The Olympic Games may have concluded weeks ago, but all eyes are still on Tokyo as they begin the Paralympic Games on August 24. Will Singapore be represented at the games? Yes, we will. In fact, this will be the ninth time Singapore is competing in the Paralympics. This year, we have ten para-athletes competing in six sporting disciplines from August 24 to September 5. Get acquainted with who's who at the games, where to watch all the action and how to support our athletes as they take the sporting stage.
Swimming
UPDATE: Singapore has won its first gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu has defended her gold medal and came in first in the Women's 100m Backstroke (S2).
No stranger to the Paralympics is Yip Pin Xiu who is a dual world record holder and three-time gold medallist. This time, she will be defending the 50m and 100m Backstroke (S2) titles that she won in Rio Games in 2016. Pin Xiu will also be joined by Paralympics debutants Toh Wei Soong and Sophie Soon. Toh is scheduled for three events – the 50m and 400m Freestyle (S7), as well as the 50m Butterfly (S7) while Soon is in the 100m Butterfly (S13) and 100m Breaststroke (SB12) events.
Equestrian
One of Singapore's most successful para-athletes, Laurentia Tan will be returning for her fourth Paralympic campaign. She has accumulated three bronze medals and a silver medal from the previous games in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Tan will be competing in two Grade I individual dressage events (championship test and freestyle test), and joining fellow para-athletes Maximillian Tan and Gemma Foo for the team competition.
Archery
Nur Syahidah Bte Alim will make her return to the Paralympics, competing at the Women’s Individual Compound Open. She is currently ranked the world number two.
Cycling
UPDATE: The team of Steve Tee and Ang Kee Meng competed in the heats on Day Two of the Paralympics and clocked their personal best (PB) in the Men’s B 4000m Individual Pursuit. They finished 9th out of 14, and will not advance to the final.
40-year old Steve Tee will also be making his Paralympic debut in the cycling event. The para-cyclist will pair up with his competition partner Ang Kee Meng in three Men’s B events, including the 4,000m Individual Pursuit and the 1,000m Time Trial – for tandem para-cycling. In this event, a visually impaired athlete is paired up with a sighted counterpart to compete. Tee and Ang are Singapore's first tandem cycling pair to compete at the Games.
Powerlifting
Representing Singapore in powerlifting at the Paralympic Games is Nur'Aini Bte Mohd Yasli – who is also the first Singaporean to do so. Before settling on the sport, she dabbled in swimming, archery and even dragonboat racing. She will be making her Paralympic debut in Tokyo.
Shotput
Not only representing Singapore in the shot put programme, Md Diroy Noordin also has the prestigious honour of being Team Singapore's flag-bearer. This will be his second appearance at a Paralympic Games and he is looking to better his debut at Rio where he came in ninth in the Men’s Shot Put F40.
Where can I watch the Paralympics?
Lucky for us, it will be streamed in its entirety – just like the recent Olympic Games – on MeWatch. The Paralympics schedule will also be available on the streaming platform so you can pick and choose any sport you want to watch at the event.
How can I support Team Singapore at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games?
Keep track of their progress daily on the Singapore National Paralympic Council Facebook page or the Team Singapore Facebook page. Make your support public and do a shout out here!