Singapore sports heroes

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

UNLIKE my first and third visit to Singapore which were both related to sports activities (2010 Youth Olympic Games and 2015 SEA Games), my fourth trip to the beautiful and booming city-state Singapore last June 2-6 was like my second, for pleasure and respite journey. While there, I caught up with the news here a Filipino channel like the arrest of former PBA player Bong Alvarez by PNP for illegal drugs, how the 2015 NBA titlists Golden State Warriors routed the defending champions Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-91, to lead 2-0 in the best-of-seven series in this year NBA Finals, the attack inside the Resorts World Manila and the ongoing Marawi City siege.

I also managed to watch (delayed telecast) and found Singapore’s new sports hero named Muhamad Ridhwan winning the vacant Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) super featherweight title over Tanzanian Fadhili Majica via fourth round technical knockout held last May 27 at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.

Yes, I remember how this promising Singaporean boxer scored his professional debut victory held in the Philippines by outpointing Filipino Melchor Roda via majority decision on February 27, 2016.

According to my reliable source, yes it’s really amazing to see Ridhwan, 29, alias “The Chosen Wan,” was a former SEA Games gold medalist and the first Singaporean professional boxer to win a world crown which only totes eight professional fights with seven knockouts. I have to doff my hat to him for his sterling performance.

Our country never won a gold medal in any Olympic Games since we joined the quadrennial meet in 1924. But Singapore with only 5.6M inhabitants (2016 U.N. census), already produced an Olympic hero in swimmer Joseph Schooling. He bagged the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly event in 2016 Rio Olympics, beating his childhood idol Michael Phelps of United States who came in second. His winning time of 50.39 seconds also broke Phelps record of 50.58. His winning time is also his country’s national mark as well as Southeast Asia and the Asian Games. As expected being the first Singaporean to achieve this feat, he was given a hero’s welcome when he returned home.

My Singaporean source said Schooling, who’s turning 22 on June 16, is a Eurasian (having a Chinese mother and a Briton father) and studies at University of Texas in Austin. For sure he will represent Singapore again in 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and he’ll likely duplicate his achievement there and  in the coming SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 2018 Asian Games where he’s also the defending champion.

Singapore hosted the 2015 SEA Games and landed second overall in medal standings collecting 84 gold medals behind Thailand with 95. Our country with 103M population finished sixth out of 11 countries participated with only 29 golds.

What a shame. Obviously, something is really big wrong in our sports development, then and until now. Why? Your judgment is also my finding. Amen.

*          *          *          *

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy. He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. TITUS 3: 5

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments