Team Singapore will head to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this September without a public medal target, with chef de mission Goh Kee Nguan instead urging athletes to focus on producing their best performances against Asia's top competitors.
"We are not going to Nagoya to count medals, especially before the Games begin," Goh said after the Team Singapore Flag Presentation Ceremony at OCBC Square on Aug 29.
"What we are there for is really to make sure that the athletes are there to compete, and we will compete all we can to win as much as we can."
Singapore National Olympic Council president Grace Fu struck a similar note in her address to the contingent.
"Performance matters, but so do the memories you create, the challenges you overcome, and the example you set for those who follow," she said.
Singapore will field 304 athletes across 27 sports, with the Republic competing in mixed martial arts (MMA) and kurash for the first time. More than 60 per cent of the contingent will be making their Asian Games debuts.
Goh said the mix of first-timers and experienced campaigners reflected athletes being at different stages of their sporting journeys.
"Each athlete has a different journey. They also have different goals at different times of their career, so having a good mix actually provides not just for now but also for the future," he said.
The contingent ranges from 14-year-old swimmer Sarah Sim En Xi to 38-year-old water polo goalkeeper Ken Chou Hsiang Ken, with both set to make their Asian Games debuts.
Among those providing experience is two-time Olympian Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman, who will compete at her third Asian Games and carry the Singapore flag at the opening ceremony alongside kayaker Brandon Ooi.
Several Team Singapore athletes are still competing internationally in the final weeks before the Games, and Goh said the national sports associations have put in place preparation plans aimed at helping them peak at the right time.
The contingent will also have to contend with an unusual Games environment, with competition venues and accommodation spread across Aichi-Nagoya and other parts of Japan.
Some athletes and officials will stay on a cruise ship, while others will be housed in temporary modular accommodation.
Fu also told the contingent to expect logistical, accommodation and food-related challenges, as well as possible disruption during Japan's typhoon season, and urged them to stay focused on their campaigns.
"If it affects you, it affects everyone else in the Games. So everyone has an even playing field," she said.
"Whoever is the toughest, whoever is the most resilient, will prevail."
Goh said the Olympic Council of Asia had on Aug 28 assured participating teams that sufficient accommodation would be available following earlier concerns over a reported shortage of accommodation for about 2,000 officials.
Team Singapore's campaign will be shown on Mediacorp's mewatch and Channel 5, with highlights available on the Mediacorp Sports YouTube channel and social media platforms. Competition schedules and latest results will be available on the Team Singapore website.
The 20th Asian Games will run from Sept 19 to Oct 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
[email protected]
[[nid:743910]]
