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WINNING WAYS
(Bowler Remy Ong & Swimmer Tao Li Win Top Honours At Sports Awards)
By Joshua Tan
Winners All
Swimmer Tao Li. Paddler Li Jiawei. Or kegler Valerie Teo. It was a tough call but, in the end, Tao Li won the selectors' nod to become Singapore's latest Sportswoman of the Year. Enjoying success too was bowler Remy Ong (pix) who clinched the Sportsman of the Year title. Other big winners were sailing's Zhang Yongqiang (Coach of the Year) and Colin Cheng (Sportsboy of the Year) as well as shooting's Vanessa Yong (Sportsgirl of the Year).
Phenomenal Rise
For Tao Li, the win was recognition for her phenomenal rise last year. At the Asian Games in Doha, she beat a top class field to clinch the women's 50m butterfly gold and became Singapore's first Asian Games swimming gold medallist since 1982. She also did well in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Her closest rivals for the Sportswoman of the Year title Valerie and Jiawei had a good 2006 as well. The former won gold in the women's doubles event at the Asian Games and was crowned World Youth champion. The latter won Commonwealth Games silver and bronzes at the Asian Games, Women's World Cup and ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final.
Team Awards
The Team of the Year (Event) title went to Asiad women's team silver medallists and Commonwealth Games champions Li Jiawei, Sun Beibei, Zhang Xueling, Tan Paey Fern, Xena Sim and Tan Yanzhen. Shooters Jasmine Ser, Adrienne Ser and Vanessa Yong, who won silver in the Asian Games, were honoured with the Team of the Year (Event) title at the junior level.
COMING UP: Other winners of the Sports Awards which will be presented at a ceremony at Raffles City Convention Centre on June 21.
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