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The Singapore Classic marks the return of the DP World Tour to Singapore for the first time since 2014 Rasmus Lia in action. PHOTO: FULL CIRCLE PR Singapore, 4 February 2023 – Competitors will make history next week in Singapore as the G4D Tour @ Singapore Classic will be the first event on the circuit to be played in the Far East, taking place at Laguna National Golf Resort Club from February 6-7. The G4D Tour @ Singapore Classic will be the third event of the Tour’s second season, following on from its success in 2022 as the world’s best golfers with a disability compete on the same golf courses in the same week as DP World Tour players. Englishman Kipp Popert, currently Number One on the World Rankings for Golfers with a Disability (WR4GD), will be seeking a second victory of the campaign after winning the season-opening Australian All Abilities Championship in December. He will face stiff competition from some of the Tour’s seasoned competitors, as well as a number of players making their debuts, including compatriot Oliver Hirst-Greenham. “Getting my first invite to play on the G4D Tour means so much to me,” said Hirst-Greenham, ranked 17th in the World. “To have the chance to play on a course that is set up for the DP World Tour, and to compete against the best golfers with a disability, I’m living the dream.” Englishman Kipp Popert is seeking a second victory of the campaign. PHOTO: FULL CIRCLE PR Also making their debuts are Ireland’s Aidan Grenham and Rob Walden of the United States. “It all feels a little surreal,” said Walden. “This has been a goal of mine since I started playing in adaptive golf events two years ago, and naturally I’m very excited and honoured to be taking part.” Sweden’s Rasmus Lia will be making his first appearance of the new season, playing in his first event since triumphing in the G4D Tour Series Finale @ DP World Tour Championship in November. “The week in Dubai was awesome, it was great to play on that stage,” he said. “A lot of people in Sweden reached out to me and it’s good to see a spike in interest in golf for the disabled back home. Now it’s a new year and I’m really looking forward to playing in Singapore. I took a couple of weeks off after last season, but now I’m back and ready to compete again.” Tommaso Perrino, also a winner in 2022 in Northern Ireland, Bradley Smith, David Watts, Conor Stone and Geoff Nicholas make up the ten-person field, with the first round taking place at Laguna National on Monday February 6. In addition to the action on the course, Popert will also lead a clinic with youths from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore as the DP World Tour and EDGA seek to build further awareness of golf for the disabled. The Singapore Classic marks the return of the DP World Tour to Singapore for the first time since 2014. The event is organised by Vantage Pointe, which delivers specialised and boutique strategic advisory to a distinct collection of golf-centric businesses. Single session tickets for 9-12 February are available from $25, while a four-day event pass is priced at $80. All tickets are available at https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/classic0223. Entry is free for those aged 16 and under who are accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. #SportPlusSG #Golf #G4DTour

Technology to be used for first time in the history of the League; Brunei DPMM FC to rejoin SPL, which kicks off on 24 February PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Singapore, 27 January 2023 – The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will feature for the first time in Singapore league history, starting from the upcoming 2023 season of the Singapore Premier League (SPL). The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) was recently given the green light to utilise VAR after passing a final assessment by FIFA, which comes after an implementation process that began in February 2022. This included visits by relevant FIFA personnel and regular VAR training for local match officials. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG FAS Director (Referees), Nazeer Hussain, said: “The VAR system is increasingly becoming a staple feature in football since its introduction and we are pleased to have this piloted for the SPL, which will undoubtedly help to enhance and elevate the levels of officiating here. We are grateful for FIFA’s assistance, and of course the various local clubs who have helped us during the implementation process. I am confident that this is a positive development for Singapore football.” The 28th edition of the SPL will kick off on 19 February 2023 with the SPL Community Shield showdown between reigning champions Albirex Niigata FC (S) and Singapore Cup holders Hougang United FC. The traditional season curtain-raiser will then be followed by the first Matchweek, which will begin on 24 February, with the final Matchweek slated to be played in late August. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Return of Brunei DPMM FC The 2023 season will see the return of Brunei DPMM FC, who have been unable to participate due to COVID-19 travel restrictions since their mid-season withdrawal in October of the 2020 season. While they will continue to be based in Bandar Seri Begawan, the two-time league champions will play their first three home matches in Singapore at the Jalan Besar Stadium as the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium is currently undergoing major renovation works. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG The involvement of Brunei DPMM takes the total number of clubs for the 2023 season to nine. The season will revert to a triple round-robin format from last season’s quadruple one, where each team will play 24 matches – 12 home and 12 away. Matches will primarily be played between Friday and Sunday, with weekend kick-offs set to be moved a half-hour later to 6p.m. As with previous seasons, every match will be broadcast LIVE via Singtel TV and StarHub TV as well as live-streamed online via the SPL YouTube channel. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Venue Changes Three SPL clubs will be based at home venues different from the previous season – Balestier Khalsa FC, Hougang United and Lion City Sailors FC. Balestier Khalsa will once again share Bishan Stadium with the Lion City Sailors, as both return to their home venue after completion of upgrading works at the stadium; meanwhile, Hougang United will shift back to Jalan Besar Stadium, which they will share with the Young Lions. The FAS has allocated the stadiums to the clubs for the new season based on the availability of the ActiveSG fields and after consultation with Sport Singapore. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Key Regulations Each club, with the exception of the Young Lions, will be allowed to register a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 25. Each club, with the exception of the Young Lions and Albirex Niigata (S), will be allowed to register a maximum of four foreign players with no age restrictions, of whom at least one shall be of the nationality of an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Association (Asian). A maximum of four foreign players may be named or fielded in any one match. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG With effect from this upcoming season, the Young Lions will be allowed to register between 20 to 40 players, three of whom may be foreign or overaged Singaporean players. Previously, since 2017, the squad has comprised entirely of only local under-23 players. Similar to the 2022 season, all clubs, excluding the Young Lions and Brunei DPMM, shall have a minimum of one Under-23 player (born on or after 1 January 2000) of Singaporean nationality fielded during the entire first half of a match. For Brunei DPMM, they are required to have a minimum of one Under-23 player of Bruneian nationality fielded during the entire first half of a match. All local clubs including Albirex may include a maximum of five players from its COE Under-21 team in its match-day squad. PHOTO: FAIZAL BASIR, SPORTPLUS.SG Singapore Cup The Singapore Cup will return for a 24th edition and is set to be played from September to mid-December. All participating SPL clubs, excluding the Young Lions, will take part. #SportPlusSG #SgFootball #SPL

Three short track speed skaters have qualified for and will represent Singapore at the ISU World Junior Championships Singapore athletes in Dresden ahead of the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships. PHOTO: JONAS CHUA, SINGAPORE ICE SKATING ASSOCIATION Singapore, 25 January 2023 – This year’s ISU World Junior Short Track Championships will have a first for Singapore. In addition to a team of athletes, the competition will have for the first time a technical official from Singapore. Ms Sonja Chong, a starter for the International Skating Union and a member of the Singapore team of short track technical officials, has been appointed to officiate at the championships to be held in Dresden, Germany, from 27 to 29 January 2023. She will also be the first technical official from Southeast Asia to officiate at an ISU event. Singapore's representatives at the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships. PHOTO: JONAS CHUA, SINGAPORE ICE SKATING ASSOCIATION Said Chong: “I am looking forward to my first ISU event assignment. This experience will be invaluable not just for me but also for our technical officials. I do hope that this will lead to more opportunities for and further development of technical officials in Singapore and the region.” Ms Alison Chan, President of Singapore Ice Skating Association (SISA), added, “Sonja has helped build a team of short track technical officials in Singapore, including starters, referees, competitor stewards and other roles. This has enabled Singapore to host international competitions such as the Tri Series and SEA Open Trophy, which are sanctioned by the International Skating Union.” Chong was President of SISA from 2007 to 2019, after serving on the board since 2003. Over the years, Singapore has built a team of officials approved by the ISU to officiate at international competitions. On the ISU international list of technical officials under Singapore are International Starter W Ms Alicia Tan, and International Referees Mr Terence Chew, Mr Matthew Mak and Mr Lim June Liang. PHOTO: SINGAPORE ICE SKATING ASSOCIATION A total of three short track speed skaters have qualified for and will represent Singapore at the ISU World Junior Championships. The boys are Ryo Ong and Brandon Pok, both 16. The sole female representative is Amelia Chua, also 16. The skaters have arrived in Dresden, led by National Short Track Coach Ms Zhao Yanzhi. The Championships is also the qualifying event for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. #SportPlusSG #ShortTrackSpeedSkating #TeamSingapore

Alongside Professional races, the PTO Asian Open will also offer exciting opportunities for amateur triathletes and everyday sports enthusiasts to also get involved in this iconic event Swim start at the PTO US Open triathlon in Dallas 17 Sept '22. PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION Singapore, 19 January 2023 – The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) today announced the continued expansion of its PTO Tour, with the inaugural staging of the PTO Asian Open in Singapore on 19-20 August, 2023. In a multi-year partnership between the PTO, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Sport Singapore, the PTO Asian Open will host the world’s top male and female professional triathletes around a specially designed new course in the Marina Bay Financial District. Daniela Ryf wins for Team Europe at the Collins Cup in Samorin, Bratislava. PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION Commenting on the news, Sam Renouf, CEO of the PTO, said: “When we were planning the first PTO Asian Open, the opportunity to stage the event in Singapore and seeing the world’s best triathletes race around the iconic Marina Bay was something that made sense on many levels. It is important that the PTO Tour goes to different continents, different kinds of courses and different climates - that will enable us to see who really is the greatest endurance athlete on the planet. Singapore will be a great destination as well as a great race venue.” The first-ever PTO Asian Open will feature a women’s and men’s 100km race (2km swim; 80km bike; 18km run) that will be broadcast live around the world to 170+ territories courtesy of the PTO Tour’s partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery and a series of other regional and national broadcasters. Lionel Sanders pips Sam Long to win for Team International at the Collins Cup in Samorian, Bratislava. PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION Roy Teo, Chief of Industry Development, Technology & Innovation from Sport Singapore (SportSG) said: “Singapore is proud to be hosting the PTO Asian Open where sporting fans can catch the region’s best triathletes in action. The industry is excited to support the event organisers in staging the event and creating a memorable experience for all local and international participants.” Commenting on the announcement, leading athletes were quick to give their thumbs up. Ashleigh Gentle winning the PTO US Open in Dallas 17 Sept '22. PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION “It was very exciting to have the opportunity to race in the first full professional tour,” said Australian PTO World #3 Ashleigh Gentle, who was the stand-out women’s performer in the 2022 PTO Tour races, winning the PTO Canadian and US Opens as well as being a clear winner of her individual Collins Cup match-up for Team International. “The athletes are hugely appreciative of the work the PTO has been doing to show off triathlon to the world. There were some very successful events in 2022 that delivered on the PTO vision and also signposted some of the opportunities going forward. Today’s news on the 2023 calendar shows that things are moving in the right direction.” Kristian Blummenfelt wins for Team Europe in the Collins Cup in Samorin, Bratislava. PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION Alongside the Professional races, the PTO Asian Open will also offer exciting opportunities for amateur triathletes and everyday sports enthusiasts to also get involved in this iconic event, thanks to a range of age-group races over the weekend. This will include the unique chance for amateurs to compete over the same 100km course as seen on the global broadcast of the world’s top ranked athletes. Further information on the amateur events will be available next month, after the Chinese New Year Holiday, with priority registration available on the PTO website. The Singapore Tourism Board’s Executive Director for Sports & Wellness, Ong Ling Lee, added: "We are proud to host the inaugural PTO Asian Open, a timely addition to Singapore’s exciting calendar of events. This adds buzz to our city and strengthens Singapore’s position as a leading destination for sports in the region. As we look forward to welcoming the world's top triathletes this August, we hope locals and international visitors will also enjoy the mass participation opportunities and explore what Singapore has to offer beyond the event.” American triathlete Collin Chartier wins the PTO US Open in Dallas, 18 September 2022. PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION The Professional Triathletes Organisation is a new sports body co-owned by the professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. Sam Renouf concluded by saying: “Singapore has become famous for hosting world class events like the iconic F1 Night Race, the WTA Grand Final and has also seen tremendous growth in endurance sports through the staging of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. With this long term partnership with the PTO to create a ‘sporting major’ in the city, Singapore will become known as the premier destination for Triathlon in Asia.” #SportPlusSG #Triathlon #PTOAsianOpen #ProTri

Singapore Smash 2023 will feature 64 player men’s and women’s singles and 24-pair doubles and mixed competitions Singapore's olympian Clarence Chew makes his entrance at Singapore Smash 2022. PHOTO: WORLD TABLE TENNIS Singapore, 19 January 2023 – Spectators at Singapore Smash 2023 will enjoy an exclusive preview of the future of Singapore table tennis, with several young stars unveiled as local wildcards for the March 11-19 event. Zhou Jingyi and Wong Xin Ru, both part of the gold-winning women’s team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, will compete in the women’s singles main draw. Compatriots Ser Lin Qian and Zhang Wanling have been awarded wildcards into the qualifying draw of the women’s singles event. Singapore's Wong Xin Ru will be part of the main draw as a wild card. PHOTO: WORLD TABLE TENNIS Leading the contingent of local wild cards in the men’s singles are Olympian Clarence Chew and multiple SEA Games medallist Koen Pang, who will feature in the main draw. Ethan Poh and Josh Chua are the local wildcards for the men’s singles qualifying draw. Clarence Chew and Ethan Poh memorably stunned the 2019 World Championship doubles silver medallists enroute to the men’s doubles quarterfinals at the first-ever Singapore Smash last year. Singapore's Koen Pang in action at Singapore Smash 2022. PHOTO: WORLD TABLE TENNIS Chew, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, said: “I’m grateful for the chance to play in front of a home crowd again, especially in a prestigious event like Singapore Smash. Opportunities like this are valuable to those of us who are more experienced, as well as my younger team-mates who have also received wildcards. We’ve been training hard for Singapore Smash so that we’re ready to play our best on home ground, and we’re all looking forward to it.” Singapore's Zhou Jingyi in action. PHOTO: WORLD TABLE TENNIS Teenager Zhou Jingyi, who impressed many with her steady performances at senior events last year, said: “Playing at Singapore Smash last year was a good experience and I learnt a lot about competing among the best at an international event. I’m excited to be a part of this again and I hope we get lots of supporters here to cheer us on at Singapore Smash.” World Table Tennis Event Strategy Director Stephen Duckitt said: “We are excited to see the first batch of Singapore players awarded wildcards and join the Singapore Smash field. This is a great opportunity for them to compete in a world-class event and enjoy playing in front of family and friends. Hosting one of the four major WTT events here in Singapore will create a grand new legacy and we call on Singaporeans to come and support their national stars at the Singapore Sports Hub in March.” Singapore's Ethan Poh in action. PHOTO: WORLD TABLE TENNIS Singapore Smash 2023 will feature 64 player men’s and women’s singles and 24-pair doubles and mixed competitions. A singles qualifying competition featuring a further 64 men and 64 women will be held from 7-9 March. The full line-up of players will be announced in early February with more Singaporean players also expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Singapore's Clarence Chew in action at Singapore Smash 2022. PHOTO: WORLD TABLE TENNIS Tickets to the qualifying rounds, which take place from 7-9 March, start at S$18 while ticket prices for main draw from 11-19 March start from $28. Tickets are available at Ticket Master here. The first-ever Singapore Smash in March 2022 marked the start of a grand new legacy for table tennis and for Singapore. Singapore Smash 2023 promises to be bigger and better with more action on the Infinity Arena – there will be one additional match in each session. Action on the Infinity Arena will see five matches per sessions during the early rounds. Spectators’ viewing experience in Hall 2 will also be enhanced with two show tables so fans can enjoy better value and event experience through more matches and longer sessions. #SportPlusSG #TableTennis #SingaporeSmash2023

2023 marks the 15th edition of the HSBC Women’s World Championship PHOTO: HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Singapore, 16 January 2023 – World No.1 and 2, Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda will head the line-up along with defending champion Jin Young Ko at the 2023 HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore, from March 2-5. All three players have held the No 1 position during 2022 and will be looking for a strong start in 2023 to try to hold or reclaim their position at the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and with only 0.49 points separating the top two spots. Lydia Ko, following a win at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship last year, returned to No.1 in the world for the first time since the summer of 2017. After a season that saw her win three times, she also won LPGA Player of the Year and the Vare Trophy for low scoring average of a remarkable 68.99. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Looking to better her highest finish of T7th at next year’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, Ko said: “I had an amazing year and to finish the season with a win and a return to the top of the world rankings was very special. Looking ahead to next season, Singapore is one of my favourite cities to visit and the HSBC Women’s World Championship is definitely an event I would love to win one day. It always has such a strong field and an amazing list of past champions that it would be such an honour to add my name to the list.” Korda, who also had a November to remember, capturing her first title in 12 months after health issues saw her side-lined for four months earlier in the year. Her win at the Pelican Women’s Championship briefly returned Korda to World No. 1 until Ko won a week later. Korda, who will also be joined by her sister Jessica, returns to Singapore for the first time since 2019 with the pair having curtailed their international travel during Covid times, explained: “We are so excited to return to Singapore having missed out the last couple of years. It is an awesome event, full of the best players in the world and HSBC really think of everything to make it such a special week for us.” PHOTO: HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS This year marks the 15th edition of the HSBC Women’s World Championship and remarkably, of the 14 previous winners, 12 are Major champions, lending yet further credibility to the player’s claim that this is ‘Asia’s Major.’ Kee Joo Wong, CEO of HSBC Singapore said: “HSBC Women’s World Championship is firmly established as a truly world-class event and showcases our commitment to opening up opportunities in women’s sport. We are thrilled to see such a stellar line up for the 15th anniversary of the tournament and excited to welcome fans back this year. Few places, if any, offer all the ingredients we have in Singapore. A dynamic global hub, the world’s best golfers, and the incredible setting of Sentosa, will make for another thrilling edition of ‘Asia’s Major’.” The 72-hole stroke play tournament will once again be played on the renowned Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, which hosts its tenth edition of the tournament. Sentosa Golf Club is a leading light in driving sustainability initiatives in golf around the world and was recently named 'World's Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility' at the annual World Golf Awards. #SportPlusSG #Golf #HSBCWomensGolf

This global sailing league has married sport with climate action to make waves in Singapore and worldwide PHOTO: ELOI STICHELBAUT, SAIL GP 14 January 2023, Singapore — By 2025, Sail Grand Prix (GP) aims to be completely powered by nature. The groundbreaking sailing league has put their money where their mouth is and set up the world’s first ever Impact League showcasing that climate action and sport can go hand in hand. Additionally, Sail GP set out to leave a positive impact in their host countries with local impact projects which will span from San Francisco to Christchurch by the end of this season. At a meeting last year for the United Nations Sport for Climate Action movement, Sail GP shared the work they have done through the Impact League. They offered to help other sports set up their own Impact League and was approached by several governing bodies from sports such as tennis, golf, motorsport and even the Spanish Olympic Committee. PHOTO: BOB MARTIN, SAIL GP “A dream for me would be to get [an Impact League] into football or the International Olympic Committee,” said Fiona Morgan, Chief Purpose Director at Sail GP. She believes prioritising sustainability can and should be the norm in sports, even though sports with longer histories such as football may take more time to get buy-in from senior management. “If anything, sport is suffering from extreme weather and the problems of climate change. We have this platform, a voice — so we have to do it,” she added. “I don’t want a talking show where people talk at each other. We’ve gotten past that, we need to collaborate and act, and do things differently.” PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER PIKE, SAIL GP Sail GP’s embodiment of collaboration can be seen in its Impact League which was created to harness athletes’ competitive spirit to drive climate action. The Impact League runs alongside the season championship and requires each team to find a “Race for the Future” partner with whom they initiate sustainability projects. After every event, the teams’ sustainability initiatives are assessed according to a set of criteria and points are awarded accordingly. These points are accumulated over the entire season, and the winning team is eventually awarded the Impact League trophy together with $100,000, which goes to their “Race for the Future” partner. PHOTO: FELIX DIEMER, SAIL GP “When we launched it and told the team CEOs, they all looked slightly terrified. They had no idea what it meant, and just nodded — ‘that sounds great Fiona’,” reminisced Morgan. Yet, in just its second season, competition is fierce with teams launching novel projects such as Denmark’s “More Speed Less Plastic” pledge. “Sailing is typically a sport where it’s about me and winning, and having this impact is much more purposeful,” said the Danish team’s strategist, Katja Salskov-Iversen. This higher sense of purpose through sustainability efforts has provided Sail GP with a huge value proposition, said Morgan. PHOTO: KIERAN CLEEVES, SAIL GP “Sustainability is not a compromise, it’s an opportunity,” she added. For the Singapore local impact project, Sail GP has taken the opportunity to support the conservation of the island city’s coastal areas. Together with Ocean Purpose Project, a local NGO, Sail GP funded efforts to set up 100 mussel and seaweed lines at a small fish farm in Pasir Ris called De Kelong. These lines serve to prevent algal bloom that harms ocean life by reducing the amount of oxygen in the water. Mathilda D’Silva, founder of Ocean Purpose Project, keenly anticipated the tie-up with Sail GP. PHOTO: BOB MARTIN, SAIL GP “This is a game where sustainability and sports meet on the ocean playground, and it’s so important for us as an NGO to align with that,” she said. Morgan affirmed the NGO’s compatibility with Sail GP, saying, “As soon as I met Mathilda, I obviously fell in love with her. Her approach to sustainability and her passion is very like Sail GP.” After the Singapore Sail Grand Prix , the league will continue their journey around the world while documenting their progress on their online platforms, setting an example for other sports to follow. “Sustainability is a part of everything we do. It’s not about forcing people to do things differently, it’s showing you can do things differently,” said Morgan. #SportPlusSG #Sailing #SingaporeSGP #SailGP

Sophomore university student Carmelita may be late to the game in Taekwondo, but uses competitions as the driving force behind her motivation PHOTO: CARMELITA VINCENT There is more to Carmelita Vincent than meets the eye. Currently a sophomore university student studying Business Administration, this petite yet feisty girl is pursuing taekwondo with a passion. Interestingly, Carmelita only started Taekwondo training in the first year of her polytechnic studies, and, in her own words, has been “happily doing it ever since”. Having interacted with Carmelita on several occasions, I had the chance to finally chat with her about her sporting pursuit. Carmelita revealed that she enjoyed the multi-faceted aspects of Taekwondo, such as poomsae (a series of offense and defense techniques) and kyorugi. Yet she declared a greater interest in kyorugi, also known as sparring. She waxed lyrical on how she loved the adrenaline rush when sparring and how she could learn so much from one fight. Always curious to try out new things, Carmelita appreciated the fact that there were so many kicks as well as combinations and variations of those kicks for her to pick up. One may initially think that Carmelita has been involved in Taekwondo from her tender years. Yet her revelations say otherwise. Instead, Carmelita is a relatively “late-bloomer” to the sport, having begun training when she was around seventeen. PHOTO: CARMELITA VINCENT The availability of Taekwondo in her polytechnic enabled Carmelita to finally satiate her childhood interest in the sport after graduating from secondary school. When asked what motivates her to train, Carmelita admitted that her primary driving force is the ability to participate in competitions. While pre-competition training could be very stressful for Carmelita, she acknowledged her steep learning curve and set goals for each competition to try goals such as trying a new combination of kicks, for instance, Notably, Carmelita tremendously enjoys training for upcoming competitions as there are so many aspects to the sport, hence enabling her to constantly learn new things. By keeping herself on her toes through rigorous training, Carmelita always likes to push herself further in order to realise that she is stronger than she thinks she is. Her pet peeve during training is when she cannot get a particular exercise or master a kick. The petite girl admits that she dislikes sparring against much taller people as she has trouble landing kicks. That being said, Taekwondo is not only sweat and grind for Carmelita. Rather, she finds in it a solace from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Carmelita credits her growth in the sport to the patience and dedication of her coach as well as the strong support from her encouraging teammates. Kwontum Taekwondo, located at Fajar, is where Carmelita trains regularly. Occasionally, she also trains in SIM (Singapore Institute of Management) Taekwondo. PHOTO: CARMELITA VINCENT Months of dogged determination and sweat finally paid off for Carmelita when she clinched a Bronze for Taekwondo Open Championships and a Gold for National Kyorugi. Yet this budding talent disclosed that her current personal best would be the Singapore’s Pesta Sukan competition. Although she did not win a medal for that competition, Carmelita relished the fact that she could push herself a lot as well as try out new kicks for that competition. Also, she learnt so much from her defeat as she sparred with much taller opponents. (The Pesta Sukan, or Sports Festival, refers to a festival targeted at giving sportsmen and women opportunities to gather together in friendly sports competitions.) As someone who enjoys Taekwondo,Carmelita manifested her wish to perform her very best to get the best results in competitions. Furthermore, she stated that her desire to succeed increases as she gets older as Taekwondo has become part of her identity. In her additional reflections that demonstrated her pensiveness, Carmelita mused on her plans to improve her ability to think under pressure. As a new fighter, she admitted her tendency to land kicks out of panic, without much thought. Carmelita expressed her wishes to have more chances to spar to increase her confidence and comfort in the sport. Acknowledging her struggles with certain kicks, Carmelita indicated the need for more practice to perfect her moves. An energetic and vivacious athlete, Carmelita divulged that she jogs or does High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to maintain stamina, in addition to her Taekwondo forays. Her family also plays football with her. PHOTO: CARMELITA VINCENT For the uninitiated, Carmelita’s dedication to Taekwondo may give the impression that the sport is mainly what she does on a daily basis. Yet, this multi-tasker admits that she is juggling her studies with her part-time job with her love for Taekwondo. Adopting a pragmatic tone, Carmelita readily declares that the importance of taekwondo in her current life would vary, depending on whether she had to prepare for competitions or not. When asked about her goals in Taekwondo, Carmelita replied that her short term goal would be to compete in as many fights as she can to win as many medals. In the long term, Carmelita aspires to be a critical fighter who can think under pressure and analyze her opponent’s weaknesses. Alluding to her relatively small build, Carmelita also hopes she can win more matches against much taller opponents. If she could turn back time, Carmelita confessed that she would advise herself to step out of her comfort zone. This was because she was afraid of change during her younger years, thus she would rarely try new things. However, after deciding to step out of her comfort zone at a later age, Carmelita realized that she could gain so much experience with new things, experiences that she is grateful for. When asked to give her two cents’ worth to those interested to pick Taekwondo up as a competitive sport or hobby, Carmelita had this to say, “Push yourself and never give up!! The beginning is never easy but the end will be worthwhile. The journey will be unforgettable yet memorable.” #Taekwondo #MartialArts #CarmelitaVincent

Celebrating a decade since its inception, local running group The High Panters continues to bring the local running community together, cheering on runners at SCSM 2022 PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS Their loud cheers, colourful props and quirky signboards were immediately noticeable at the recently concluded 2022 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. Sweaty high fives and shouts of "keep going" and "one more KM" echoed through the air as runners pushed on in races, with renewed vigour and motivation after crossing the cheer zone. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS This however, wasn't the first time local running group The High Panters (THP) set up a Cheer Zone at Singapore's marquee running event. In fact, the group set up its first official cheer zone back in 2019 during pre-Covid times. With a focus on creating and building community, the running group which was founded in 2012 also had many variations of cheer zones and cheering during Covid - including a 6-runner crew that ran 31 hours and 15 mins as part of The Speed Project 2020. Back then, they set up camp along the East Coast Park stretch, with the whole THP crew on rotation to provide support, cyclists, cheering, water points, and even loaning the use of a lorry to be used as a sleep zone. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS A crew member Vincent Han also did a 119KM run across Singapore to raise funds for the Nusanta Run to provide education for the underprivileged in East Java. It ended up becoming a relay for the whole THP group, with each taking up different points and zones, with carefully co-ordinated cheer zones and squads set-up to support the runner and the cause. Celebrating a decade since its formation, the group's main motivation continues to stem from creating community and bringing the local run community together. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS For the 2022 edition of Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, the event's first mass run since 2019, the group found inspiration by Cheer Signage Making which founders Eugene and Sofie experienced at the Berlin Marathon earlier in the year. And with the opportunity to be a part of Culture Cartel 2022 presenting itself with a store to sell pre-loved and official THP merch to raise funds for the group's adopted charity (Hope for the Family in Thailand), the group then used the space as a simple Signage Making for anyone that came by and wanted to create signs for the Singapore Marathon. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS "We hope that we can continue to build this culture and spread it to as many people of our local community in years to come," said Sofie Chandra, who is also co-founder of Studio 155 and helped start an all-girl run crew called Happy Pace Club. Sofie added: "The plan was to always cheer any runner. As runners, we know how much it means to be cheered for and to get that one word of encouragement or high five along the route or to hear and see a cheer squad coming up. We are glad we made that small difference!" PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS With anticipated road closures and some unpredictability about the race routes and course after the event's first return in three years, the group planned a total of two cheer zone sites over the course of the two days of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. "For the 21KM and 42KM route, we had the Cheer Zone at the point where both the 21KM and 42KM would pass us and the 42KM would do a turn and end up back there again so the Cheer squad would be able to see them twice," Sofie shared. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS "It was also at a location where there was sufficient space for a whole group could place our bags, props, and be comfortable enough to move around within that space for an extended period of time." Over 40 members of the group turned up over the course of the two days to help out with cheering duties, and it is Sofie's wish that more will do so for future races. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS "We hope that every race everyone would come out and cheer and it eventually becomes an outing for families, children, friends and friends' friends. We believe that cheering is a form of participation in a marathon too, and it is what makes a marathon what it is. And every runner can testify how much of a booster it is to be cheered on," she said. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS Spirits in the THP camp are at an all-time high, and there is little wonder as to why it is so with an equally strong, supportive and positive culture within the group from its founders to its captains and right through to every run crew. So what next for THP in 2023, and moving forward with more races coming up on the horizon both locally and overseas? PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS "We love to do unsanctioned races - and with things opened up, we hope we can do more of these sort of runs," said Sofie. "We did a CNY - The Rat Race 2022 where we had various check points that runners had to find and complete and we had also previously done one during National Day called Run the Red Line following our MRT Red Line, where runners had to hit various check points and complete tasks. We feel that such races not only allow us to explore our local neighbourhoods but also build teamwork amongst runners and crew." PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS Exciting times beckon in 2023, and The High Panters hopes to see more of its crew planning for overseas marathons and aiming to better themselves with local races too. And of course, all of this will be with the support and the group providing the platform for training sessions during race periods. PHOTO: LEON WEI & IVAN KUEK, THE HIGH PANTERS The High Panters continues to welcome new runners as well to their crew as they look to build the local run community - with their weekly Wednesday and Sunday runs continuing to function as Easy Runs to ease new runners in or for regular crew to enjoy social runs. #Running #TheHighPanters #SCSM2022 #SgMarathon

Botswana are undefeated en route to maiden Nations Cup title PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE SINGAPORE, 10 December 2022 – The 14th edition of the Nations Cup came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday (10 December), with local netball fans having plenty to cheer as Singapore gave an emphatic performance to defeat Ireland 52-36 and clinch third place. Botswana remained undefeated en route to their first Nations Cup title, beating Fiji 65-37 in the championship match at the OCBC Arena. Malaysia finished in fifth place after a 47-40 win over the Singapore A team. PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Singapore wore down Ireland after a closely-fought battle in the first half, prevailing 52-36 to finish in third place. Ireland held a slim lead early in the match, but Singapore caught up to hold the score at 11-11 after the first quarter. Singapore’s fierce defending proved to be key as the hosts forced turnovers in the second quarter, which they duly converted to edge ahead 23-20 at half-time. Buoyed by a combination of unwavering momentum, confidence and enthusiastic crowd support, Singapore surged ahead to secure victory in dominant fashion. PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Singapore defender Sindhu Nair, who played from the second quarter onwards, said: “In the past few games, we were working on several things including team coordination and passes. We have some young players, so it was also about exposing them to this level of play. Everything came together very nicely today. There were some patches of errors, but we always managed to pull through and got stronger as the game progressed. I will say it's one of our best performances today because we put everything that we learnt over the past week together, and it was really nice to see everything working out well for us. We also stuck to our game plan today.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Ireland captain Fran Duffy, while disappointed with the loss, was encouraged by her team’s showing. She said: “It’s a long tournament for a young team whose first experience is out here, and it is a lot to take in. So I’m really proud of all the girls. I love coming back to Singapore; it’s such a great city and the tournament is fantastic – the whole setup is really professional." "It’s such a great experience to see how different countries around the world play, because we don’t have that at home. This is my fourth trip and I’ve been with a different Ireland group each time, so it’s just great to make sure that the newbies enjoyed the experience I had the first time.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Botswana’s imperious form continued in the title match as they cruised to a 65-37 victory over 2011 champions Fiji to claim their first Nations Cup crown, dancing in celebration before receiving their medals. Botswana were quicker, sharper and more accurate, landing 82% of their shots compared to Fiji’s 79%. Botswana captain Fattimah Dino, who was also named her team’s Most Valuable Player, said of her team’s first-ever Nations Cup title: “Wow. I’m very happy. This was our first title – we have been coming here to play at the Nations Cup but we’ve never done this before. We are very, very happy to be champions. Our coach (Jenny Van Dyk) really helped us because you can see now that we are very competitive." PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE "In the past, we just came to participate but she’s helped us with training and we’ve worked hard, and now we are competing. We were disappointed not to qualify for the World Cup, so we went back home and prepared ourselves to play better the next time.” Fiji coach Unaisi Rokoura congratulated Botswana for their fine performance, adding that Nations Cup 2022 would provide valuable experience for her team in their preparations for next year’s Netball World Cup. She added: “For us, we gave away possession of the ball and Botswana came in and wanted more. We had a game plan that we wanted to implement tonight but unfortunately we didn't do that." PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE "We have a few young players who have fewer than 10 caps, so this is just an opportunity for us to build up for the World Cup next year. When we go back now it's about utilising the players that we have in the competitions lined up for next year before we head off to Cape Town.” Malaysia ended their Nations Cup campaign on a good note, defeating a young Singapore A team 47-40 to avenge their opening day loss. Despite trailing 20-24 at half-time, Malaysia acted fast to equalise – they took the lead at 28-28 and stayed ahead till the final whistle. Malaysia captain Nurshamilia Md Samsudin said: “My team did very well today, we did not give up throughout and we gave our all. Over the whole Nations Cup, we got so much experience playing against all the other teams, and we kept improving each game, regardless of whether we won or lost. This is why I'm so proud of them.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Singapore A centre Rachel Ling also lauded her team’s effort, saying: “(We gave) a very commendable display of hard work out there on court. Despite not getting the win today, we did put up a good fight; we fought hard for every loose ball and we could have capitalised on a lot more turnovers, but what we can do now is move on and learn from it. We got a bit shaky, but what wasn’t lacking was the team spirit and hard work, and this was shown throughout the games.” Nations Cup 2022 featured six teams from five countries: 2011 champions Fiji, Ireland, Malaysia, Botswana, two-time champions Singapore, and a Singapore A team. #SportPlusSG #Netball #NationsCup

Top two teams will qualify for finals of Nations Cup, and Singapore's hopes now depend on other team's results PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE SINGAPORE, 6 December 2022 – Botswana extended their unbeaten run at Nations Cup 2022 on Tuesday (6 December) after putting up a powerful display of netball to defeat hosts Singapore 71-21 at the OCBC Arena. Fiji beat Malaysia 80-50, while Ireland recorded their first victory of the tournament with a hard-fought 43-37 win over the Singapore A team. Of the six teams, Botswana are the only one who have won all three of their matches so far. The top two teams from the round-robin stage advance to the final, and Singapore’s hopes will depend on how the others fare. Botswana dominated the game from start to finish with their aggressive play and physicality, pressuring their Singaporean opponents and restricting them to fewer than 10 goals in each quarter. Despite the hosts making several line-up changes throughout, they had no answers for Botswana. PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Singapore coach Annette Bishop, who opted to rest shooter and co-captain Toh Kai Wei, said: “We have 12 players, so it gave opportunities for the other players to step in today and see those combinations out there and have that experience against tough competition. We kept trying things out there, unfortunately we had a lot of turnovers. They’ve got long arms and we didn’t adapt to that when we were around the top of the circle and we were a little bit smaller. They kept fighting it just didn’t show on the scoreboard. “(Our chances of reaching the final) will be dependent on others' games – Fiji came out and won comfortably today, Botswana scored the big one over us. We just have to keep playing, we still have two more games and regardless of that we just have to finish strong and ensure we are in the top four.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Botswana coach Jennifer Van Dyk noted: “Singapore was not fully themselves today, as compared to yesterday. I was impressed with the way Singapore played yesterday against Fiji, I can see that they are a well-coached team. I also noticed the shooter that played yesterday did not play today, and she makes a huge difference. My team played well today, I'm very proud of them. It will be fantastic for us to reach the finals of the Nations Cup and will give the team confidence. The rest of the African teams are very strong, we struggle against them, and I could see that the Singapore team is also not quite used to the African style of playing, so winning this will definitely give us a lot of confidence.” Ireland claim first win of tournament over Singapore A Ireland were made to work for their first win of the tournament by a young and persistent Singapore A side. Though Ireland were always in the lead, their opponents equalised several times throughout the game and kept chasing. After leading 10-8 and 22-19 at the end of the first and second quarters respectively, Ireland’s experience prevailed as they consolidated their lead to earn their first Nations Cup 2022 victory. PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Ireland captain Fran Duffy said: “The match was very competitive, this is our first win of the tournament. We are looking forward to the next few games and building up on today's performance. We are a very young team, a bit of nerves, battling jet lag, but the team is learning and taking in the experience well. We will be taking lots of rest before the next two games, against Fiji and Botswana. There are two more training sessions and we will be focusing on the processes and after it's to put what we practised at these training sessions when we play.” Singapore A captain Aqilah Andin praised her team for their effort, saying: “It was a very tough game; Ireland came out really strong today. For everyone who plays us, of course they want to win. Our job is to give our best and the girls did pretty well on court. There are things that we have to work on, but I think there are a lot of great patches of play that we executed today.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE The other match of the day saw Fiji ease to an 80-50 win over Malaysia. Fiji, who won a gruelling match against Singapore the day before, came out firing against Malaysia. Though Malaysia led briefly at 8-6 at the start of the game, Fiji caught up quickly and never looked back. Fiji captain Vaiti Coa Waqatabu said: “Our main aim was just to play simple and basic netball. Even though we won by a big margin, we still have a lot of areas to improve on, including having more control and more speed. We’re just beginning to recover from yesterday’s game. For tomorrow’s game, we’ll pick up where we left off today and to back to the drawing board. Our goal for this competition is for us to keep improving on every game that we play, and winning is a bonus to us.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE The action continues at the OCBC Arena on 7 December, with the fixtures as follows: 3pm - Botswana vs Malaysia 5pm - Ireland vs Fiji 7pm - Singapore vs Singapore A The 14th edition of the Nations Cup features six teams from five countries: 2011 champions Fiji, Ireland, Malaysia, Botswana, two-time champions Singapore, and a Singapore A team. The tournament will be played in a round robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the finals. Tickets are available for purchase at this link here. #SportPlusSG #Netball #NationsCup

Singapore's senior netball team defeated Singapore A in the Nations Cup yesterday, providing a sneak peek into the future of Singapore netball PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE SINGAPORE, 7 December 2022 – The OCBC Arena was treated to a peek into the future of Singapore netball on Wednesday (7 December), with the experience of the Singapore team prevailing as they wore down a gutsy challenge from their Singapore A opponents to win 50-26. The other matches of the day saw Botswana defeat Malaysia 67-38, while Fiji beat Ireland 65-51. The results are as follows: In a battle between the current and future stars of Singapore netball, the chemistry of the Singapore team proved valuable as they defeated their younger compatriots from the Singapore A team. Singapore led from start to finish, though they were challenged throughout by their opponents, who rose to the occasion in an encounter that was closer than the scoreboard showed. PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE For Singapore A vice-captain Laura Low, the match was a lesson in adapting to a quicker game pace. She said: “Experience definitely comes into play as they’ve trained together for much longer. But we were also a bit off-footed; they played a much faster game and their shots were much better than ours, and I think we may have come across as being a bit too afraid. So maybe we should have been a bit bolder, but I’m proud of how much we pushed – we took each quarter as a new one regardless of the score and kept fighting hard. There’s a long way to go, but we’ll push harder and work on our game.” Singapore shooter Matilda Narayan, who earned her first international cap on Tuesday and featured again in Wednesday’s match, was pleased to have recovered well from the team’s previous defeat to Botswana. Reflecting on her experience in both matches, the 19-year-old said: PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE “Yesterday (against Botswana) I was definitely very scared, being my first cap and facing one of our toughest opponents. When I was called to sub in, I was feeling very nervous and I think I did not mentally prepare myself as much as I should have. But today I was ready to play and have reflected on the things I did yesterday. I told myself, I want the chance to be on court, so when I'm given the chance, I should take it fully and do my best.” In the first match of the day, Botswana overcame a slow start to defeat Malaysia 67-38 and remain undefeated this week. Malaysia were sharper to start, moving quickly to lead 15-10 in the first quarter. Botswana fought to equalise and succeeded in their quest at 18-18. From then, it was full speed ahead for Botswana as they notched their fourth straight win in as many matches. PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Botswana captain Fattimah Dino said: “We knew it was going to be a difficult match, we are the underdogs at this Nations Cup and Malaysia is ranked higher than us. Nothing worked for us in the first quarter, whatever we did. Malaysia came with lots of speed, and it was difficult for us to match them in the first quarter. In the second quarter, coach told us to just play our game, not to be thrown by their speed, and that was what we did and things started to go our way, and that was how we managed to get the win.” Malaysia captain Nurshamilia Md Samsudin noted her side did not adapt well enough to their opponent’s substitution, adding: “Our rhythm was broken when they switched their goal shooter, and we didn’t adjust our tactics in time. We’ll have to improve more on our attack – we rushed a bit too much. Our Nations Cup team has a lot of new faces from the junior team, and we wanted them to have the experience of playing against teams from Europe and Africa. I’m proud of our team because we’ve improved throughout the games even though we lost.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE Meanwhile, Fiji enjoyed a 65-51 win over Ireland despite both sides scoring the same number of goals in the second quarter (15). Though Ireland came close to levelling the score in the third quarter as they narrowed the gap to two goals, Fiji proved too strong and romped their way to victory as their goal attack and vice captain Unaisi Kubunameca celebrated her 50th cap. She said: “What I like most about netball is coming together with my team and getting to meet new people at events like Nations Cup. I’d like to thank the supporters in Fiji, and thank you to my team-mates for the win today – may we have more to come.” PHOTO: NETBALL SINGAPORE There are no matches on 8 December, Thursday as it is a rest day. The action continues at the OCBC Arena on 7 December, with the fixtures as follows. 3pm - Ireland vs Botswana 5pm - Singapore A vs Fiji 7pm - Singapore vs Malaysia The 14th edition of the Nations Cup features six teams from five countries: 2011 champions Fiji, Ireland, Malaysia, Botswana, two-time champions Singapore, and a Singapore A team. The tournament will be played in a round robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the finals. Tickets are available for purchase at this link here. #SportPlusSG #Netball #NationsCup