Team Singapore is all set to fly the Singapore flag high at 25th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which will be held in Vientiane, Laos from 9 to 18 December 2009. Singapore will be fielding a contingent of 195 athletes, who will be taking part in 18 sports at the Games.

Veteran sports figure, Mrs Jessie Phua, committee member of the Singapore National Olympic Council and President of the Singapore Bowling, will be leading the Team Singapore contingent as the Chef de Mission.

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence and President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) officially presented the flag to the contingent’s flag bearer, shooter Ong Jun Hong, at the Flag Presentation Ceremony held on 9 November 2009 at the Nanyang Polytechnic Atrium. Swimmer Quah Ting Wen then led the contingent in the pledge taking ceremony. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports was also present to witness the ceremony.

"Every athlete who takes part in the Games is competing not just for himself or herself, but for Singapore, and for all those who have helped him or her to get this far. Every athlete is competing not just against the other athletes in the field, but also to better his or her previous best performance. So go out there, do your best, for yourself, all those who have supported and helped you, and also for our country, Singapore," said Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence and President of the SNOC.

Once again, the Team Singapore contingent will feature athletes who will making their major games debut. Sports such as Silat, Waterpolo and Wushu are taking the opportunity to inject new blood to their squad for the upcoming Games. Chef de Mission Jessie Phua said, "The SEA Games is a good platform for our young emerging athletes to gain valuable competitive experience and earn their sporting stripes. It is an important first step for them in their development, and we hope they can build on this experience to move ahead and achieve greater success at the Asian and Olympic levels. I am confident that Team Singapore will once again give their all and put in their best performance in Laos come December."

 

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