Having last featured at the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games, Singapore women's football will grace the regional stage again and it's a dream come true for 19 year old Lioness Dorcas Chu
Dorcas Chu, alongside the rest of the Singapore women's football team, will be making her first appearance at the SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next month. PHOTO: FELIX GALISTAN, SPORTPLUS.SG
The last time the Singapore women's football team featured at the Southeast Asian Games in 2003, she was less than a year old.
For 19 year-old lioness Dorcas Chu, being able to represent Singapore for football at the SEA Games has been a dream come true. In fact, ever since she first donned the Singapore national jersey at the age of 12 for the Girls U14 team, representing her country at the regional showpiece has been a personal goal.
Watch our full video interview with Dorcas Chu on Studio Plus here.
Chu could hardly contain her excitement as she shared with us the waves of support that have poured in for her and the Singapore women's football team in recent months, including during the FAS Women's Tri-Nations tournament, something which she describes as "overwhelming" and made her "feel like a superstar".
Having first kicked a ball a decade ago at the age of nine, Chu has grown to become and integral part of the women's football squad through the age group teams and was rewarded with a call up to the senior side.
Dorcas Chu showing some tricks and flicks in a TikTok video shoot as part of the TikTok x Sport Plus 31st SEA Games partnership. PHOTO: SPORTPLUS.SG
The Lion City Sailors midfielder also contributed in front of goal for the Lionesses recently at Jalan Besar Stadium, nodding home a corner kick in the second half after coming on as a substitute in Singapore's 6-2 thumping of Seychelles in the first ever ticketed women's football match in Singapore.
When asked if she plans to play overseas one day, Chu was quick to dismiss the idea in the short term, choosing to instead focus on the short term and to simply enjoy playing her football for now.
Dorcas Chu has a laugh during a training session at Geylang Field with the Lionesses. PHOTO: FELIX GALISTAN, SPORTPLUS.SG
She however did not rule out the idea entirely, should the opportunity arise in the future.
"I still get asked a lot about whether I would like to play overseas. I think it's great that Danelle and Putri are goal driven and are choosing to pursue their professional football dreams."
"But that's not for me, at least for now," said the year 3 Temasek Polytechnic student.
Donning the Singapore crest means a lot to Dorcas Chu each time she represents her country, and it will be no different at the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. PHOTO: FELIX GALISTAN, SPORTPLUS.SG
The 31st Southeast Asian Games will be taking place from 12 - 23 May 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
SportPlus.sg is pleased to join hands with TikTok, the world's fastest growing social media platform, to shine the spotlight on the journeys of 10 of Singapore's SEA Games athletes in this 8-part series, and assist athletes with TikTok content creation to amplify their online presence for the Games.
The Singapore women's football team in training pre SEA Games. PHOTO: FELIX GALISTAN, SPORTPLUS.SG
Special thanks to Team Singapore, Singapore Athletics, Singapore Badminton Association, Basketball Association of Singapore, Football Association of Singapore, Singapore Silat Federation, Singapore Swimming, Volleyball Association of Singapore, Singapore Underwater Federation, ActiveSG Sport Centres and Chinese Swimming Club for supporting this series.