ALL SYSTEMS GO

By Jeannette Xavier
 
Pix By Chan Bin Kan
 
The SEA Games in Laos will get underway next month (December) and it's all systems go for Team Singapore athletes as the competition schedules for the different sports are released.
 
Early Start
 
Going into action almost immediately are the water polo boys and footballers. Also having an early start are athletes from sports like table tennis, swimming, cuesports, karate, badminton, shooting and cycling. Having sports such as swimming, table tennis and shooting early in the competition is good for Singapore. Afterall, these are sports which we are expected to  do well in. So if athletes like paddlers Feng Tian Wei and Wang Yuegu, swimmers Quah Ting Wen and Tao Li, and shooter Jasmine Ser deliver as expected, the entire Singapore team will get a psychological boost. Boxing, golf, silat, taekwondo, athletics, wushu, judo, archery and wrestling come later.
 
Mix Of New & Old
 
In all, Singapore is well represented and the contingent is a mix of familiar and less familiar faces. While sprinter Poh Seng Song, discus thrower James Wong, shuttler Ronald Susilo, swimmer Marcus Cheah and paddler Sun Bei Bei are well known in the local sports circle, names like Jaryl Tay (wushu), Jacqueline Quek (taekwondo), Loh Zhi Zhi (water polo), Tan Hong Chun (cycling), Wendy Tan (archery), Wee Pui Seng (judo), Samantha Yeo (swimming, pix) and Rabiatul Adawiyah Yusak (silat)  are less well known. Whatever, all will enter the competition in Laos with the same mission - to do well for Singapore by winning a medal or two.