Tag: SEA Games 2015

Alex Weaver: Lay Off Sahil Suhaimi

Great to see this young man show a little bit of spunk and cheekiness in his goal celebration last night! I’m not sure whether some people expect our players to be out there competing in this extremely demanding sport, under so many different pressures, taking challenges from opponents and suffering tough set backs yet at the same time, when successful simply nod their head, show a faint smile and shake hands with everyone before popping off to prepare the tea and biscuits for later…..!

The lad, who by the way actually played much better in his previous 2 games WITHOUT scoring than he did last night when he DID score, has played for 90 minutes in a testing environment with the score still close and was still able to think correctly under pressure in the final minutes to pass precisely past the keeper to seal the win for his country.

Now, its a shame he didn’t think so well when in previous situations in front of goal but this should be addressed by the coaching staff from here on – the point is, that this young man is a talented, explosive player who needs to encouraged to be himself but at the same time, intelligently coached to think about and execute his football actions on the field…..and if this means letting his emotions free a wee bit when he is successful, after doing what he loves doing while wearing his nations flag on his chest…..……then bring it on lad!!

As long as the boy thinking is correctly, his actions on the field will, I am sure lead him and his teams to success. It’s when external factors begin to dictate his thinking that problems will occur – thinking about ‘proving himself’ to others for example is an ‘outcome’ and not relevant to the ‘process’. Singapore has some really great ingredients with this kid. Lets just hope those responsible will make the most of him.

‪#‎somefolksneverhappy‬

Source: Alex Weaver

June 11, 2015
Aide Iskandar: Cut Out Abuse And Get Behind Young Lions

Needing nothing less than a win tonight, Singapore head coach Aide Iskandar has urged all of the Republic’s fans to get behind the team, including those who he claimed have been abusive.

The Young Lions need to beat Indonesia in their final Group A match at the Jalan Besar Stadium tonight to reach the semi-finals of the SEA Games under-23 football competition, but the former national captain revealed that his players had been on the receiving end of verbal abuse from a section of the supporters.

Although he declined to identify them, TODAY understands they are part of the Singapore Die-Hard Fans (SDHF) group who travel regularly to Malaysia to support the national side and LionsXII’s games.

Indonesia and Singapore are level on six points after three matches, but the former’s superior goal difference means they need only a draw tonight to join group leaders Myanmar in the semi-finals. But with a large turnout of Indonesian fans expected for the match, Aide appealed to Singapore fans to wholeheartedly get behind the team. “Some (among) our fans in the past three matches have been hurling abusive remarks at the whole team and that got personal,” said Aide, who declined to elaborate.

“To put it generally, I think there are some among our fans who need to give more support. Everybody wants this team to go to the semi-finals. But for us to do that, we must stand united as Singaporeans. I think that’s the key.”

Akbar Hashim, who started the SDHF in the 1980s, admitted some in his group were abusive towards the Singapore team, but claimed it started after their 1-0 win over the Philippines on June 1.

“We were seated at the grandstand and had supported the team throughout,” said the veteran tour operator. “But after the match, the Singapore players ignored us and headed straight for the fans at the stands near King George’s Avenue to thank them. That made some in our group furious.

“We are also paying fans and supported the team, but were given the cold shoulder in the end.”

The group that received the Young Lions’ attention calls themselves Exclusive Singas and number about 200. They are prominent at every match involving Singapore sides with their drum-beating and non-stop singing.

“Some of our SEA Games players said they wanted to thank us because we kept their spirits up with singing and our drums,” said the group’s leader Syed Faris. “They just wanted to show their appreciation and I think some people were upset.”

Akbar said he raised the issue with “officials” and in the following matches against Myanmar and Cambodia, the players also acknowledged those sitting in the grandstand. But the abuses, he conceded, did not stop.

“I had asked those responsible to stop doing such things,” said Akbar. “But football is an emotional game and fans get frustrated, especially when their team makes silly mistakes, and some lost their heads. But we are Singaporeans and all we want is for this team to get to the semi-finals.”

Aide expects Singapore to have their work cut out against the Indonesians tonight, where midfielders Evan Dimas and Muchlis Hadi Ning Syaifulloh have been identified as the danger men. But he said: “I hope the fans will get behind the team to motivate them, because abusing them won’t help them to play better and, in fact, will unnerve them.”

The match between Singapore and Indonesia will be shown “live” on MediaCorp Toggle at 8.30pm tonight.

Source: www.todayonline.com

June 11, 2015
SEAF Rejects Pillippines Appeal For Gender Testing On Indonesian Female Volleyball Player

The SEA Games Federation (SEAF) medical committee has rejected an appeal by the Philippines to subject Indonesian volleyball player Aprilia Santini Manganang to a gender verification test.

On Tuesday (June 9) Philippines coach Roger Goyareb said Manganang’s power on the court was “like putting a male in the female division”, prompting his country’s contingent to lodge an official protest.

However, medical documents provided by Indonesia have proven sufficient for SEAF doctors to allow the 23-year-old to continue playing.

A statement from the Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) read: “Singsoc has been informed by the South East Asian Games Federation (SEAF) Medical committee that they have reviewed the documents submitted by the Indonesian volleyball team and that the appeal has since been rejected.

“Singsoc also understands that Mr Shanrit Wongprasert, Technical Delegate for the volleyball team has been informed and has agreed to the decision.

“Both teams from Indonesia and the Philippines have been informed.”

The controversy appeared to have no effect on Indonesia’s volleyball players, as they notched a straight-set 25-22, 25-20, 25-14 victory over the Philippines in the Pool B volleyball match on Wednesday afternoon (June 10) at the OCBC Arena.

Source: www.tnp.sg

June 11, 2015
Singapore’s Ashley Liew Shows What Sportsmanship Is

It was a decision that could have cost him a SEA Games medal, but Singapore marathon runner Ashley Liew has no regrets in slowing down to almost a crawl to allow his fellow competitors, who had mistakenly followed the wrong route, to recover.

At one point during the early stages of Sunday’s 42.195km race, Liew suddenly found himself leading the 12-strong field after his rivals took the wrong path. But instead of taking advantage of his lead, which was about 50m, the Singaporean decided to wait for them.

Liew, 28, eventually finished eighth in 2hrs 44min 02secs. The marathon was won by compatriot Soh Rui Yong in 2:34.56, ahead of silver medallist Boothung Srisung (2:35.09) of Thailand and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thanh Hoang, who settled for the bronze (2:37.10).

The incident had gone almost unnoticed, and yesterday, Liew told TODAY that his gesture of sportsmanship had been inspired by British Olympic cycling champion Bradley Wiggins, who waited for his competitors to catch up during the 2012 Tour de France after their tyres had been punctured by nails and tacks on the road in what was believed to be an act of sabotage by rivals.

“I found myself in pole position. I looked back and all 11 of them were not there, and I dramatically slowed down to wait for them,” Liew told TODAY.

“I would not have felt comfortable taking advantage of the situation as I am a big fan of sportsmanship. In fact, I was sharing with the other athletes how important sportsmanship is.”

Liew, coached by Murugiah Rameshon — who set the national record of 2:24.22 at the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai — added: “It is not always about the medals, but also the things you do in between.”

Liew, who spent 41 days at the world-famous High Altitude Training Centre in Iten, Kenya to prepare for the SEA Games, struggled to finish the race as he had suffered injuries to both his hamstrings.

But spurred on by the memory of his late mother, who passed away in 2010 after battling colon cancer for five years, Liew managed to not only display the act of class but also persevered in finishing the race, which took place on what would have been his mother’s 61st birthday.

“I did that (waiting for his competitors) in a manner that my mum would have done. I think that my mum would be very proud of me. Every moment of my race was a tribute to her,” he said.

Although his competitors may not have thanked him for slowing down, Liew, whose personal best in the marathon is 2:32.12 which he set at the New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in January, simply brushed it off. He recalled how Soh also showed the same sportsmanship by waiting for him during the 2011 Army Half-Marathon after he had fallen.

Said Liew: “It happens. When things are fast and furious in the race, you don’t really pay attention to what’s going on, and I don’t make a big fuss out of it.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

June 10, 2015
Wushu Ends Campaign With 6 Golds, Three Silvers And Three Bronzes

It was the icing on the cake.

Singapore’s wushu’s contingent ended their SEA Games campaign on a high at Expo Hall 2 last night when Fung Jin Jie, Tan Xiang Tian and Tay Wei Sheng won the men’s duel (barehand) gold medal with a score of 9.70 points.

Philippines came in second with a score of 9.68 while Indonesia claimed a bronze with 9.67.

That took Singapore’s wushu tally to six golds, three silvers and three bronzes.

The Republic’s wushu exponents had earlier bagged four gold medals from the men’s duel event (weapons), men’s optional changquan, women’s compulsory taijiquan and women’s optional changquan events.

Yesterday afternoon, team captain Lee Tze Yuan won the Republic’s fifth gold medal in the men’s optional taijiquan event, in what he described as the “biggest moment of (his) career”.

The 24-year-old exponent put on a stellar performance for a score of 9.71, beating Filipino Daniel Parantac (9.70) and Indonesian Fredy (9.69).

EMOTIONAL

As the national anthem was played and the flag was raised, Lee’s eyes swelled and tears rolled down his cheeks.

With a tissue in hand, he said: “I was very overwhelmed with emotion, especially when the national anthem played. On home ground, it means so much more to all of us.”

Clutching at his first SEA Games gold medal, he said: “This is a physical manifestation of all the hard work. This is the biggest moment in my wushu career.”

His teammate Valerie Wee capped off her final SEA Games appearance with a silver medal after scoring 9.71 in the women’s optional taijiquan category.

The 25-year-old could not stop Indonesia’s golden girl, Lindswell Kwok, from clinching her second gold medal of the competition. Kwok scored a 9.73, while Malaysia’s Ng Shin Yii took home the bronze with a 9.69 effort.

Singapore also bagged another silver yesterday through Samuel Tan, 18, in the men’s compulsory taijiquan.

And it was left to the men’s duel trio to round off a successful SEA Games campaign.

“We’re elated, definitely,” said Tan after the medal ceremony.

“We’re very grateful to our federation and coaches for giving us the opportunity to be standing on the podium today.”

Member of Parliament Sitoh Yih Pin, who is also vice-president of the Singapore Wushu Dragon and Lion Dance Federation, paid tribute to the home support, which he described as “phenomenal”.

He is also optimistic about the future of wushu in Singapore.

“Our athletes have been training very hard, and they are all still very young,” he said. “So that augurs well for the future.”

Source: www.tnp.sg

June 10, 2015