Singapore sports round-up (22-28 April): Indoor skydivers earn golds at biennial World Cup in Macau
ActiveSG celebrates its 10th anniversary, "Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle" returns at OCBC Cycle 2024, SGX Cares holds sports workshop with AAS
SINGAPORE — Here is a round-up of sports events and developments in Singapore in the past week (22 to 28 April):
Indoor skydivers clinch 2 World Cup golds, 3 Asian titles
Singapore’s indoor skydivers clinched two World Cup golds and three Asian titles at the biennial FAI World Cup of Indoor Skydiving (WCIS) in Macau from 16 to 22 April. The event was held concurrently with the inaugural FAI Asian Indoor Skydiving Championships and 3rd FAI European Indoor Skydiving Championships, and saw over 200 athletes competing.
Singapore sent a 21-strong contingent - its biggest indoor skydiving contingent at an international event - to compete in six of the seven categories on offer. The athletes clinched a total of four WCIS medals (two golds, one silver and one bronze) and six Asian Indoor Skydiving Championships medals (three golds, two silvers and one bronze).
Kai Minejima-Lee, making his first appearance in the Open category of the World Cup, won the solo freestyle (open) title. The 15-year-old, who scored 71.7 points to top the field of 19, is the youngest World Cup champion for the category.
Meanwhile Isabelle Koh, 16, won the solo freestyle (junior) title after her score of 72.4 placed her ahead of 10 other competitors. She also teamed up with Jordan Lee in the dynamic 2-Way (open) to bag a WCIS bronze as well as an Asian Championships gold for finishing as the top Asians in the event.
Kiria Tikanah secures Olympic berth at Asia-Oceania qualifiers
National fencer Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman secured a berth at the 2024 Paris Olympics, after emerging as the top women's individual epee fencer at the Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic qualifiers in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday (28 April).
The 23-year-old world No.64 defeated India's Taniksha Khatri 15-13 in the final to earn the berth, becoming the second Singaporean fencer to qualify for the Paris Games after Amita Berthier. It will be Kiria's second Olympic outing, after her debut at the 2021 Tokyo Games, where she bowed out in the round of 32.
There was however disappointment for men's fencer Samuel Robson, who missed out on a berth after losing 4-15 to Taiwan's Cheng Yi-tung in the individual foil final.
ActiveSG sets record amid 10th anniversary celebrations
ActiveSG set a new Singapore record for the longest multi-site mass workout relay, spanning 10 hours across five sport centres on Saturday (27 April). Almost 3,000 participants joined in the record setting effort, which was organised as part of ActiveSG’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
Beyond April’s celebration festivities, ActiveSG will open its swimming pools and gyms to all members of the public for free on the 10th of every month, from May to December 2024.
ActiveSG was launched in 2014 as Sport Singapore’s mass participation arm, and has a membership base of 2.5 million. Since 2014, Singaporeans and permanent residents who sign up for ActiveSG membership are given free $100 credits to offset the cost of booking facilities and programmes.
OCBC Cycle brings back 'Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle'
OCBC has partnered with sporting goods retailer Decathlon and the Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) for the return of its corporate social responsibility programme “Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle”.
Through this programme, 43 less privileged beneficiaries will be taught fundamental cycling skills over three training sessions. In addition, Decathlon will be donating a brand-new bicycle as well as safety gear for each beneficiary.
The beneficiaries, aged between 8 and 12 years old, will also take part in the OCBC Cycle’s Mighty Savers Kids and Family Rides on 11 May. They have been carefully selected through partners Care Corner Singapore, SportCares, and Beyond Social Services.
More than 7,000 cyclists are expected to take part at OCBC Cycle 2024 across 10 categories on 11 and 12 May. Categories such as The Sportive Ride (40km), The Foldie Ride by Brompton (40km) and Mighty Savers® Kids and Family Rides for 5 to 12 years old are sold out ahead of the close of registrations.
SGX Cares launches autism awareness campaign with workshop
Autism Association (Singapore) and SGX Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, SGX Cares, launched a month-long campaign to raise awareness about autism with a sports workshop at Kick Off at Kovan on Friday (26 April).
The sports workshop is a monthly programme started in June 2023 that reaches out to the older AAS beneficiaries to engage youths and adults with autism through sports. To date, eight sessions have been conducted for 25 AAS participants, with support from over 60 SGX staff volunteers.
AAS, a founding member of Autism Network Singapore, is promoting this year’s World Autism Awareness campaign themed “Partnering for Progress”, and has called for more support in Singapore for autistic individuals who have high needs.
Hari Ray festive activities at Sports Hub on 4 and 5 May
The Singapore Sports Hub is keeping the Hari Raya festive spirit alive with an array of activities on 4 and 5 May.
Patrons can enjoy cultural showcases such as traditional Malay dances, Kompang ensemble renditions, and a Silat martial arts demonstration at the Kallang Wave Mall. Visitors can also explore Malay heritage with well-loved activities like henna art, and workshops on batik painting, and modern and Arabic calligraphy.
Activities and performances will take place on both days from 2pm to 9pm. There will also be live entertainment performances and meet-and-greet sessions by rising star Shazza and 2009 Singapore Idol winner Sezairi Sezali.
Patrons can enjoy the Raya pop-up installation at the Water Sports Centre from now till 19 May. The Sports Hub has also partnered with National Gallery Singapore to bring the Roving Art Truck to the OCBC Square on 4 May, 10.30am to 5pm.
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