66 athletes win spexScholarship; gov’t to spend S$40 million over 5 years

Colin Cheng competing in the laser race during the London 2012 Olympic Games. He is one of seven sailors selected to be a spexScholar. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images for SSC)

Singapore, Tuesday, September 24, 2013 – The High Performance Sports (HPS) Steering Committee awarded 66 athletes across 15 sports the inaugural Sports Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship) today. The government will spend about S$40 million over five years on this scheme.

The athletes will receive annual stipend amounts of $24,000 (SEA Games or equivalent), $60,000 (Asian Games or equivalent) or $$90,000 for (Olympic Games or equivalent) to help them train full time.

In addition, 26 athletes from nine sports who have demonstrated potential to progress to the level of a spexScholar in the future have been identified for targeted support.

The spexScholarship was announced earlier in March to provide enhanced support for highly talented Singaporean athletes with demonstrated potential for international sporting achievements. It will also increase the level of the support given through the existing HPS System.

In all, the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) received 218 nominations across 28 sports by the end of April 2013, of which 152 athletes from 20 sports were shortlisted for interviews. Following the interviews, the HPS Selection & Performance Sub-Committee and the HPS Steering Committee reviewed the shortlisted candidates and confirmed the list of spexScholars.

Athletes were chosen based on their potential for podium success, training commitment as well as good attitude and behaviour. Their training volume profiles (> 12 months) were benchmarked against the volume of a full-time training load (10 sessions/week or 30 hours/week).

The athletes’ sports performance track record (> 12 months) were benchmarked against the standards of the medallists (gold, silver and bronze) at the respective major Games. For example, an athlete at the Asian Games level was benchmarked against the standards at the Asian Games or equivalent competition. The measurement used for benchmarking is unique to each sport (e.g., world ranking, positions over a series of competitions, timings, distance)

The SSI is in the process of working out training programmes with the respective spexScholars and their NSAs and will be starting off these programmes progressively over the next three to four months.

Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Chairman of the HPS Steering Committee, said: “The spexScholarship will provide the selected Team Singapore athletes with an enhanced level of support to enable them to fully realise their aspirations and their competitive potential. With the introduction of the spexScholarship, we hope to see more Singaporean athletes focus on the fulltime pursuit of sport excellence.

“Beyond this group of spexScholars, we have also identified another group of athletes who have shown potential to be a spexScholar but are not at that level yet. We will provide them with additional support, and we hope that they will be able to advance to the level of a spexScholar within a year or two.”

These 26 athletes from nine sports will be given targeted support such as overseas training camps, competitions and equipment to enable them to maximise their potential. At the same time, they will continue to be eligible, just like all other athletes in the carding system, to the spexGrants support provided by the SSI.

Nominations for the second intake of spexScholars will take place in April 2014.

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The spexScholarship will provide the following
1. Financial support
– Monthly stipend to sustain full-time training at SEA Games and higher levels
– Median annual stipend amounts are $$24,000 (SEA Games or equivalent), $60,000 (Asian Games or equivalent) and $$90,000 for (Olympic Games or equivalent)
– Coaching
– Training, competition and equipment

2. Education support for student athletes:
– Flexible education programme
– Education service support (programme counseling, university applications)
– Effective studentship (extra tutorial, goal setting etc)

3. Career preparation for adult athletes:
– Athlete-friendly employer networking
– Career counseling
– Internships and job attachments
– Training e.g., interview skills, effective working habits, and personal grooming.

4. Personal and life-skill development:
– Time management
– Communication skills
– Financial and life planning
– Conflict resolution

Sports Excellence Scholars (spexScholars) 2013
Badminton
1. Danny Bawa Chrisnanta
2. Neo Yu Yan Vanessa
3. Liang Xiaoyu

Bowling
4. Tan Shi Hua Jazreel
5. Ng Lin Zhi Shayna
6. Tan Shi Hua Cherie
7. Tan Shi Jing Daphne
8. Lim Hui Ying Bernice
9. Muhammad Jaris Goh Bin Ali Akbar Goh
10. New Hui Fen

Canoeing
11. Lee Wei Ling Geraldine
12. Suzanne Seah
13. Chen Jiemei Sarah
14. Chen Jiexian Stephenie
15. Lee Yang Jing Wilona
16. Ng Xiang Ru Annabelle

Cuesports
17. Peter Edward Gilchrist

Disability Sports
18. Laurentia Tan Yen-Yi
19. Nurulasyiqah Binte Mohammad Taha
20. Mohamed Ismail Bin Hussain
21. Tan Chern Maximillian
22. Gemma Rose Foo Jen
23. Yong Phen Chong Thomas
24. Toh Sze Ning

Fencing
25. Lee Huimin Ann
26. Wong Ye Han Cheryl
27. Lim Ian Joshua
28. Lim Wei Wen
29. Khoo Zile Willie
30. Wong Ye Ying Liane

Golf
31. Woo Ke-Jun Jonathan

Gymnastics
32. Tam Jing Ying Joey
33. Lim Shu Min Nicolette
34. Yeo Yan Charmaine
35. Zeng Qiyan
36. Lau Wei-Ning Ashly
37. Dai Min Yi Janessa
38. Michelle Teo Yin Zhi

Sailing
39. Cheng Xinru Colin
40. Yin Yueling Elizabeth
41. Scott Glen Sydney
42. Lim Min Kimberly
43. Savannah Siew Kiah Hui
44. Chan Jing Hua Victoria
45. Lo Jun Han Ryan

Shooting
46. Ser Xiang Wei Jasmine
47. Lim Yee Xien
48. Yang Shuet Hwei
49. Teh Xiu Yi

Silat
50. Muhammad Shakir Bin Juanda
51. Muhammad Iqbal Bin Abdul Rahman
52. Muhammad Nur Alfian Bin Juma’en

Swimming
53. Joseph Schooling
54. Quah Zheng Wen
55. Tao Li
56. Lim Xiang Qi Amanda
57. Danny Yeo Kai Quan
58. Samantha Louisa Yeo Ginn

Table Tennis
59. Feng Tian Wei
60. Yu Meng Yu
61. Gao Ning
62. Yang Zi
63. Zhan Jian
64. Li Hu

Wakeboarding
65. Sasha Siew Hoon Christian

Wushu
66. Samuel Tan Wei Han

Athletes with Future Potential for spexScholarship 2013
These athletes will be given targeted support such as overseas training camps, competitions and equipment to enable them to maximise their potential. They continue to be eligible for the spexGrants support provided by the SSI, like all the other athletes in the carding system.

Archery
1. Tan Si Lie
2. Ng Wei Qing Justin

Athletics
3. Yeo Foo Ee Gary
4. Kang Li Loong Calvin

Badminton
5. Yeo Jia Min

Canoeing
6. Teo Guang Yi Lucas
7. Chua Lip Heng Clarence
8. Muhammad Syaheenul Aiman Bin Nasiman
9. Tay Zi Qiang
10. Brandon Ooi Wei Cheng
11. Benjamin Low Wei Fu
12. Lee Wei Liang Bill

Disability Sports
13. Tan Eng Kiong Benson
14. Goh Rui Si Theresa

Football
15. Hariss S/O Harun
16. Mohamad Izwan Bin Mahbud

Sailing
17. Bertha Han Jing
18. Teo Yee Kang Ryan
19. Koh Yi Kun
20. Neo Jiun Jie Samuel
21. Fathin Rasyiqah Bte Mohamed Firdaus

Swimming
22. Lim Shu-En Lynette
23. Ong Chui Bin Mylene

Table Tennis
24. Zhou Yi Han
25. Isabelle Li Siyun
26. Lin Ye

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