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Lion City Sailors are 90 minutes away from becoming the first local football club to win Singapore football's top flight crown in seven years Image via AIA Singapore Premier League 27 September 2021, Singapore - In a title race that has seen as many twist and turns as an F1 Grand Prix, the Lion City Sailors could now be just 90 minutes away from clinching their first top flight crown since 2003, back when the club was still known as Home United. If they are successful in doing so, they would also be the first local club to wrestle the trophy away from foreign dominance, with Albirex Niigata (4) and Brunei DPMM (2) combining to win six trophies since Warriors FC last lifted the former S.League title in 2014. Having just met a fortnight ago, the Sailors seemingly lost the initiative in the title race after conceding a late Ryo Taniguchi equaliser at Jalan Besar Stadium which cancelled out Haiqal Pashia's earlier goal for the Sailors to see the top-of-the-table clash finish all square. There proved to be another twist in the tale for this season's title race however, as having been hit for six by the Sailors (1-6), Tampines Rovers went on to frustrate reigning champions Albirex Niigata in a goalless draw in midweek, which opened the doors for Lion City Sailors to go top of the table on goal difference should they win their match in hand against Geylang. Image via AIA Singapore Premier League The Sailors did not disappoint, as goals from Faris Ramli (32’), Song Uiyoung (39’), Hafiz Nor (86’) saw them sweep Geylang International aside to go top of the table entering the final match of the season, with a superior goal difference to Albirex Niigata. As it stands, the Sailors could be just 90 minutes away from being crowned as AIA Singapore Premier League 2021 champions. Other Week 20 SPL 2021 Match(es): Young Lions 1-2 Tanjong Pagar United Glenn Kweh 23' | Reo Nishiguchi 7', Luiz Junior pen. 68' #SportPlusSG #Football #SingaporePremierLeague #SingaporeFootball

Sailors claims first SPL Title win, becoming first local club to win Singapore football's top flight since Warriors FC in 2014 Image via Lion City Sailors Facebook 10 October 2021, Singapore - Lion City Sailors have won the 2021 AIA Singapore Premier League, following a convincing 4-1 win over Balestier Khalsa at Jalan Besar Stadium. Title rivals Albirex Niigata, who started the day level on points with the Sailors but with an inferior goal difference, were held to an entertaining 4-4 draw at Jurong East Stadium by a gritty Tanjong Pagar United side, having led 4-1 at the break. Roller Coaster Ride True to the nature of this season's Singapore Premier League title race, the day would take both sets of fans through a roller coaster of emotions, with the pendulum swinging one way then the other. Having taken an early lead through Song Uiyong in the 8th minute, the Sailors found themselves pegged back by a speculative Aidil Johari effort on the edge of the Lion City Sailors area which found its way into the back of Hassan Sunny's net. The story was quite the opposite at Jurong East Stadium, as Albirex Niigata trailed to an early Anaqi Ismit goal on 11 minutes, whose 45 yard dink found its way into goal past as stranded Koga. From then on, it was the Kiyoshiro Tsuboi show as the striker went on to score 4 goals before half time to send the White Swans 4-1 up. Back at Jalan Besar, Gabriel Quak settled a few nerves by putting the Sailors back in the driver's seat 5 minutes before the break, bundling home Aqhari Abdullah's teasing cross from the right at the second time of asking. Jurong East Drama There was more drama set to unfold in the second period, as Albirex Niigata's eagerness to go forward to score more goals to increase their goal difference left them exposed at the back, and Tanjong Pagar, who have proven to be the bogey team for last season's SPL champions shifted up a gear to punish them. Fathullah Rahmat's spectacular strike from distance added to the Jaguars' growing list of goal-of-the-season nominations while reducing the arrears, before Tsuboi had a fifth goal for the White Swans overturned for an alleged infringement. Imperious Sailors Over at Jalan Besar Stadium, half time news of Albirex's commanding 4-1 lead must have filtered through to the dressing rooms because the Sailors came out with a new sense of purpose and looked a different side to the first. They had to wait till the 78th minute to add to their tally however, when a delightfully weighted cross to the far post by Faris Ramli was met by a diving Diego Lopes to all but seal the title for the Sailors. The Sailors still had time for a fourth and Gabriel Quak's second, with Faris Ramli again the chief architect of the goal, teeing up Quak to tie the ribbon on the Sailors' trophy. Image via AIA Singapore Premier League Stunning Jaguars Comeback Tanjong Pagar United completed a stunning comeback to level the game at 4-4 through further goals from Anaqi Ismit and Reo Nishiguchi to peg Albirex Niigata back for a share of the spoils. In so doing, they underlined their status as the most improved SPL side in 2021, securing a mid table finish having started the season at rock bottom. Other SPL 2021 Week 21 Results: Hougang United 1-3 Young Lions Tampines Rovers 1-1 Geylang International #SportPlusSG #Football #SingaporePremierLeague #SingaporeFootball

Heavy defeats for Eastern clubs Tampines Rovers and Geylang International, as White Swans edge closer to SPL title Image via AIA Singapore Premier League ALBIREX NIIGATA 5-0 GEYLANG INTERNATIONAL: WHITE SWANS GO FIVE POINTS CLEAR Albirex Niigata underlined their championship credentials with a huge victory over Geylang International, hitting the Eagles for five at the Jurong East Stadium. The win puts them 5 points ahead of nearest title challengers, Lion City Sailors, who are set to play against Young Lions on Sunday. The White Swans signalled their intent from early exchanges, keeping Geylang International custodian Zaiful Nizam busy in the opening 20 minutes, with Kosuke Chiku coming the closest to breaking the deadlock with a free kick that clipped the bar. Image via AIA Singapore Premier League The Eagles can count themselves unlucky to then see the on form Amy Recha's lobbed effort from outside the area hit the wrong side of the post before bouncing out of play with Takahiro Koga stranded outside his area on 21 minutes. The deadlock was finally broken on the half hour mark, as Fikri Junaidi rifled home from the edge of the area to put Albirex Niigata in front going in at the break, before the floodgates opened in the second period. Ryosuke Nagasawa's pounced on Abdil Qayyim's mistake on the left side of the area before before planting the ball into bottom corner of Zaiful Nizam's goal for two. The Eagles poured forward in numbers, as Koga denied Barry Maguire's flying header after he was set up by Moresche's teasing cross on the left. Ryoya Taniguchi then put the match result beyond doubt when he headed home a third off Takahiro Tezuka's corner, before sidefooting Yu Tokiwa's cutback to make it four 8 minutes later. Kuraba Kondo then wrapped up the match with a fifth in injury time as he raced the length of the pitch and rounded Nizam for a heavy defeat to the Eagles. Image via AIA Singapore Premier League HOUGANG UNITED 7-3 TAMPINES ROVERS: DOI INSPIRES CHEETAHS IN TEN GOAL THRILLER If his status as the league's top goalscorer wasn't certain yet, Tomoyuki Doi certainly made it clear with yet another hattrick for Hougang United, as the Cheetahs condemned Tampines Rovers to their seventh league defeat of the season at Hougang Stadium. Image via AIA Singapore Premier League In what proved to be an end to end ten-goal thriller, Hougang United opened the scoring through skipper Fabian Kwok after just 4 minutes with Kwok sending a delightful lob from outside the area past a stranded Zulfairuuz Rudy, before Tampines Rovers leveled on 11 minutes through Mehmedovic after the match referee correctly allowed the match to play on. From then on it was the Tomoyuki Doi show as he demonstrated just why he is this season's SPL top marksman. The Japanese hitman re-established Hougang's lead with a sweet left foot drive across the face of goal on 17 minutes, before executing an acrobating right footed volley on 23 minutes to make it 3-1 after being teed up by Gilberto. Doi completed his hattrick on the half hour with a freekick inside Tampines Rovers' penalty box, slamming the ball home after Zulfairuuz Rudy was adjudged to have handled the ball in a back pass. Tampines Rovers then pulled a goal back on the counter attack through Kopitovic 3 minutes before the break with the Hougang defence in sixes and sevens, and the Tampines hitman added a second on 58 minutes to narrow the gap to a solitary goal as the Stags clawed their way back. Image via AIA Singapore Premier League It was not meant to be Tampines' day however, as Hougang United romped home with three further goals from Lionel Tan, Gilberto Fortunato, and Hafiz Sujaad to leave Tampines Rovers with another heavy defeat. #SportPlusSG #Football #SingaporePremierLeague #SingaporeFootball

South Korean striker Kim is no stranger to the AFC Champions League, with two winners medals already to his name Image via Getty Images 15 November 2021, Singapore - Singapore Premier League champions Lion City Sailors have broken the SPL-record yet again, this time in landing the most expensive footballer in South Korean forward Kim Shin-wook. The former Shanghai Shenhua, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Ulsan Hyundai striker already has two AFC Champions League medals to his name, and is widely regarded as a direct replacement for the Sailors' now departed top goalscorer Stipe Plazibat. Image via Hyundai Motors FC Kim is no stranger to the AFC Champions League, and stated his desire for a new challenge, underlining his intent after joining the Sailors in a SGD$3-million deal over three years. He joins the Sailors on a free transfer as his contract with Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua is set to run out a the end of the year. Image via Getty Images Kim, who towers at 1.98m, will add to the Sailors' aerial prowess and will be a key asset in set pieces. The previous record signing in the SPL was also a Lion City Sailors player, with the Sailors landing Brazilian midfielder Diego Lopes from then Portuguese top-tier side Rio Ave earlier this year, paying SGD$2.9 million in transfer fees, while his three-year contract is worth in excess of $2.5 million. #SportPlusSG #Football #SingaporeFootball #SingaporePremierLeague

Inspired by Hawaiian pro surfer Mark’s high-intensity life, the Moon Drift collection fuses performance with a modern design build, in an outdoor collection that’s as practical as it is stylish Image credit: lululemon Singapore 12 July 2021 - SINGAPORE – lululemon has partnered with pro surfer Mark Healey to create the limited-edition Moon Drift Collection, which puts versatility and longevity at the forefront of design. Inspired by Mark’s high-intensity life, the Moon Drift collection fuses performance with a modern design build, introducing an outdoor collection that’s as practical as it is stylish. Image credit: lululemon Singapore Moving from concept to reality, lululemon’s design team strove to find elegant solves for water repellency, sun protection, ventilation, and mobility to create a purpose-built capsule that could keep up with Mark’s lifestyle: from dryland training to surfing and everything in between. Mark was involved in the process, working closely with the lululemon design team to fine-tune every detail. Once prototypes came in, he personally tested each piece, using the intensity of his day-to-day life as the basis of a technical performance standard. Image credit: lululemon Singapore lululemon’s SVP of Design and Concepts, Ben Stubbington, says “We saw Mark’s demands of product as an opportunity for robust, in-house, and real- life testing. We knew if we could create something that keeps up with Mark, it would keep up with anyone. The other side is the connection to self and breath that Mark maintains to stay grounded. We translated this into the artwork, title, and colour of the collection.” Image credit: lululemon Singapore The end result is something that truly overdelivers. As Mark explains, “It’s about versatility. This is gear that performs in the environment, feels comfortable, and transitions seamlessly into everyday life.” The 10-piece capsule includes quick-drying tops; a chlorine and salt-resistant rash guard; pants with strategically placed mesh fabric for ventilation; a water-repellent jacket that won’t cling to wet skin; and shorts that pull double duty in the water and training on land. Image credit: lululemon Singapore lululemon’s SVP of Design and Concepts, Ben Stubbington, says “We saw Mark’s demands of product as an opportunity for robust, in-house, and real- life testing. We knew if we could create something that keeps up with Mark, it would keep up with anyone. The other side is the connection to self and breath that Mark maintains to stay grounded. We translated this into the artwork, title, and colour of the collection.” Image credit: lululemon Singapore The end result is something that truly overdelivers. As Mark explains, “It’s about versatility. This is gear that performs in the environment, feels comfortable, and transitions seamlessly into everyday life.” The 10-piece capsule includes quick-drying tops; a chlorine and salt-resistant rash guard; pants with strategically placed mesh fabric for ventilation; a water-repellent jacket that won’t cling to wet skin; and shorts that pull double duty in the water and training on land. Image credit: lululemon Singapore In short, the collection is what Mark calls “a bridge between two worlds, purposefully designed for longevity and practicality without sacrificing style, fit, and innovation.” This limited-edition Moon Drift collection retails from SGD158 and is available in Singapore at lululemon’s ION Orchard store (2 Orchard Turn, B1-11, 238801) and online at lululemon.com. Image credit: lululemon Singapore lululemon Menswear Range Beyond the enhanced dynamism of the Moon Drift Collection, lululemon’s menswear range is aptly designed for the body in motion and complements the varied needs of men in their everyday lives – from off court to pursuits that break some serious sweat. Best sellers from the menswear collection include the classic Pace Breaker shorts designed for ubiquity, the relaxed Surge shorts for a roomier run, and the tapered T.H.E. shorts which introduce agility to everyday training. These best-selling pieces are available at lululemon’s stores in ION Orchard, Duxton (79 Duxton Road, 089538), the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (10 Bayfront Avenue, B2-42, 018956) and Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City (391 Orchard Road, Unit 03-12B/13, 238873) as well as online at lululemon.com. #SportPlusSG #ActiveWear #lululemon #MoonDrift

Singapore's top male shuttler Loh Kean Yew claims sixth international title, while Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee land Men's Doubles Title Image via SportSG 17 October 2021, Almere, Holland - There was double joy for Team Singapore in the Netherlands this weekend, as the Republic's top male badminton athlete Loh Kean Yew won the Men's Singles title while Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee won the Men's Doubles at the YONEX Dutch Open. Loh Kean Yew landed his sixth Men's Singles international title after defeating the tournament's top seed Lakshya Sen of India 21-12, 21-16. It was his first tournament win in two years, with his last victory coming in 2019, when the then 22 year-old first rose to international acclaim after he won the Thailand Masters in 2019 by defeating powerhouse and former world number one Lin Dan. Double Joy In the Men's Doubles, Loh's brother Kean Hean and partner Terry Hee made it a week to remember for Singapore badminton when they too took top prize, overcoming Malaysian pair Tan Kian Meng and Tan Wee Kiong in a nail biting finish over three sets. Image via Singapore Badminton Association Loh and Hee got off to a favourable start in the final, securing the first set 21-14 with a comfortable lead ahead of their opponents. However, the Malaysians bounced back and claimed the second set 21-18. In the final set, after an intense series of close rallies, Loh and Hee took home the gold winning the final set 22-20, claiming their title as Champions of the Dutch Open Men’s Doubles. Loh Kean Yew Progress Evident For Loh Kean Yew, despite a two year title drought, his progress has been steady and consistent, reaching multiple finals at both regional and international level, and winning 4 silver medals in 2019 including the Men's Singles at the SEA Games, before making his Olympic bow earlier this year. Second seeded Loh had to overcome Spain's Pablo Abian in the semi-finals, which he did clinically, dispatching his Spanish compatriot 21-6, 21-15 to book a place in the final. Men's Doubles Pair Tipped to Go Far The route to the final for Men's Doubles pair Kean Hean and Terry Hee, wasn't an easy one, and the pair had to defeat Emil Lauritzen and Mads Vestergaard of Denmark over three sets 14-21, 21-14, 24-22 to book a place in the final against their Causeway rivals who were seeded sixth. The Malaysian pair had navigated their way past Danish duo Andreas Sondergaard and Jesper Toft 21-11, 21-16 in the quarter finals before overcoming Eloi Adam and Kenji Lovang of France in straight sets 21-13, 21-15. Women's Singles Jaslyn Hooi, who was the sole representative for Team Singapore in the Women's singles, was unable to replicate her Polish International tournament win but reached the quarter finals of the Dutch Open. She won her first match but lost out over three sets, bowing out to India's eighth seeded Aakarshi Kashyap 11-21, 21-19, 21-14. Mixed Doubles In the Mixed Doubles, Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han made it into the last four, but bowed out eventually to homecrowd favourites Robin Tabeling and Selena Piek 21-17, 21-18. Hee and Tan had earlier navigated their way past third seeded Rasmus Espersen and Christine Busch of Denmark in the quarter finals. #SportPlusSG #Badminton #YONEXDutchOpen2021 #TeamSingapore

Singapore marathoner Soh Rui Yong meets SNOC's Asian Games qualifying mark for men's 10,000m, first Singaporean male to qualify for event Image via Romaine Soh 29 November 2021, Singapore - Singapore marathoner Soh Rui Yong has made history by becoming the first Singaporean man to qualify for an Asian Games 10,000m event. Soh's time of 31 minutes 28.67 seconds in the men's 10,000m at last night's Singapore Athletics All Comers 5 meet held at the Home of Athletics, met the qualifying mark of 31:44.14 that was set by the Singapore National Olympic Council for the 2022 Asian Games. The qualifying mark is the equivalent of a sixth place finish at the previous Asian Games. Image via Pocari Sweat Soh had previously recorded a time of 31:57 on 11 September for the same event, which fell short of the qualifying mark by 13 seconds. The run however saw him becoming the first Singaporean to run below 32 minutes for 10,000m. Soh will next be flying to Spain to compete in the Valencia Marathon on 5 December, his first full marathon event in two years. His last marathon was the 2019 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, in which he emerged as the local champion, clocking a time of 2 hours 45 mins 52 sec. #SportPlusSG #Athletics #TrackAndField #SohRuiYong

Singapore On Course for first ASEAN Football Federation Tournament Semi-Final in Nine Years Image via vnexpress.net 9 December 2021, Singapore - Host nation Singapore stay on course for semi-final qualification after defeating the Philippines 2-1 in this evening's AFF Suzuki Cup Group A Fixture. The Lions followed up on their opening day win against Myanmar with a hard fought 3 points against the Azkals to maintain their perfect record and stay top of the Group. Following a goalless first half, quickfire second half goals from captain Hariss Harun and Forward Faris Ramli just two minutes apart proved enough, even though the Philippines clawed one back through Amin Nazari. The Lions were frustrated for over an hour, but finally found the breakthrough on 61 minutes when Hariss Harun pounced at the far post and was quickest to react to a Safuwan Baharudin flick on off a Singapore corner. Faris Ramli, who nearly scored with an acrobatic first half effort, then found the net and register his first goal of the tournament when he arrived at the far post to knock home Zulqarnaen's cross. Singapore will next face Timor Leste next Tuesday on 14 Dec, and victory will guarantee them a place in the last four for the first time since 2012. Image via Siaw Woon Chong, Junpiter Futbol The AFF Suzuki Cup will run till 1 January next year, and tickets for the tournament can be purchased at TicketMaster.sg #SportPlusSG #Football #SingaporeFootball #AFFSuzukiCup #SuzukiCup2020

Joseph Schooling will not defend his Men's 100m Butterly Gold, while Yu Mengyu finishes fourth in Table Tennis Image credit: SportSG via AFP 29 July 2021, Tokyo, Japan - Singapore's Tokyo Olympic medal hopes were dashed on Thursday as Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling did not qualify for the semi-finals of the event he won at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and paddler Yu Mengyu lost out in the bronze medal match in the Women's Singles for Table Tennis. The only glimmer of hope of an Olympic medal now lie in the Women's Team Event for Table Tennis, where the trio of Yu Mengyu, Feng Tianwei and Lin Ye remain in contention. Image credit: SportSG via AFP SWIMMING Both Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen did not qualify for the Men's 100m Butterfly semi-finals from today's heats, with Quah finishing 34th out of a field of 55 competitors, in a time of 52.39 sec. All eyes were on Joseph Schooling at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre for his pet event, but there was no joy for the Singaporean as he clocked a time of 53.12 sec to come in 44th out of 55 overall, also failing to make the semis of the 100m Fly. Schooling’s national record still stands at 50.39 sec, a timing which he achieved back in 2016 at the Rio Olympic Games that won him both the Olympic gold and Olympic record. Image credit: SportSG via AFP TABLE TENNIS Singapore's outstanding performer in table tennis at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Yu Mengyu saw her dreams of clinching an individual Olympic medal end today, when she first fell to world no. 1 Chen Meng in the semi-finals in straight sets 6-11, 8-11, 7-11, 6-11 to lose 0-4 overall. She had been undefeated for fourth matches up to that point. Yu then came up against Japanese world no. 2 Mima Ito next at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, but could not overcome the Japanese as she fell 4-1 (11-6, 8-11, 7-11, 7-11, 6-11). She will next join teammates Feng Tianwei and Lin Ye to participate in the Women's Team Event which starts next Monday, 2 August against France. Image credit: SportSG via AFP SAILING Over in sailing, sailor Ryan Lo was in action for the Men's One Person Dinghy Laser races 7-8. He started the day on 84 points and in 20th position, and completed the day with 135 net points in 22nd position after 8 races. Lo will be back in action again tomorrow (30 July) for races 9 to 10. Image credit: SportSG via AFP In the Women's Windsurfer RS:X event, Singapore sailor Amanda Ng competed in race 10 to 12. She started off the day on 185 net points, and ended the day on 260 net points after 12 races, with no change in position - 26th out of 27 competitors. In spite of the fact that she will not be competing in the medal race, Ng has put in a hard shift over a grueling few days out at sea and can be proud of herself after completing her second Olympic Games. #SportPlusSG #Tokyo2020 #OlympicGames #TeamSingapore

Swimmers continue to fly Singapore flag high at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Image credit: Singapore National Paralympic Council, Sport Singapore 2 September 2021, Tokyo - Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu has landed her second gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games today. In so doing, she retains her S2 50m backstroke title which she won at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Yip clocked a time of 1min 2.04sec at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, to finish ahead of Japan's Miyuki Yamada who came in at 1:06.98, while Feng Yazhu took bronze with a time of 1:11.55. It is Yip's second gold medal at the Tokyo Games and her Fifth Paralympics Gold medal overall. Image credit: Singapore National Paralympic Council, Sport Singapore Earlier today, Yip Pin Xiu's teammate Sophie Soon had come in fourth for her 100m Breaststroke SB12 finals, clocking a time of 1:29:52. Soon narrowly misses out on a medal, in what has been an impressive showing on her maiden Paralympic Games experience. Despite not achieving a personal best or season's best, she shared with Channel News Asia that she was happy with her performance. New National Record for Wei Soong Earlier on Tuesday, Toh Wei Soong had set a new national record in the Men's 50M Freestyle S7 Finals when he touched the wall with a time of of 28.65 sec to finish 7th out of 8 competitors Toh next competes in the Men's 50m Butterfly-S7 heats tomorrow at 8.50am Singapore time. #SportPlusSG #TeamSingapore #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics

Participants of the 2022 Hong Kong Cyclothon will enjoy a Spectacular New Route on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board 25 November 2021, Hong Kong - The Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon is back with a spectacular new route and an exciting virtual reality ride experience. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced yesterday that the hugely popular event will make its keenly-anticipated return on 16 January 2022, and will for the first time include the Hong Kong section of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB). A free virtual ride experience will also be offered to cyclists around the world. Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board HKTB Executive Director Mr Dane Cheng said the event would feature two “first” elements: “This year’s Hong Kong Cyclothon will not only be the first sports event held on the world’s longest bridge-tunnel sea crossing as it is taking a whole new route on the HZMB, but it is also the first time a virtual experience has been incorporated into the event, offering cyclists worldwide who are unable to take part physically a thrilling and immersive experience of racing over the landmark bridge." Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board “These special features are a pilot run for future intercity events in the Greater Bay Area, to consolidate Hong Kong’s status as the international tourism event capital in the GBA. I sincerely hope participants from other cities in the Area will come and ride with us in the years to come.” For Singaporeans Participating Virtually To share the excitement of racing on the bridge as widely as possible, a free virtual race experience is being introduced to allow cyclists from Hong Kong, the Mainland, and overseas unable to join in person to enjoy a mesmerising simulation of the experience. Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board This year free Virtual Races will recreate the 26-km actual route of the HZMB (Hong Kong Section). Participants can feel the authentic ups and downs and resistence of the scene in an immersive virtual journey. eSports elements such as timed acceleration zones are also included to add excitement to the ride. Members of the public and cyclists can also use their own training bike stations and join the virtual races directly through the app. Participants can check their time and ranking upon completion of the route. Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board Where to find the 26-km full ride (45 minutes) , Opening Hours Date / Time 12nn – 9 pm, 3-16 January 2022 *Participants of physical events can book in advance Locations · SPORTS EXPO, Mong Kok · AME E-sports Stadium, Tsim Sha Tsui *5-minute trials of the virtual races are also available at Sun Hung Kai Properties shopping malls. Locations will be announced soon. Anti-Infection Measures to Ensure Saftey of Cyclists and Spectators The HKTB has introduced stringent anti-infection measures for the event to ensure the safety of cyclists and spectators. All riders are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days before the event (on or before 2 January) and to provide a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test within 48 hours before the event. The event plans to have a limit of 3,000 participants in view of COVID-19 safeguards and traffic restrictions for the bridge area. Advanced Cycling Skills As the Cyclothon features a new route requiring a higher degree of technical skill, participants must have previously completed a ride of at least 30 km in the Hong Kong Cyclothon between 2015 and 2018. Participants can prepare for the new route by trying the virtual races beforehand. The event will be open for registration on Saturday (20 November). Cyclists who previously signed up for the 2019 Hong Kong Cyclothon can register in advance and will receive a 20% discount when they successfully enroll. If registrations received exceed the planned quota, participants will be selected in a draw. Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board A Never-before-taken Route The Hong Kong Cyclothon this year will first move to the HZMB (Hong Kong Section). Cyclists will start from the HZMB Hong Kong Port and pass by the Scenic Hill Tunnel and the highway between Airport Channel and the western waters, returning along the way before reaching the HKSAR boundary. Image via Hong Kong Tourism Board Eligibility • 16-70 years old • Participants must have completed a 30-km/ 35-km/ 50-km events of the Hong Kong Cyclothon between 2015 and 2018 • Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Hong Kong 14 days before the event, i.e. by 2 January - Aged 18 or above: 2 doses of BioNTech Comirnaty/ Sinovac CoronaVac taken in Hong Kong - 16-17 years old: at least 1 dose of BioNTech Comirnaty taken in Hong Kong - For other vaccines recognised by the HKSAR Government, please refer to the official website. • Tested negative for COVID-19 by organiser’s test within 48 hours before the event, with valid vaccination records #SportPlusSG #Cycling #HongKongCyclothon

Top Coaches from Spanish Football League and German Football Giants to head new School Football Academies, and provide expertise in coach development and sport science File photo: SportPlus.SG 19 November 2021, Singapore - Singapore football received a welcome boost after news that the Unleash The Roar! (UTR) project has sealed strategic partnerships with Spanish Football League LaLiga and German football club Borussia Dortmund. According to Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), the partnership will witness top coaches from LaLiga head the newly-launched School Football Academies and open pathways program, paving the way for Singapore youth and coaches to train and learn overseas. The new partners for UTR, who are from the top of the global football pyramid, will provide expertise in the areas of youth development, coach development and sports science, and create opportunities for overseas stints for the brightest and best Singapore football talents. Image via Lion City Sailors Football Academy While LaLiga's coaches will help helm key positions alongside local coaches in 10 newly-launched School Football Academies (SFAs), the partnership with Bundesliga giants Dortmund will see the top German football club lend their expertise and jointly develop a coach development programme with UTR!. These partnerships will take immediate effect, with LaLiga's youth coaches and sports experts taking on key roles at the enhanced SFAs by as early as the first quarter of 2022. Ten SFAs will kick start a pilot project next year, which experts believe will triple the current base of youths exposed to elite level football training, something that many talented Singaporean youth footballers of previous generations did not have access to. Image via SportSG National Football Identity In a briefing with members of media, Philippe Aw, who was head coach of the Young Lions for the 2021 AIA Singapore Premier League season, shared that Singapore hopes to develop its own football identity and brand of football. Aw also used data from the past three SEA Games to show how the Singapore football team has fallen short of their regional rivals due to lacking dominance in possession and passing accuracy. He then pointed to some impressive results of the Lion City Sailors Football Academy on a tour of Europe recently, indicating that for Singapore football to excel at an elite level it is possible, but that even then winning isn't everything in the early stages of football development. In order to succeed however, Singapore would need a much bigger base of football talent who are exposed to elite level training from a young age. Image via Lion City Sailors Football Academy Building a Strong Foundation Said Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth & Social and Family Development Eric Chua, “This is a significant step for the Unleash The Roar! project. For Singapore football to raise our game to play at the highest level, we must first build a strong foundation. “The initiatives announced today will not only allow our brightest young talent better access to a higher-level of training and competition on a daily basis, but also pave pathways for them to develop their game at some of the top football institutions overseas.” Image via SportSG “It is important that we begin our UTR! journey with the right partners who understand the value that they bring to the table for this national project to be on strong footing,” said CEO of Sport Singapore and deputy chair of the UTR! Executive Committee Lim Teck Yin. “The UTR! project is a collective effort, drawing on the support of the public-private-people sectors to help us achieve our goals. We are fortunate that in the Ministry of Education (MOE), our international partners, and our EXCO, we have found good teammates.” School Football Academies The first group of SFA schools are: North - Montfort Secondary School - Seng Kang Secondary School - Singapore Sports School South - Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) - Queensway Secondary School - Serangoon Garden Secondary School East - Meridian Secondary School - St Patrick’s School West - Assumption English School - Jurongville Secondary School Image via SportSG "The SFAs will be a game-changer for football youth development as it almost triples the footballing cohort of youths training at a high level every year," shared FAS deputy president and UTR! Executive Committee deputy chair Bernard Tan. "This translates to more options for national youth selectors and further downstream, increases the chance of unearthing a rare gem who can excel on a bigger stage." The SFA programme will encompass on-field training, complemented with sports science support. The development pathway will follow the National Football Curriculum (NFC) developed by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), and will cover physical, technical, mental, and tactical skills training similar to the national elite system and overseas professional leagues. All youth student-athletes in the SFAs will be supported to perform both academically and in football. #SportPlusSG #Football #SingaporeFootball #UnleashTheRoar #LaLiga #BorussiaDortmund