WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3 2009 B8 NEVILLE

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Middlesbrough seek
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JUST DO YOUR BEST

But DPM and SNOC
boss Teo will not set
WIN gold targets for athletes
THIS BY LEONARD LIM

LONGINES AIM for personal bests and be good hosts.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Singapore
National Olympic Council president Teo
Chee Hean had this message for the coun-
try’s 90-member contingent competing
at this month’s Asian Youth Games.
“You know me, I never set gold tar-
gets,” Mr Teo said. “What I ask from our
athletes is that they always do their best,
they conduct themselves well on and off
the field, particularly this time because
we are the hosts.
“Their conduct should be exemplary...
winning with humility and losing gra-
ciously.”
Mr Teo, who is also the Minister for
Defence, was speaking at the flag presen-
tation ceremony for the Republic’s AYG
athletes yesterday at Raffles Institution.
He was the guest of honour.
Other VIPs present included Minister
for Community Development, Youth and
Sports Vivian Balakrishnan, AYG steering
committee chairman Ng Ser Miang and Deputy Prime Minister and SNOC president Teo Chee Hean (centre, in white) and Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian
Singapore Sports Council chief executive Balakrishnan (right of Mr Teo) and other officials posing with Singapore’s contingent after the flag presentation ceremony. PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
officer Oon Jin Teik.
There had been previous reports of a
five-medal target – including one gold – Mr Teo said: “We’re fortunate to have The AYG will see about 1,300 athletes
for Singapore’s contingent at the AYG, two good runners who are of good stand- competing across nine sports: athletics,
ard, close to each other.
which is a dry run for next year’s Youth
Olympic Games.
“I hope that they will continue to com-
aquatics, basketball, beach volleyball,
bowling, football, sailing, shooting and ta- Swimmer Shana
pete with each other in good spirit for
Mr Teo also called on the athletes,
aged between 14 and 17, to set their sights
many years to come, and push the sport
to an even higher standard.
ble tennis.
Even North Korea will be sending 27 gives AYG a miss
firmly on the “more challenging” YOG. athletes to compete in five sports: athlet-
“But sports is like that. At the end, ics, diving, football, shooting and table
He said: “The AYG will, therefore, be a there’s one loser, one winner. One will SWIMMER Shana Lim, who was slated to
timely and significant opportunity for our tennis. compete in the 50m and 100m backstroke
get selected, one will not.
young athletes, who will now be bench- “I think we have to accept it with Ting Wen, 16, will be Singapore’s events at the Asian Youth Games, has
marked against their peers from the 44 grace, with humility. There’s still the flag-bearer and lead the home contingent been replaced by Deborah Chua.
other Asian countries on one big common YOG to come... maybe someone will out at the June 29 opening ceremony at Shana, 16, is a Hwa Chong Internation-
platform.” come along who’s even better than the the Singapore Indoor Stadium. al student who will be sitting for her O
Mr Teo also addressed a Straits Times two of them.” The freestyle specialist, who earlier levels at year-end.
report yesterday on an AYG selection con-
Mr Teo also assuaged fears that the this year eclipsed two long-standing Her parents had cited academic rea-
troversy, calling on the losers to accept H1N1 flu outbreak or security concerns marks held by former swim queen Josce- sons for her withdrawal from the June
the outcome and use it as a spur to train would disrupt the June 29-July 7 Games. lin Yeo, said: “It’s a big honour to be se- 29-July 7 Games.
harder. “We’re able to manage all these lected, and leading out the athletes before Singapore Swimming Association presi-
A parent, Ng Foong Chuar, had writ- things,” he said. the home crowd will be amazing.” dent Jeffrey Leow said: “We respect the
ten to the MCYS, questioning why the Oon, who co-chairs the AYG organis- She will swim in the 50m, 100m, decision by Shana and her parents.”
Singapore Athletic Association had select- ing committee, added that preparations 200m and 4x100m freestyle events, and Deborah will compete in the 50m,
ed Jared Lim for the 400 metres, instead for competition venues and other logis-
of his son, Ng Chin Hui. tics were well on track.
the 4x100m medley. 100m, and 200m backstroke at the Singa-
Echoing Mr Teo’s comments, she add- pore Sports School pool, where the AYG
Singapore Sports School student Jared Among Singapore’s representatives at
ed: “I’m not looking at a medal. Every swimming competition will be staged.
had clocked the fastest time during the the Games are swimmer and Beijing Olym- Deborah, 16, is in her first year at Raf-
time I go into the pool, it’s about setting
Jan 1-April 24 qualifying window, but
lost to Chin Hui of Anglo-Chinese School
pian Quah Ting Wen, sailor and 2007
a new personal best. fles Institution (Junior College).
South-east Asia Games silver medallist
(Independent) in the Schools National Darren Choy, and Malaysian Open Girls’ “A medal would be a bonus.” LEONARD LIM
Track and Field Championships final. Masters bowling winner New Hui Fen. limze@sph.com.sg

MOST COMMENTED
쐽 Torres signs, Red ’til 2013.
Stefan, who reckons he needs three

Heel injury
Said st_forum: “He has had 50 goals
this season but he has also had quite a weeks to regain full fitness, said: “I’m
lot of injuries. The next most not upset as I’ve had this injury a cou-
important player is Mascherano, he ple of times before. It’s not very seri-
ous and I’m still confident of qualify-
still has three years on his contract...
It would be good if Liverpool can
extend his as well. He will be 27 by
that time, a prime age for a
may hurt ing.”
Still, the injury could not have
come at a worse time for the rising

Stefan’s SEA
footballer.”
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Games bid
BY VALERIE CHIA
A HEEL injury is threatening to jeop-
ardise national triple jumper Stefan
Tseng’s chances of qualifying for the
South-east Asia (SEA) Games in De-
cember.
The 19-year-old Auckland Universi-
ty of Technology student, who set a na-
tional record of 16.04m at the Negri
Sembilan Open in April, needs to clear
16.07m by August to qualify for the La-
os Games.
However, his injury, which started
off as a slight bruise on his right heel
three weeks ago while in competition
at the Arafura Games in Australia,
threatens to derail his bid.
It was further aggravated last Sun-
day at the Singapore Junior Athletic
Championships where he jumped
15.80m to win the boys’ U-20 event.
Stefan now feels a slight pain even
when he walks. The pain sharpens
when he lands for his jumps.
His coach, Valeri Obidko, has ruled
out the athlete taking part in upcom-
ing competitions for now.
However, the Russian says that
such heel injuries are common for
jumpers. “It’s an ordinary bruise on
the soft tissue under the heel,” said
the national jumps coach.
“Now, it depends on how quickly
he recovers before we decide on when
he’ll compete again.”
young talent. Based on his performanc-
es this year, Stefan is currently the
top-ranked jumper in South-east
Asia.
The Singapore Athletic Association
has confirmed that he is the only jump-
er in the region to clear the 16-m mark
this year.
This puts him in medal contention
if he qualifies for the Games.
In contrast, the top-three winners
of the triple jump at the 2007 SEA
Games have not come close to their
winning distances.
Obidko said that gold medallist Phi-
lakong Theerayut of Thailand, who
won in 2007 with his 16.44m effort,
and his compatriot Sukon Kittisak,
who took silver with 16.21m, have
managed only 15.9m and 15.8m respec-
tively in competitions this year.
Third-placed Delicano Jobert
(16.07m) of the Philippines is jumping
less than 15m.
To aid his recovery, Stefan is pres-
ently avoiding jumping during training
and is focusing only on running and
weight training. He will also meet Dr
Ben Tan, head and senior consultant
sports physician at Changi Sports Med-
icine Centre, on Friday for a full assess-
ment of his injury.
When asked if the SAA would ap-
peal for Stefan’s inclusion in the SEA
Games squad if he fails to qualify, tech-
nical director C. Veeramani said it was
too early to comment.
“We can only decide what’s best
for him after the doctor’s assess-
ment,” he said.
“And even if we do appeal, we will
need concrete information stating the
basis of our decision to do so.”
Despite his heel injury, national triple jumper Stefan still won the boys’ U-20 event at Said Stefan: “I definitely want to
the Singapore Junior Athletic Championships last Sunday. But the win came at a price – qualify on my own merit and I’m confi-
the injury was aggravated by his participation in the competition. ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM dent I can. I’ll work to achieve that.”