watch them, play games ... In this day and age, people want that hands-on experience.”

Entry is free-of-charge for Singapore citizens, but to help ensure the museums remain relevant and appealing, Joshi said they are targeting a wider demographic. Several schools will also conduct visits for their students as part of their curriculum.

Although saddened that not many today know what they went through, pioneers TODAY spoke to said the museums’ opening is better late than never.

“I was the coach, umpire, everything! You had to try and struggle so hard. Where could we get help at that time? I had to write to England to ask them to send us the netball rules,” said Tan, now 93.

“Funding was difficult. All of us had to pay our own (way). We would sell food to people who came to watch. When I wrote to the Registry of Societies to apply to get the netball association started, the man asked me ‘do you think it will survive or not?’ and I said ‘I don’t care. I’m trying!’.”

Former national hockey player Arumugam Vijiaratnam, who at 93 is Singapore’s oldest surviving Olympian — he competed at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics — added: “It’s disappointing they didn’t appreciate this before. But (now), at least they realise. With the museums, people can learn more about what we went through.”

FACT BOX:

SINGAPORE SPORTS MUSEUM

— Established in 1983 and originally located at the old National Stadium’s west entrance.

— Features six galleries, including “Chasing a Dream” which focuses on Singapore’s sporting heritage and national vision, and “Dream Venue”, a tribute to the old National Stadium that was built in 1973 and torn down in 2010 to make way for the Sports Hub.

SINGAPORE YOUTH OLYMPIC MUSEUM

— Commemorates Singapore’s hosting of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, and a platform to understand the values and spirit of the Olympic Games.

Opening hours: Weekdays — 10am to 8pm; Weekends, eve of public holiday and public holidays — 10am to 9pm. The museum is wheelchair accessible.

Ticketing: Free entry for Singapore citizens and permanent residents, S$5 for foreign students and S$10 for foreigners.

Website: www.sportshub.com.sg

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