WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 2009 B8 ●

CLEVELAND
EXPRESS
LeBron James and the
Cavaliers sweep aside the
Hawks. B13

WHAT’S ONLINE BY LIN XINYI

MOST VIEWED,
MOST COMMENTED
AND MORE
www.straitstimes.com.sg
MOST-READ ONLINE STORIES
쐽 Ex-coach: I’m insulted.
쐽 Paddlers are team of the year... but
no award for coach.
쐽 Rule on Drogba next week.
MOST COMMENTED
쐽 Rule on Drogba next week.
Said cliff52: “I have never fancied
Drogba and am glad I’m not seeing
him playing in Rome.”
BLOGGED ABOUT
쐽 Why we run.
Said Eric: “I do most of my thinking
AT LEAST five medals, including one
gold, at the Asian Youth Games (AYG) –
that is the target Senior Parliamentary
Secretary (Community Development,
Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck has set
for Singapore’s 90-member contingent.
“We’ve a good chance in swimming,
bowling and sailing,” said Mr Teo yester-
day at the Second Singapore Sports Net-
working Session, where the AYG medal
design was unveiled.
“If I look at all the opportunities and
medal hopes of these Games, I believe we
will get more than five medals.
“I have a lot confidence in our young
athletes... They can be international and
world-beaters.”
Bowling, sailing and swimming will ac-
count for 43 of the 90 events at the AYG.
The inaugural Games, which will be
held in Singapore from June 29 to July 7, As Mr Teo Ser Luck unveiled the medals for the AYG, he revealed that he expected at least five of them would go to Singapore. Also present
will feature nine sports including aquat- yesterday were International Olympic Committee Executive Board member Ng Ser Miang (left) and SSC chairman Alex Chan. ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

when I run. Some of my business
plans were thought up during my
runs. Needless to say, I am not a
competitive runner as I would be too
busy catching my breath rather than
thinking. I also like the sense of being
in control all by myself.”
5
ics, athletics, 3-on-3 basketball, beach
volleyball, football, shooting and table Singapore Sports Council chief execu-
tennis.
Over 1,000 athletes between the ages
The minimum tive officer Oon Jin Teik said: “As the
AYG is a Games for the youth, it is impor-
of 14 and 17 are expected to take part. To
date, 800 from 24 countries – not includ-
ing Singapore – have registered for the
number of tant for the local youth to be equally in-
volved in the event, be it as a volunteer,

TO CONTACT THE SPORTS DESK, E-MAIL:

Games. Entries close this week.
Already, SingaporeSailing president
medals S’pore supporter or spectator.”
The decision to be a volunteer was a
no-brainer for Doreen Sia, 16. After all,
stsports@sph.com.sg Low Teo Ping has tipped dinghy sailors
Darren Choy and Najwa Jumali to be
strong medal contenders.
is targeting at her school – Anglican High – is hosting
the basketball competition.

Jarring jaws
“We are on a medal hunt. We’re not in
this just to participate,” he said. “I don’t the Asian The basketball school team player
said: “It’s an honour to be involved. I’d
think a pronouncement like this should be happy to play any role.”
A simple
surgery can fix
create any pressure on the athletes. It’s
expected of them to go out there and
Youth Games. AYG organisers will be training the vol-
unteers in functional areas such as accred-
disproportionate
jaws win.”
With less than 50 days to the Games, Senior Parl itation, protocol and media management.
Participating schools include North
athletes and the Singapore Asian Youth
Games Organising Committee (Saygoc)
are gearing up for the final phase of prepa-
Sec Teo has Vista Secondary School, which has adopt-
ed the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex
and Sports Hall, and Jurongville Second-
rations.
Saygoc yesterday announced an AYG high hopes ary School, which will look after bowling
venue Orchid Country Club.
initiative called School Adopts a Sport
Venue.
The programme will see the participa-
for swimmers, Oon added: “This opportunity will pro-
vide them with invaluable experience...
and at the same time, help in character
tion of 14 schools and more than 900 stu-
dent and teacher volunteers. bowlers building and the development of skills
that can be used in their future sporting
READ ALL ABOUT IT IN They will assist sports officials in areas
MIND YOUR BODY TOMORROW
such as scoring, pitch preparations and
be announcers for the events.
and sailors endeavours.”
linxinyi@sph.com.sg

Sneak peek of AYG medals

A TOTAL of 455 medals will be given out during the June 29 to July 7 Asian
Youth Games.
But members of the Singapore sporting fraternity got a glimpse of the
medal design at the F1 Pit Building yesterday.
The medal epitomises the spirit of the Games with the AYG logo as its
centrepiece, underscoring the Olympic values of excellence, respect and
friendship, embossed down the side of the champion’s ribbon.
The reverse side of the medal has the AYG mascot, Frasia, to symbolise
the friendships forged through the Games.
It also features an orchid, the Republic’s national flower, to represent the
host nation. ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

All will get a chance: Teo

NEVER mind if you are not a national
youth team player, or a member of the
Youth Olympic Games (YOG) preparation
squad.
All youth athletes in Singapore will be
given a chance to qualify for the inaugu-
ral Games next year.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Com-
munity Development, Youth and Sports)
Teo Ser Luck yesterday revealed his
hopes of having open trials conducted to
allow all youth athletes to participate.
He cited time-based events, such as
swimming, where athletes who better
times of those in the national squad
would go on to don Singapore colours.
Speaking to 150 members of the local
쏆 sporting fraternity at the Second Singa-
pore Sports Networking Session, he
“Each NSA urged national sports associations (NSA)
must clearly to have consistent and transparent selec-
communicate tion policies for each key competition.
This will ensure that the best talents
their will be selected to represent the nation in
selection the 26 sports at the YOG.
Mr Teo said: “For the YOG, each NSA
policies to must clearly communicate their selection
the athletes, policies to the athletes, coaches and all
coaches and stake-holders.
“This will allow the coaches and ath-
all stake- letes to better plan their training and com-
holders.” petition schedules and set the necessary
targets for the athletes to qualify for the
TEO SER LUCK YOG.”
LIN XINYI