Sports

I found time to meet Peng Siong and wrote this article because I feel his close brush with an Olympic Medal is a story worth re-telling, as the new generation of Singaporeans may not be familiar with him. It puts into context how our Olympic Dream began. The article is out today. You can read it here on my blog

On a more personal note, for all naysayers and the keyboard warriors on those acidic anonymous forums, for a brief moment I wish I just what their names are and what they look like, and perhaps a dissection of every accomplishment they have ever achieved.

I see all the people who are suddenly responsible for your gold medal. I feel sorry because people who would not have given you the time of day are now rushing to ride on the coat tails of your victory. A wise person once said... "if you're absent during my struggle, don't expect to be present during my success." We were absent during your struggles. And yet, we are present during your spoils.

I don't want anyone to take what I am saying as ANY kind of political statement - because it absolutely is not. But it IS a message about management. When it comes to success, give credit where credit is due. And if you happened to have played a part in it, you certainly deserve some recognition. But never claim more credit than is due to you.

Singapore really has only 3 people to thank for smashing all notions that we cannot win gold at the Olympics, set an Olympic record and provide empowerment to our children and their children. We have to thank them and them alone also for teaching us that if you want something bad enough then with sacrifice, family support, unyielding commitment and unwavering belief in the goal, then nothing and no one can stand in the way of that glory. Three people and three people alone. They are standing in this picture framed in the glory that should be theirs and theirs alone. Always remember that.

In case you missed it, in the wee hours of the morning, Joseph Schooling finished first in the heats for 100m Butterfly with 51.41s. He raced along his idol and the most decorated Olympian, Michael Phelps who came in second. Quah Zheng Wen came in 10th in the 100m Butterfly in an earlier heat with a personal best of 52.08s. Both our Singaporean sons made it to the semi-finals that will take place at 10.42 am local time.

"As various interviews were going on elsewhere along the line, we waited a little longer, before Quah emerged at one end, and walked past us all without breaking stride, only saying "Hi guys", before disappearing… I just wished he stood up to face questions instead of walking off. Because at this level, that is what athletes do…"

Just a day before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Mediacorp has announced that it will screen the Olympics "live". This new deal allows Mediacorp to broadcast the Games "live" from 6 Aug to 22 Aug on okto and four Toggle channels.

The Singapore U16 is currently competing in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-16 Youth Championship in Cambodia. It is heartening to see the young footballers balance study and the competition.

Albirex coach Naruki Naruo said: "We knew it was going to be difficult and they made it difficult for us in the first half because they defended well and they also got the first goal. "But in the second half, I told the players to be more relaxed and calm with the ball and I asked the central midfielders to move the ball wide so that we could get crosses in for our strikers and our second half performance was much better and we managed to score the important goals and get the three points." Hougang coach, K Balagumaran, on the other hand, was left scratching his head as to when and how his team will collect the full three points, even if they are still in the top half and fourth on 19 points. He said: "It's painful. We had a gameplan coming into the match and I think we did well in the first half. We defended well and scored the first goal and I thought we could sustain the lead.