WADA 2011 Prohibited List Now Published@WADA
Noteworthy changes compared to the 2010 List include:
Non-Approved Substances
A new section – “Non-Approved Substances” – has been added. This “open” section addresses the abuse of pharmacological substances for the purpose of performance enhancement which are not included in other sections of the List and which are not approved by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use (i.e. drugs under pre-clinical or clinical development or discontinued).
Platelet-Derived Preparations
Platelet-derived preparations (commonly referred as PRP or blood spinning), prohibited in 2010 when administered by intra-muscular route, have been removed from the List for 2011 after consideration of the lack of current evidence concerning the use of these methods for purposes of performance enhancement. Current studies on platelet-derived preparations do not demonstrate a potential for performance enhancement beyond a potential therapeutic effect.
Declaration of Use
The obligation for athletes to file a Declaration of Use for specific substances that are not prohibited has been removed. This change has been reflected accordingly in the 2011 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions.
To consult the 2011 List, the 2011 Monitoring Program, a summary of major modifications, explanatory notes on the 2011 List, and a Q&A on major changes, click here.
To consult the 2011 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions, click here.
16 December 2010
London 2012 Cultural Olympiad events
London 2012 Cultural Olympiad events unveiled@sport business
Nobel Prize-winning American author Toni Morrison, former Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Oscar-winning Australian actress Cate Blanchett are among the big names involved in the 12-week event.
"Artistic talent from the U.K. and every continent will be part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration," said LOCOG chairman Sebastien Coe.
Highlights will include:
• A travelling Shakespeare Festival produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company
• An exhibition celebrating the Bard at the British Museum
• The Desdemona Project, in which acclaimed US writer Toni Morrison collaborates with Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré on a theatre piece in response to the 2009 Peter Sellars' production of Othello
• A new installation by Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson
• A performance of the Philip Glass and Robert Wilson work Einstein on the Beach.
The Festival runs from June 21 to September 9, 2012. It will include over 1,000 events designed to attract three million people. Organisers said some of the events will be ticketed and others free.
Nobel Prize-winning American author Toni Morrison, former Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Oscar-winning Australian actress Cate Blanchett are among the big names involved in the 12-week event.
"Artistic talent from the U.K. and every continent will be part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration," said LOCOG chairman Sebastien Coe.
Highlights will include:
• A travelling Shakespeare Festival produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company
• An exhibition celebrating the Bard at the British Museum
• The Desdemona Project, in which acclaimed US writer Toni Morrison collaborates with Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré on a theatre piece in response to the 2009 Peter Sellars' production of Othello
• A new installation by Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson
• A performance of the Philip Glass and Robert Wilson work Einstein on the Beach.
The Festival runs from June 21 to September 9, 2012. It will include over 1,000 events designed to attract three million people. Organisers said some of the events will be ticketed and others free.
02 December 2010
Rafter as a biomechanical model to help young tennis players
Pat Rafter puts his body on the line to help the AIS Pro Tour tennis program@ASC
Most people view retirement as a time to put your feet up and reflect on a career gone by, but that’s not the life for two-time US Open winner Pat Rafter.
The former world number one, and new Australian Davis Cup Captain, recently gave some of his time, and his body, to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Pro Tour tennis program when he spent several days with some of the best young players in the country.
Rafter and another former star, Wally Masur, the head of the National High Performance Academy in NSW, worked out at the AIS with players, coaches and performance research staff in Canberra.
AIS tennis head coach Brent Larkham said having the likes of Rafter and Masur provide their expertise to the Institute players is vital component of the program which aims to ensure the young athletes get to learn from the best.
“When someone like Pat steps onto the court with our players you can see it creates a real buzz. If a player can pick up just one new thing to add to their game from this experience then it’s a real positive.”
Not content with just offering advice or sparing in practice matches, Rafter also handed himself over to the AIS biomechanists who closely analysed his service action to allow comparison with the Institute players.
The grand slam champion had over 50 reflective markers attached to his body to allow AIS and Tennis Australia biomechanists to develop a complete profile of his technique and service action using state-of-the art motion capture technology.
“Pat was a great sport to take part in this analysis which gives us a visual and computer generated model of a really good service action. We can now use this information as a reference point to breakdown the various aspects of serving with our athletes and make the minor improvements which all add up to producing better players.” Larkham said.
“We really appreciate the time Pat and Wally took to work with the AIS players and hope they were able to get a better appreciation for what we are trying to do with the program.
“I’m sure the players would agree that the pair and other former Australian greats are always welcome to take a look at the program and provide input where possible.”
Through the AIS Pro Tour Program, athletes are given expert coaching, physical and medical support as they travel around the world on the tour, and also have access to world-class facilities and expertise not only at the AIS base in Canberra but also at Tennis Australia’s base in Barcelona and a network of other sites around the world.
Most people view retirement as a time to put your feet up and reflect on a career gone by, but that’s not the life for two-time US Open winner Pat Rafter.
The former world number one, and new Australian Davis Cup Captain, recently gave some of his time, and his body, to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Pro Tour tennis program when he spent several days with some of the best young players in the country.
Rafter and another former star, Wally Masur, the head of the National High Performance Academy in NSW, worked out at the AIS with players, coaches and performance research staff in Canberra.
AIS tennis head coach Brent Larkham said having the likes of Rafter and Masur provide their expertise to the Institute players is vital component of the program which aims to ensure the young athletes get to learn from the best.
“When someone like Pat steps onto the court with our players you can see it creates a real buzz. If a player can pick up just one new thing to add to their game from this experience then it’s a real positive.”
Not content with just offering advice or sparing in practice matches, Rafter also handed himself over to the AIS biomechanists who closely analysed his service action to allow comparison with the Institute players.
The grand slam champion had over 50 reflective markers attached to his body to allow AIS and Tennis Australia biomechanists to develop a complete profile of his technique and service action using state-of-the art motion capture technology.
“Pat was a great sport to take part in this analysis which gives us a visual and computer generated model of a really good service action. We can now use this information as a reference point to breakdown the various aspects of serving with our athletes and make the minor improvements which all add up to producing better players.” Larkham said.
“We really appreciate the time Pat and Wally took to work with the AIS players and hope they were able to get a better appreciation for what we are trying to do with the program.
“I’m sure the players would agree that the pair and other former Australian greats are always welcome to take a look at the program and provide input where possible.”
Through the AIS Pro Tour Program, athletes are given expert coaching, physical and medical support as they travel around the world on the tour, and also have access to world-class facilities and expertise not only at the AIS base in Canberra but also at Tennis Australia’s base in Barcelona and a network of other sites around the world.
30 November 2010
SSC "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!"
SSC Launches First-ever Fundamental Movement Skills Resource Guide To Boost The Development Of Physical Literacy@SSC
Children in Singapore will now receive a holistic education right from preschool with the launch of "FUN Start, MOVE Smart! The FUNdamental MOVEment Skills for Growing Active Learners" developed by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC).
2 "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!" is a resource guide that provides teaching principles, ideas and practices to help educators in their movement education classes. Specifically, the guide provides educators basic information on fundamental movement skills, recommended activities, safety tips, and ideas on integrating the skills with other domains of development. There are also several instructional tools such as cue cards and observational checklists included for educators to use.
3 Fundamental movement skills are critical in the holistic development of children aged two to ten and are the building blocks for all learning domains such as language, literacy, numeracy and social awareness.
4 Said Dr Bervyn Lee, Senior Director, Sports Pathways Development Division, SSC, "We recognise that fundamental movement skills are not age-determined but ability-driven. While the initial phase of the roll-out is focused on preschools, the teaching of fundamental movement skills is essential in our primary schools too."
5 The guide is written by Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, an Associate Professor in Physical Education and Sports Science at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and the Nanyang Technogical University (NTU). She added, "People often assume that fundamental movement skills will develop naturally as the child grows. However, these skills have to be taught just like reading or writing. Fundamental movement skills are also crucial perquisites for the child to master more complex and specialised sports skills, for a healthy, active lifestyle later in adulthood."
6 The SSC will distribute about 1,400 complimentary copies of "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!" to all preschools in Singapore by early 2011. About 30 early childhood educators from up to 10 schools will also be participating in a pilot programme that will run from January to March 2011, where the guide will be put into practice and the results of its use will be monitored.
7 In addition, a series of training workshops targeting an initial 300 early childhood educators will also be conducted, commencing first quarter of next year. Lessons learnt and feedback received during the pilot programme will be used to frame the structure these workshops. The workshops will give educators a deeper understanding of the importance of helping children acquire fundamental movement skills, as well as guide teachers on how to best utilise the resource guide. In the first year, the Singapore Sports Council plans to reach out to more than 700 teachers, benefitting about 15,000 preschoolers.
8 Added Dr Bervyn Lee, "The SSC's aim is to give every young child in Singapore every opportunity to be competent physically. In doing so, we will be assisting the development of physical literacy, which is the foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle, sports performance, and better-rounded individuals."
9 Acknowledging the importance of the teaching of fundamental movement skills in preschools, the long term benefits and strong positive results achieved in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, the SSC plans to further scale the programme by providing parents and sports coaches with a similar guide in the near future.
10 The "FUN Start, MOVE Smart! The FUNdamental MOVEment Skills for Growing Active Learners Resource Guide" is developed as part of the Let's Play movement, an initiative by the SSC to encourage all Singaporeans to embrace sports as a lifestyle choice, be it through playing, watching, cheering or volunteering for sports.
Children in Singapore will now receive a holistic education right from preschool with the launch of "FUN Start, MOVE Smart! The FUNdamental MOVEment Skills for Growing Active Learners" developed by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC).
2 "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!" is a resource guide that provides teaching principles, ideas and practices to help educators in their movement education classes. Specifically, the guide provides educators basic information on fundamental movement skills, recommended activities, safety tips, and ideas on integrating the skills with other domains of development. There are also several instructional tools such as cue cards and observational checklists included for educators to use.
3 Fundamental movement skills are critical in the holistic development of children aged two to ten and are the building blocks for all learning domains such as language, literacy, numeracy and social awareness.
4 Said Dr Bervyn Lee, Senior Director, Sports Pathways Development Division, SSC, "We recognise that fundamental movement skills are not age-determined but ability-driven. While the initial phase of the roll-out is focused on preschools, the teaching of fundamental movement skills is essential in our primary schools too."
5 The guide is written by Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, an Associate Professor in Physical Education and Sports Science at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and the Nanyang Technogical University (NTU). She added, "People often assume that fundamental movement skills will develop naturally as the child grows. However, these skills have to be taught just like reading or writing. Fundamental movement skills are also crucial perquisites for the child to master more complex and specialised sports skills, for a healthy, active lifestyle later in adulthood."
6 The SSC will distribute about 1,400 complimentary copies of "FUN Start, MOVE Smart!" to all preschools in Singapore by early 2011. About 30 early childhood educators from up to 10 schools will also be participating in a pilot programme that will run from January to March 2011, where the guide will be put into practice and the results of its use will be monitored.
7 In addition, a series of training workshops targeting an initial 300 early childhood educators will also be conducted, commencing first quarter of next year. Lessons learnt and feedback received during the pilot programme will be used to frame the structure these workshops. The workshops will give educators a deeper understanding of the importance of helping children acquire fundamental movement skills, as well as guide teachers on how to best utilise the resource guide. In the first year, the Singapore Sports Council plans to reach out to more than 700 teachers, benefitting about 15,000 preschoolers.
8 Added Dr Bervyn Lee, "The SSC's aim is to give every young child in Singapore every opportunity to be competent physically. In doing so, we will be assisting the development of physical literacy, which is the foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle, sports performance, and better-rounded individuals."
9 Acknowledging the importance of the teaching of fundamental movement skills in preschools, the long term benefits and strong positive results achieved in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, the SSC plans to further scale the programme by providing parents and sports coaches with a similar guide in the near future.
10 The "FUN Start, MOVE Smart! The FUNdamental MOVEment Skills for Growing Active Learners Resource Guide" is developed as part of the Let's Play movement, an initiative by the SSC to encourage all Singaporeans to embrace sports as a lifestyle choice, be it through playing, watching, cheering or volunteering for sports.
Singapore Asian Games 2010 outcome
CDM Low Teo Ping Congratulates Contingent For A Respectable Showing Despite High Level Of Competition In Guangzhou@SSC
With 17 medals in the bag as the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 comes to a close, Chef-de-Mission Low Teo Ping today congratulated Team Singapore for a respectable showing at the quadrennial event, despite the extremely high standards showed by the competing nations, especially host nation China, which amassed a total of 383 medals, 185 of them gold [1].
2 Team Singapore returned from the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 having clinched four gold, seven silver and six bronze medals.
3 "The level of competition was very high at this installment of the Asian Games and I am proud that our athletes managed to hold their own against athletes from powerhouses like China, Japan, Korea and Iran," said CDM Low. "Although we would be happier had we achieved our medal projections, I know our athletes have put in their very best effort, and they deserve our congratulations and support. I know each athlete will return to Singapore with enriching experiences and having learnt many lessons. I am certain they will use these experiences as an inspiration for greater perseverance, pride and performances at future games."
4 CDM Low also added that the Asian Games is an important step for many of our athletes, especially the 199 athletes who made their debuts in Guangzhou. "These athletes still have a long way to go and they now know what it will take to compete and win at this level," added CDM Low. "I am sure that the National Sports Associations and coaches will be conducting their respective post mortems as soon as they return to Singapore, as they look forward to the next major competition," he said.
Making Waves in the Land of the Dragon
5 Team Singapore's first medal at the Asian Games, a silver, came in the wings of 20-year-old Butterfly specialist Tao Li. Her sterling performance in the Women's 100m Butterfly event on Day One of competition put Singapore on the medal standings on the first day of competition. Tao Li's magnificent swim in the Women's 50m Butterfly event won Singapore its first gold medal and solidified her position as Asia's number one in the category.
6 As a team, the swimmers put up an astonishing performance with two new national records broken by Tao Li and Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Rainer Ng Kai Wee, in the Women's 50m Butterfly and the Men's 50m Backstroke events respectively. They also clocked an impressive total of 14 new personal records. "We have had a very successful outing here in Guangzhou. This is a team of young swimmers, we can expect a lot more from them in time to come," said the Head Coach of the swimming team, and an Asian Games gold medallist himself, Mr Ang Peng Siong.
7 Team Singapore's sailors also added to Team Singapore's medal tally by grabbing eight medals in various boat classes including gold in both the Men's and Women's Double Handed Dinghy 420 classes.
8 The youngest member of Team Singapore's contingent, 13-year-old sailor Ryan Lo Jun Han showed that age is not a factor when it comes to winning medals. His performance in the Men's Dinghy Optimist category won him a bronze medal - a terrific start for the long sailing career ahead of him.
9 Team Singapore's bowlers also did well to contribute five medals to the total tally despite an uncertain start. Debutants Shayna Ng Lin Zhi and New Hui Fen started the bowlers' medal haul for Singapore with the silver and bronze medals in the Women's Singles event, followed by a gold medal in the Women's Trios event soon after. The last medal from bowling came from Cherie Tan Shi Hua whose spectacular showing in the Women's Master's event earned her a silver medal, bringing her individual medal tally to one gold and one silver medal.
10 Expressing his pride for the Team Singapore athletes, CDM Low said, "We may not have met our medal projections but we still managed to put up a credible performance in Guangzhou. I am very proud of all our athletes. They have done what I told them to do before we touched down in Guangzhou, and that is to display the principles of sportsmanship and uphold the values of Team Singapore."
Reaching Out to Fans on New Media
11 Throughout the Games, Team Singapore's Facebook fan page was a great source of information for fans and Singaporeans alike, who could receive minute-by-minute updates of key events during the Games, as well as updated results, photographs and quotes from the athletes and officials during competition.
12 The page, which was managed by the Singapore Sports Council's Social Media outreach team, secured more than 1.1 million post views during the 16 days of competition, or an average of about 70,000 daily post views during the competition. The Facebook page was also a good platform for fans to interact and have discussions about their favourite Team Singapore athletes.
With 17 medals in the bag as the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 comes to a close, Chef-de-Mission Low Teo Ping today congratulated Team Singapore for a respectable showing at the quadrennial event, despite the extremely high standards showed by the competing nations, especially host nation China, which amassed a total of 383 medals, 185 of them gold [1].
2 Team Singapore returned from the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 having clinched four gold, seven silver and six bronze medals.
3 "The level of competition was very high at this installment of the Asian Games and I am proud that our athletes managed to hold their own against athletes from powerhouses like China, Japan, Korea and Iran," said CDM Low. "Although we would be happier had we achieved our medal projections, I know our athletes have put in their very best effort, and they deserve our congratulations and support. I know each athlete will return to Singapore with enriching experiences and having learnt many lessons. I am certain they will use these experiences as an inspiration for greater perseverance, pride and performances at future games."
4 CDM Low also added that the Asian Games is an important step for many of our athletes, especially the 199 athletes who made their debuts in Guangzhou. "These athletes still have a long way to go and they now know what it will take to compete and win at this level," added CDM Low. "I am sure that the National Sports Associations and coaches will be conducting their respective post mortems as soon as they return to Singapore, as they look forward to the next major competition," he said.
Making Waves in the Land of the Dragon
5 Team Singapore's first medal at the Asian Games, a silver, came in the wings of 20-year-old Butterfly specialist Tao Li. Her sterling performance in the Women's 100m Butterfly event on Day One of competition put Singapore on the medal standings on the first day of competition. Tao Li's magnificent swim in the Women's 50m Butterfly event won Singapore its first gold medal and solidified her position as Asia's number one in the category.
6 As a team, the swimmers put up an astonishing performance with two new national records broken by Tao Li and Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Rainer Ng Kai Wee, in the Women's 50m Butterfly and the Men's 50m Backstroke events respectively. They also clocked an impressive total of 14 new personal records. "We have had a very successful outing here in Guangzhou. This is a team of young swimmers, we can expect a lot more from them in time to come," said the Head Coach of the swimming team, and an Asian Games gold medallist himself, Mr Ang Peng Siong.
7 Team Singapore's sailors also added to Team Singapore's medal tally by grabbing eight medals in various boat classes including gold in both the Men's and Women's Double Handed Dinghy 420 classes.
8 The youngest member of Team Singapore's contingent, 13-year-old sailor Ryan Lo Jun Han showed that age is not a factor when it comes to winning medals. His performance in the Men's Dinghy Optimist category won him a bronze medal - a terrific start for the long sailing career ahead of him.
9 Team Singapore's bowlers also did well to contribute five medals to the total tally despite an uncertain start. Debutants Shayna Ng Lin Zhi and New Hui Fen started the bowlers' medal haul for Singapore with the silver and bronze medals in the Women's Singles event, followed by a gold medal in the Women's Trios event soon after. The last medal from bowling came from Cherie Tan Shi Hua whose spectacular showing in the Women's Master's event earned her a silver medal, bringing her individual medal tally to one gold and one silver medal.
10 Expressing his pride for the Team Singapore athletes, CDM Low said, "We may not have met our medal projections but we still managed to put up a credible performance in Guangzhou. I am very proud of all our athletes. They have done what I told them to do before we touched down in Guangzhou, and that is to display the principles of sportsmanship and uphold the values of Team Singapore."
Reaching Out to Fans on New Media
11 Throughout the Games, Team Singapore's Facebook fan page was a great source of information for fans and Singaporeans alike, who could receive minute-by-minute updates of key events during the Games, as well as updated results, photographs and quotes from the athletes and officials during competition.
12 The page, which was managed by the Singapore Sports Council's Social Media outreach team, secured more than 1.1 million post views during the 16 days of competition, or an average of about 70,000 daily post views during the competition. The Facebook page was also a good platform for fans to interact and have discussions about their favourite Team Singapore athletes.
Singapore Sports School to groom younger talents aged 10-12
Badminton boost@straits times
THE Singapore Sports School (SSP) has launched a new programme that will help it identify and pick up budding badminton talents aged 10 to 12.
By partnering with sports manufacturer Yonex, the school hopes to improve the calibre of athletes entering its badminton academy, which currently has 37 students.
The Yonex-Singapore Sports School Junior Excellence Programme, launched yesterday, will identify and groom talents aged 10 to 12. The Sports School typically takes in students only at 13, when they are in Secondary 1.
Said eight-time All-England champion Rudy Hartono, who conducted a coaching clinic at SSP yesterday: 'This programme is good because it starts players from a young age.
'When you are above 12 years, that's a bit late. It's the right time to do this at a young age. To find talented players who can reach world standards is not easy, but you have to start.
'Maybe in a few years, Singapore can get players who have the potential to reach world-class standards.'
The Indonesian former world champion, 61, has signed on as an advisory staff member for the programme, which will see Yonex provide over $600,000 in cash and kind to fund coaches and overseas training camps till 2014.
Former national shuttler Ronald Susilo has been engaged as the programme's head coach, and selection trials will be held next month.
The scheme will take in up to 42 shuttlers each year, and about 10 will be drafted into SSP annually.
Said SSP director of sports Irwin Seet: 'Sometimes, we notice students don't have all the requisite skills needed when they enter our school.
'By starting them young, this joint collaboration will help us produce better quality juniors who, when they enter the Sports School, have a better chance to succeed on the international front.'
The SSP's badminton academy received another boost yesterday when the school signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) for its Partners in Badminton Excellence (PEX) Scheme.
This will allow the academy to tap on the SBA's resources - the association will provide coaching clinics, greater competition exposure for players and assist in talent identification.
On its part, SSP will identify up to two talented shuttlers and offer academic scholarships to them.
Said SBA president Lee Yi Shyan, who is also Minister of State (Trade and Industry, and Manpower): 'The MOU reflects our mutual desire to coordinate and synergise our efforts to raise the standard of badminton training and development for youths.
'It outlines how we intend to share our best practices and limited resources to maximise development opportunities for coaches and players.
'By working together, we hope to raise the level of excellence of the sport to the highest level attainable.'
This PEX scheme is the same agreement that SBA signed with six mainstream schools earlier this year. It seeks to expand the association's base of young talents and form a pipeline to the national badminton teams.
It is understood that SSP had signed a collaborative agreement with SBA in November 2007 that was renewed annually. With the agreement due to expire, both parties agreed to collaborate under the PEX Scheme instead.
There are currently 15 SSP alumni in the national team two, which is one tier below the national squad. However, selection for the national team will continue to be based on merit and is not affected by this strategic partnership.
THE Singapore Sports School (SSP) has launched a new programme that will help it identify and pick up budding badminton talents aged 10 to 12.
By partnering with sports manufacturer Yonex, the school hopes to improve the calibre of athletes entering its badminton academy, which currently has 37 students.
The Yonex-Singapore Sports School Junior Excellence Programme, launched yesterday, will identify and groom talents aged 10 to 12. The Sports School typically takes in students only at 13, when they are in Secondary 1.
Said eight-time All-England champion Rudy Hartono, who conducted a coaching clinic at SSP yesterday: 'This programme is good because it starts players from a young age.
'When you are above 12 years, that's a bit late. It's the right time to do this at a young age. To find talented players who can reach world standards is not easy, but you have to start.
'Maybe in a few years, Singapore can get players who have the potential to reach world-class standards.'
The Indonesian former world champion, 61, has signed on as an advisory staff member for the programme, which will see Yonex provide over $600,000 in cash and kind to fund coaches and overseas training camps till 2014.
Former national shuttler Ronald Susilo has been engaged as the programme's head coach, and selection trials will be held next month.
The scheme will take in up to 42 shuttlers each year, and about 10 will be drafted into SSP annually.
Said SSP director of sports Irwin Seet: 'Sometimes, we notice students don't have all the requisite skills needed when they enter our school.
'By starting them young, this joint collaboration will help us produce better quality juniors who, when they enter the Sports School, have a better chance to succeed on the international front.'
The SSP's badminton academy received another boost yesterday when the school signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) for its Partners in Badminton Excellence (PEX) Scheme.
This will allow the academy to tap on the SBA's resources - the association will provide coaching clinics, greater competition exposure for players and assist in talent identification.
On its part, SSP will identify up to two talented shuttlers and offer academic scholarships to them.
Said SBA president Lee Yi Shyan, who is also Minister of State (Trade and Industry, and Manpower): 'The MOU reflects our mutual desire to coordinate and synergise our efforts to raise the standard of badminton training and development for youths.
'It outlines how we intend to share our best practices and limited resources to maximise development opportunities for coaches and players.
'By working together, we hope to raise the level of excellence of the sport to the highest level attainable.'
This PEX scheme is the same agreement that SBA signed with six mainstream schools earlier this year. It seeks to expand the association's base of young talents and form a pipeline to the national badminton teams.
It is understood that SSP had signed a collaborative agreement with SBA in November 2007 that was renewed annually. With the agreement due to expire, both parties agreed to collaborate under the PEX Scheme instead.
There are currently 15 SSP alumni in the national team two, which is one tier below the national squad. However, selection for the national team will continue to be based on merit and is not affected by this strategic partnership.
05 November 2010
Singapore Asian Games 2010 target
TARGET: 30 TO 33 MEDALS FOR TEAM SINGAPORE AT THE 16TH ASIAD IN GUANGZHOU@SSC
Largest Contingent To Feature At The Asian Games Will Take Part In 22 Of 42 Sports Events
Singapore, 3 November 2010 - Team Singapore is looking to better its performance by bringing home a total of between 30 to 33 medals at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou. This, if achieved, will be Team Singapore's most successful outing at the Asian Games to-date. The contingent's feature at the previous Games in 2006 saw a haul of 27 medals, coming from nine sports.
2 Team Singapore is not only sending its largest contingent (241 athletes and 120 officials) to the Asian Games since the nation's first participation in 1951, she is also increasing the breadth of her participation by competing in 22 of the 42 events featured. This is compared to only 16 sports at the last Asiad in Doha.
3 With the addition of the dragon boat team to the contingent, Team Singapore is also participating in the most number of team sports in the history of its participation at the quadrennial event, showing the depth and growth in the nation's sporting scene over the past four years.
4 Leading the team as Chef-de-Mission is Mr Low Teo Ping, Vice-President of the Singapore National Olympic Committee and the President of the Singapore Rugby Union. Mr Low is also a Vice President of the International Sailing Federation and an advisor of the Singapore Athletic Association and was previously Chef-de-Mission to the Singapore contingent in the 2007 SEA Games in Korat, Thailand.
5 The honour of carrying the Singapore flag this year rests with the celebrated female bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan. At the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 Flag Presentation ceremony held at Dunman High School today, Jasmine received the Singapore flag from CDM Low Teo Ping. The 2006 Asian Games gold medallist sailor Roy Tay then led the Team Singapore contingent in reciting the National Pledge.
6 Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Mr Teo Chee Hean, who is also the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, was the Guest-of-Honour at the Flag Presentation Ceremony. DPM Teo said, "I am proud to note that more team sports have qualified on merit for the Asian Games, and this year we will be sending teams to represent Singapore in five team sports events, namely in Water-Polo, Football, Rugby (Women's), Hockey and Dragon Boat where both the men's and women's teams have made the cut."
Promising Performances
7 Following Team Singapore's stellar performance at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games (where 31 medals were clinched in total), public expectations on the team's showing at the 16th Asiad are high. But the athletes are all fully prepared and raring to take on Asia's best to show that Singapore is a sporting force to be reckoned with.
8 A whopping 83% (199 out of 241) of the contingent are debutants to the Asian Games. The Team Singapore contingent is also relatively young, with 98 members who are 21 years and younger, with the youngest being 13-year-old optimist sailor Ryan Loh Jun Han. The oldest member is 49-year-old Elise Lee Shi May who is the steerswoman of the women's dragon boat team.
9 Shooting will feature 22 Team Singapore athletes in the coming Asian Games. The line-up includes Commonwealth gold medalists Gai Bin, Lim Swee Hon, Poh Lip Meng, Jasmine Ser and Aqilah Sudhir.
10 Sailing, which contributed five out of eight gold medals at the 2006 Asian Games, is looking to make a dash for gold again. 20 sailors are headed for Guangzhou this time, including Olympian Tan Wearn Haw, 2006 Asiad gold medallists Roy Tay and Teo Wee Chin as well as Asian Sailing Championships bronze medallists Siobhan Tam and Dawn Li.
11 Having done Singapore proud at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October this year, gymnasts Lim Heem Wei, Singapore's first-ever silver medalist for gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and bronze medalist David Jonathan Chan, will also be competing in the Asiad. Also in the contingent is Singapore's golden team - the table tennis team that has been participating in various competitions ever since the Commonwealth Games ended to further prepare themselves for the Games in Guangzhou.
12 Swimmer Tao Li made a splash at the previous Asian Games in 2006 when she surprised Singapore, and the world, by clinching the gold medal at the 50m Butterfly event. This time round, she is looking to defend her title, as well as make her presence felt in the other events. Team Singapore's swimming contingent also includes four young swimmers who had represented Singapore at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. They are silver medallist Rainer Ng, Clement Lim, Pang Sheng Jun and Amanda Lim.
13 "We have assembled a sterling cast of athletes for this edition of the Asian Games. I know everyone's ready to do their best and in doing so, I am certain they will bring glory to Singapore and perhaps write a new glorious chapter in our sporting history," said CDM Mr Low who hopes to see all Team Singapore athletes participate with sportsmanship high on their agenda.
14 "To our athletes - do your best to win but do not do it at all costs. It is always important to uphold the values of sportsmanship whenever Team Singapore athletes participate in any events, and when we wear the national flag across our chests."
Following Team Singapore's Action on New Media
15 For the first time in history, fans can now keep up with Team Singapore in action through SingaporeSports.tv, a free to access online portal launched by the Singapore Sports Council that will provide 'live' feeds of the sports events that feature Team Singapore athletes as they take place in Guangzhou.
16 For Singaporeans and members of the public who have missed the 'live' action, they can also log on to the online portal and click on 'Sports on Demand' to view video clips of the highlights during the Games.
17 Apart from providing 'live' feeds during major Games, SingaporeSports.tv will also feature major sporting events such as the upcoming Singapore Cricket Club Rugby 7s taking place from 5 November to 7 November, as well as the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore on 5 December.
18 Members of the public can also follow Team Singapore's recently launched Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TeamSG) which provides fans with minute by minute updates during key events at the Games, quotes, results and photographs of Team Singapore?s athletes in action. For mobile-friendly fans, the Team Singapore iPhone application is available for free, to provide event schedules, news, updates and results on the move. The free SMS alert service that provides updates will still be available through the Team Singapore website at www.teamsingapore.com.sg.
Largest Contingent To Feature At The Asian Games Will Take Part In 22 Of 42 Sports Events
Singapore, 3 November 2010 - Team Singapore is looking to better its performance by bringing home a total of between 30 to 33 medals at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou. This, if achieved, will be Team Singapore's most successful outing at the Asian Games to-date. The contingent's feature at the previous Games in 2006 saw a haul of 27 medals, coming from nine sports.
2 Team Singapore is not only sending its largest contingent (241 athletes and 120 officials) to the Asian Games since the nation's first participation in 1951, she is also increasing the breadth of her participation by competing in 22 of the 42 events featured. This is compared to only 16 sports at the last Asiad in Doha.
3 With the addition of the dragon boat team to the contingent, Team Singapore is also participating in the most number of team sports in the history of its participation at the quadrennial event, showing the depth and growth in the nation's sporting scene over the past four years.
4 Leading the team as Chef-de-Mission is Mr Low Teo Ping, Vice-President of the Singapore National Olympic Committee and the President of the Singapore Rugby Union. Mr Low is also a Vice President of the International Sailing Federation and an advisor of the Singapore Athletic Association and was previously Chef-de-Mission to the Singapore contingent in the 2007 SEA Games in Korat, Thailand.
5 The honour of carrying the Singapore flag this year rests with the celebrated female bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan. At the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010 Flag Presentation ceremony held at Dunman High School today, Jasmine received the Singapore flag from CDM Low Teo Ping. The 2006 Asian Games gold medallist sailor Roy Tay then led the Team Singapore contingent in reciting the National Pledge.
6 Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Mr Teo Chee Hean, who is also the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, was the Guest-of-Honour at the Flag Presentation Ceremony. DPM Teo said, "I am proud to note that more team sports have qualified on merit for the Asian Games, and this year we will be sending teams to represent Singapore in five team sports events, namely in Water-Polo, Football, Rugby (Women's), Hockey and Dragon Boat where both the men's and women's teams have made the cut."
Promising Performances
7 Following Team Singapore's stellar performance at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games (where 31 medals were clinched in total), public expectations on the team's showing at the 16th Asiad are high. But the athletes are all fully prepared and raring to take on Asia's best to show that Singapore is a sporting force to be reckoned with.
8 A whopping 83% (199 out of 241) of the contingent are debutants to the Asian Games. The Team Singapore contingent is also relatively young, with 98 members who are 21 years and younger, with the youngest being 13-year-old optimist sailor Ryan Loh Jun Han. The oldest member is 49-year-old Elise Lee Shi May who is the steerswoman of the women's dragon boat team.
9 Shooting will feature 22 Team Singapore athletes in the coming Asian Games. The line-up includes Commonwealth gold medalists Gai Bin, Lim Swee Hon, Poh Lip Meng, Jasmine Ser and Aqilah Sudhir.
10 Sailing, which contributed five out of eight gold medals at the 2006 Asian Games, is looking to make a dash for gold again. 20 sailors are headed for Guangzhou this time, including Olympian Tan Wearn Haw, 2006 Asiad gold medallists Roy Tay and Teo Wee Chin as well as Asian Sailing Championships bronze medallists Siobhan Tam and Dawn Li.
11 Having done Singapore proud at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October this year, gymnasts Lim Heem Wei, Singapore's first-ever silver medalist for gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and bronze medalist David Jonathan Chan, will also be competing in the Asiad. Also in the contingent is Singapore's golden team - the table tennis team that has been participating in various competitions ever since the Commonwealth Games ended to further prepare themselves for the Games in Guangzhou.
12 Swimmer Tao Li made a splash at the previous Asian Games in 2006 when she surprised Singapore, and the world, by clinching the gold medal at the 50m Butterfly event. This time round, she is looking to defend her title, as well as make her presence felt in the other events. Team Singapore's swimming contingent also includes four young swimmers who had represented Singapore at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. They are silver medallist Rainer Ng, Clement Lim, Pang Sheng Jun and Amanda Lim.
13 "We have assembled a sterling cast of athletes for this edition of the Asian Games. I know everyone's ready to do their best and in doing so, I am certain they will bring glory to Singapore and perhaps write a new glorious chapter in our sporting history," said CDM Mr Low who hopes to see all Team Singapore athletes participate with sportsmanship high on their agenda.
14 "To our athletes - do your best to win but do not do it at all costs. It is always important to uphold the values of sportsmanship whenever Team Singapore athletes participate in any events, and when we wear the national flag across our chests."
Following Team Singapore's Action on New Media
15 For the first time in history, fans can now keep up with Team Singapore in action through SingaporeSports.tv, a free to access online portal launched by the Singapore Sports Council that will provide 'live' feeds of the sports events that feature Team Singapore athletes as they take place in Guangzhou.
16 For Singaporeans and members of the public who have missed the 'live' action, they can also log on to the online portal and click on 'Sports on Demand' to view video clips of the highlights during the Games.
17 Apart from providing 'live' feeds during major Games, SingaporeSports.tv will also feature major sporting events such as the upcoming Singapore Cricket Club Rugby 7s taking place from 5 November to 7 November, as well as the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore on 5 December.
18 Members of the public can also follow Team Singapore's recently launched Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TeamSG) which provides fans with minute by minute updates during key events at the Games, quotes, results and photographs of Team Singapore?s athletes in action. For mobile-friendly fans, the Team Singapore iPhone application is available for free, to provide event schedules, news, updates and results on the move. The free SMS alert service that provides updates will still be available through the Team Singapore website at www.teamsingapore.com.sg.
30 October 2010
MOU between Singapore Sports School and Shi Chai Hai Sports School
It's all about training smart, says China sports official@Straits Times
IT MAY come as a surprise to some, but China's star hurdler Liu Xiang only trains up to two hours a day.
Contrary to popular belief, long training does not equate to good results, a top Chinese sports official said yesterday.
'High quantity of training isn't the important thing. What's important is applying science to training, and having very focused training,' said Shi Chai Hai Sports School principal Li Guicheng in Mandarin.
The former track athlete and coach, a close friend of Liu's coach Sun Haiping, was speaking at the Sino-Singapore Sports Symposium at Raffles City Convention Centre.
It was held in conjunction with celebrations to mark 20 years of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore.
Addressing representatives from national sports associations and Singapore Sports Council senior management, including deputy chairman Cheah Kim Teck, Liu stressed that most elite Olympic-level athletes at Beijing's Shi Chai Hai Sports School do not train for more than two hours daily. For most junior athletes who are starting out, training is capped at three hours daily.
'It's very tiring on the brain if you train too long,' said the 56-year-old, who is also president of the Beijing Boxing Association and secretary-general of the city's Taekwondo Association.
'We found this out about 10 years ago, when many athletes got injured.'
His school is one of more than 200 government-funded elite sports schools across China. But it is among the best, having produced 33 world champions including Olympic and world champion table tennis star Zhang Yining.
Olympic gymnast He Kexin, Hollywood star and wushu national champion Jet Li, and Singapore paddler Li Jiawei are other notable alumni.
Singapore officials welcomed Li's comments, with SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik calling his own thinking 'outdated' at times.
'We talk about full-time training, but now he's talked about productivity and focused training,' the former Olympic swimmer said.
Speaking directly to officials from several sports bodies, Oon added: 'What you have heard today is the thinking of the powerhouse of sports. Please take it back to homebase.'
Singapore Athletic Association vice-president (training and selection) C. Kunalan said most of his elite athletes are already training two hours a day.
'But something's lacking - the application of sports science that's available.
'We need to change the mindsets of coaches and athletes to include this,' said the former 100m national record-holder and Olympian.
Singapore Sports School director of sports Irwin Seet felt the two-hour principle could not be applied across all sports.
Li also signed a memorandum of understanding with SSP principal Deborah Tan.
There will be student and teacher exchanges between the two institutions with immediate effect.
IT MAY come as a surprise to some, but China's star hurdler Liu Xiang only trains up to two hours a day.
Contrary to popular belief, long training does not equate to good results, a top Chinese sports official said yesterday.
'High quantity of training isn't the important thing. What's important is applying science to training, and having very focused training,' said Shi Chai Hai Sports School principal Li Guicheng in Mandarin.
The former track athlete and coach, a close friend of Liu's coach Sun Haiping, was speaking at the Sino-Singapore Sports Symposium at Raffles City Convention Centre.
It was held in conjunction with celebrations to mark 20 years of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore.
Addressing representatives from national sports associations and Singapore Sports Council senior management, including deputy chairman Cheah Kim Teck, Liu stressed that most elite Olympic-level athletes at Beijing's Shi Chai Hai Sports School do not train for more than two hours daily. For most junior athletes who are starting out, training is capped at three hours daily.
'It's very tiring on the brain if you train too long,' said the 56-year-old, who is also president of the Beijing Boxing Association and secretary-general of the city's Taekwondo Association.
'We found this out about 10 years ago, when many athletes got injured.'
His school is one of more than 200 government-funded elite sports schools across China. But it is among the best, having produced 33 world champions including Olympic and world champion table tennis star Zhang Yining.
Olympic gymnast He Kexin, Hollywood star and wushu national champion Jet Li, and Singapore paddler Li Jiawei are other notable alumni.
Singapore officials welcomed Li's comments, with SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik calling his own thinking 'outdated' at times.
'We talk about full-time training, but now he's talked about productivity and focused training,' the former Olympic swimmer said.
Speaking directly to officials from several sports bodies, Oon added: 'What you have heard today is the thinking of the powerhouse of sports. Please take it back to homebase.'
Singapore Athletic Association vice-president (training and selection) C. Kunalan said most of his elite athletes are already training two hours a day.
'But something's lacking - the application of sports science that's available.
'We need to change the mindsets of coaches and athletes to include this,' said the former 100m national record-holder and Olympian.
Singapore Sports School director of sports Irwin Seet felt the two-hour principle could not be applied across all sports.
Li also signed a memorandum of understanding with SSP principal Deborah Tan.
There will be student and teacher exchanges between the two institutions with immediate effect.
24 October 2010
YOG doping cases
Two YOG athletes disqualified for doping@CNA
SINGAPORE: Two athletes who took part in the Youth Olympics Games in Singapore have been disqualified for doping.
The wrestlers, 17 year-olds Nurbek Hakkulov from Uzbekistan and Johnny Pilay from Ecuador, were found with a prohibited substance in their urine samples.
Laboratory analyses detected the presence of Furosemide - a banned diuretic, used to allegedly mask other drugs in the body.
Hakkulov had won a silver medal is the Men's Greco-Roman 50-kilogramme event and will have his medal, diploma and participation certificate withdrawn.
Pilay was fifth in the Men's Freestyle 63-kilogramme event.
SINGAPORE: Two athletes who took part in the Youth Olympics Games in Singapore have been disqualified for doping.
The wrestlers, 17 year-olds Nurbek Hakkulov from Uzbekistan and Johnny Pilay from Ecuador, were found with a prohibited substance in their urine samples.
Laboratory analyses detected the presence of Furosemide - a banned diuretic, used to allegedly mask other drugs in the body.
Hakkulov had won a silver medal is the Men's Greco-Roman 50-kilogramme event and will have his medal, diploma and participation certificate withdrawn.
Pilay was fifth in the Men's Freestyle 63-kilogramme event.
Sports Sci J@Aug-Oct10
This is the latest sports science journal update.
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Aug-Oct 10
Long term athlete development
Development of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire for Sport. JSS
Successful talent development in track and field: considering the role of environment. SJMSS
Fundamental movement skills among Australian preschool children. JSMS
Criterion-related validity of field-based fitness tests in youth: a systematic review. BJSM
Secular trends in aerobic fitness performance in 13–18-year-old adolescents from 1976 to 2001. BJSM
The effects of heavy continuous versus long and short intermittent aerobic exercise protocols on oxygen consumption, heart rate, and lactate responses in adolescents. EJAP
Neuromuscular differences between prepubescents boys and adult men during drop jump. EJAP
Repeated-Sprint Sequences During Youth Soccer Matches. IJSM
Effects of Balance Training on Postural Sway, Leg Extensor Strength, and Jumping Height in Adolescents. RQES
Kinematic analysis of netball goal shooting: A comparison of junior and senior players. JSS
Assessment of individual anaerobic threshold and stroking parameters in swimmers aged 10-11 years. EJSS
Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces during the instep and outstep soccer kicks in pubertal players. JSS
Compliance with a comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in youth football. BJSM
Monitoring stress and recovery: new insights for the prevention of injuries and illnesses in elite youth soccer players. BJSM
Young elite athletes and social support: coping with competitive and organizational stress in “Olympic” competition. SJMSS
Longitudinal Sex Differences during Landing in Knee Abduction in Young Athletes. MSSE
Relationship Between Changes in Upon-Waking Urinary Indices of Hydration Status and Body Mass in Adolescent Singaporean Athletes. IJSNEM
Group- and individual-level coincidence of the ‘Fatmax’ and lactate accumulation in adolescents. EJAP
A lifespan perspective on the career of talented and elite athletes: Perspectives on high-intensity sports. SJMSS
Predictors of the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances by Young Athletes. CJSM
Exercise genes? And no, not Levi's 501s! JAP
Speed and endurance: you can have it all. JAP
The hybrid algorithm (Hbmr) to fight against blood doping in sports. SJMSS
Performance enhancement
Sport Science in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. IJSPP
Game, Set and Match? Substantive Issues and Future Directions in Performance Analysis. SM
Performance analysis research: Meeting the challenge. JSS
New Horizons for the Methodology and Physiology of Training Periodization: Block Periodization: New Horizon or a False Dawn? SM
Intense training: the key to optimal performance before and during the taper. SJMSS
Training for intense exercise performance: high-intensity or high-volume training? SJMSS
Speed endurance training is a powerful stimulus for physiological adaptations and performance improvements of athletes. SJMSS
Fueling strategies to optimize performance: training high or training low? SJMSS
Measuring Training Load in Sports. IJSPP
The effects of training on performance and performance-related states in individual elite athletes: A dynamic approach. JSS
What is Best Practice for Training Intensity and Duration Distribution in Endurance Athletes? IJSPP
Monitoring Acute Effects on Athletic Performance with Mixed Linear Modeling. MSSE
Effectiveness of intermittent training in hypoxia combined with live high/train low. EJAP
Heat acclimation improves exercise performance. JAP
Development of hydration strategies to optimize performance for athletes in high-intensity sports and in sports with repeated intense efforts. SJMSS
Dehydration and rehydration in competative sport. SJMSS
The Role of Physiology in the Development of Golf Performance. SM
Effect of Functional Overreaching on Executive Functions. IJSM
Does plyometric training improve strength performance? A meta-analysis. JSMS
Psychological skills training as a way to enhance an athlete's performance in high-intensity sports. SJMSS
Preventing overtraining in athletes in high-intensity sports and stress/recovery monitoring. SJMSS
Exercise, music, and the brain: Is there a central pattern generator? JSS
Emotional contagion in soccer penalty shootouts: Celebration of individual success is associated with ultimate team success. JSS
Effect of Caffeine Ingestion on Muscular Strength and Endurance: A Meta-Analysis. MSSE
Injury prevention and management
Sports injuries and illnesses during the Winter Olympic Games 2010. BJSM
Behaviour, the Key Factor for Sports Injury Prevention. SM
The Effect of Playing Surface on Injury Rate: A Review of the Current Literature. SM
Technology development
Validity and reliability of GPS for measuring distance travelled in field-based team sports. JSS
The Validity and Reliability of GPS Units for Measuring Distance in Team Sport Specific Running Patterns. IJSPP
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Aug-Oct 10
Long term athlete development
Development of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire for Sport. JSS
Successful talent development in track and field: considering the role of environment. SJMSS
Fundamental movement skills among Australian preschool children. JSMS
Criterion-related validity of field-based fitness tests in youth: a systematic review. BJSM
Secular trends in aerobic fitness performance in 13–18-year-old adolescents from 1976 to 2001. BJSM
The effects of heavy continuous versus long and short intermittent aerobic exercise protocols on oxygen consumption, heart rate, and lactate responses in adolescents. EJAP
Neuromuscular differences between prepubescents boys and adult men during drop jump. EJAP
Repeated-Sprint Sequences During Youth Soccer Matches. IJSM
Effects of Balance Training on Postural Sway, Leg Extensor Strength, and Jumping Height in Adolescents. RQES
Kinematic analysis of netball goal shooting: A comparison of junior and senior players. JSS
Assessment of individual anaerobic threshold and stroking parameters in swimmers aged 10-11 years. EJSS
Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces during the instep and outstep soccer kicks in pubertal players. JSS
Compliance with a comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in youth football. BJSM
Monitoring stress and recovery: new insights for the prevention of injuries and illnesses in elite youth soccer players. BJSM
Young elite athletes and social support: coping with competitive and organizational stress in “Olympic” competition. SJMSS
Longitudinal Sex Differences during Landing in Knee Abduction in Young Athletes. MSSE
Relationship Between Changes in Upon-Waking Urinary Indices of Hydration Status and Body Mass in Adolescent Singaporean Athletes. IJSNEM
Group- and individual-level coincidence of the ‘Fatmax’ and lactate accumulation in adolescents. EJAP
A lifespan perspective on the career of talented and elite athletes: Perspectives on high-intensity sports. SJMSS
Predictors of the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances by Young Athletes. CJSM
Exercise genes? And no, not Levi's 501s! JAP
Speed and endurance: you can have it all. JAP
The hybrid algorithm (Hbmr) to fight against blood doping in sports. SJMSS
Performance enhancement
Sport Science in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. IJSPP
Game, Set and Match? Substantive Issues and Future Directions in Performance Analysis. SM
Performance analysis research: Meeting the challenge. JSS
New Horizons for the Methodology and Physiology of Training Periodization: Block Periodization: New Horizon or a False Dawn? SM
Intense training: the key to optimal performance before and during the taper. SJMSS
Training for intense exercise performance: high-intensity or high-volume training? SJMSS
Speed endurance training is a powerful stimulus for physiological adaptations and performance improvements of athletes. SJMSS
Fueling strategies to optimize performance: training high or training low? SJMSS
Measuring Training Load in Sports. IJSPP
The effects of training on performance and performance-related states in individual elite athletes: A dynamic approach. JSS
What is Best Practice for Training Intensity and Duration Distribution in Endurance Athletes? IJSPP
Monitoring Acute Effects on Athletic Performance with Mixed Linear Modeling. MSSE
Effectiveness of intermittent training in hypoxia combined with live high/train low. EJAP
Heat acclimation improves exercise performance. JAP
Development of hydration strategies to optimize performance for athletes in high-intensity sports and in sports with repeated intense efforts. SJMSS
Dehydration and rehydration in competative sport. SJMSS
The Role of Physiology in the Development of Golf Performance. SM
Effect of Functional Overreaching on Executive Functions. IJSM
Does plyometric training improve strength performance? A meta-analysis. JSMS
Psychological skills training as a way to enhance an athlete's performance in high-intensity sports. SJMSS
Preventing overtraining in athletes in high-intensity sports and stress/recovery monitoring. SJMSS
Exercise, music, and the brain: Is there a central pattern generator? JSS
Emotional contagion in soccer penalty shootouts: Celebration of individual success is associated with ultimate team success. JSS
Effect of Caffeine Ingestion on Muscular Strength and Endurance: A Meta-Analysis. MSSE
Injury prevention and management
Sports injuries and illnesses during the Winter Olympic Games 2010. BJSM
Behaviour, the Key Factor for Sports Injury Prevention. SM
The Effect of Playing Surface on Injury Rate: A Review of the Current Literature. SM
Technology development
Validity and reliability of GPS for measuring distance travelled in field-based team sports. JSS
The Validity and Reliability of GPS Units for Measuring Distance in Team Sport Specific Running Patterns. IJSPP
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11 October 2010
PhD position in exercise physiology in Switzerland
There is a PhD position opening in exercise physiology in Lausanne, Switzerland under Prof Gregoire Millet. If you are interested, please let me know so that I can send you more details.
25 September 2010
EIS Injury & Illness Prevention Project (IIPP)
keeping ahead of the game@EIS
Whilst you can never rule out all prospects of an injury or illness in sport, the English Institute of Sport (EIS) and UK Sport have been working to identify how best to reduce the risks which could impact upon performance on the international sporting stage.
Before the Injury & Illness Prevention Project (IIPP) began, approximately 13% of sports used injury information to shape their preventative strategies. Now, 18 months into the project, 43% of Olympic sports reported using injury data to help keep their squads performing.
With less than two years to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games, keeping athletes competing at the highest level is vital for any sport.
“Suffering an injury can be devastating for elite athletes and in some cases it leads to the end of their sporting career” says Dr Rod Jaques, Director of Medical Services at the EIS.
“What’s really groundbreaking with this area of work is looking at injury data against exposure data – training and competition. This allows us to get a deeper understanding around the interventions we deploy to athletes and also gives coaches evidence based information” he adds.
With an average of 11 days of training lost per injury and 0.4 of competition events lost per injury and around 5 days of training and 0.3 of competition events lost per illness, being able to prevent athletes picking up injuries and illnesses is an important part of fielding the best team for sports.
“An employer would find this type of time off work an issue, and likewise sports need to address time lost in training and competition so that they can field their best teams and ensure they are ahead of the game when it comes to injury and illnesses” explains Jaques.
The Olympiad Review helped to identify the most performance-impacting injuries and illnesses to sports which were knee, shoulder, lumbar spine and upper respiratory tract infections. Of the 14 Olympic sports involved in the IIPP so far, the data collection continues and is providing individualised results, reports and feedback to help provide coaches, practitioners and other support staff with detailed information on the nature and causes of their sport specific injuries and illnesses.
Glenn Hunter, UK Sport’s lead Research and Innovation Consultant for Performance Medicine, said:
“Our job is to ensure British athletes reach the start line among the best prepared and most feared in the world. This particular piece of research allows EIS practitioners to provide evidence based interventions in sport science and medical care, giving British athletes confidence that their preparation is world class. It is the first time this in-depth approach has been taken and will help shape a better understanding of illness and injury in athletes across sports leading into the London 2012 Games.”
Dr Debbie Palmer- Green is the IIPP Research Scientist who has been working at the EIS to liaise closely with the practitioners working within sports to ensure the feedback provided is of best use to the sports.
Whilst you can never rule out all prospects of an injury or illness in sport, the English Institute of Sport (EIS) and UK Sport have been working to identify how best to reduce the risks which could impact upon performance on the international sporting stage.
Before the Injury & Illness Prevention Project (IIPP) began, approximately 13% of sports used injury information to shape their preventative strategies. Now, 18 months into the project, 43% of Olympic sports reported using injury data to help keep their squads performing.
With less than two years to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games, keeping athletes competing at the highest level is vital for any sport.
“Suffering an injury can be devastating for elite athletes and in some cases it leads to the end of their sporting career” says Dr Rod Jaques, Director of Medical Services at the EIS.
“What’s really groundbreaking with this area of work is looking at injury data against exposure data – training and competition. This allows us to get a deeper understanding around the interventions we deploy to athletes and also gives coaches evidence based information” he adds.
With an average of 11 days of training lost per injury and 0.4 of competition events lost per injury and around 5 days of training and 0.3 of competition events lost per illness, being able to prevent athletes picking up injuries and illnesses is an important part of fielding the best team for sports.
“An employer would find this type of time off work an issue, and likewise sports need to address time lost in training and competition so that they can field their best teams and ensure they are ahead of the game when it comes to injury and illnesses” explains Jaques.
The Olympiad Review helped to identify the most performance-impacting injuries and illnesses to sports which were knee, shoulder, lumbar spine and upper respiratory tract infections. Of the 14 Olympic sports involved in the IIPP so far, the data collection continues and is providing individualised results, reports and feedback to help provide coaches, practitioners and other support staff with detailed information on the nature and causes of their sport specific injuries and illnesses.
Glenn Hunter, UK Sport’s lead Research and Innovation Consultant for Performance Medicine, said:
“Our job is to ensure British athletes reach the start line among the best prepared and most feared in the world. This particular piece of research allows EIS practitioners to provide evidence based interventions in sport science and medical care, giving British athletes confidence that their preparation is world class. It is the first time this in-depth approach has been taken and will help shape a better understanding of illness and injury in athletes across sports leading into the London 2012 Games.”
Dr Debbie Palmer- Green is the IIPP Research Scientist who has been working at the EIS to liaise closely with the practitioners working within sports to ensure the feedback provided is of best use to the sports.
17 September 2010
EIS R&D projects
ESPRIT WORKSHOPS TO PRESENT WORLD CLASS SECONDMENT OPPORTUNITY@EIS
Experts developing cutting-edge technologies for Britain’s top athletes will congregate at Loughborough University on October 8th for the first ESPRIT Conference, where a unique opportunity to get involved with the groundbreaking project will be revealed.
The ESPRIT consortium hope to attract some of Britain’s most innovative minds to its inaugural conference, where details of an exciting secondment opportunity to the ESPRIT project will be presented and the application process will commence.
The Elite Sport Performance Research in Training with Pervasive Sensing (ESPRIT) project is funded by the EPSRC and led by Imperial College London in partnership with UK Sport, supported by Queen Mary University of London and Loughborough University.
It involves researchers from the three universities working alongside British athletes via UK Sport’s Research and Innovation programme.
Its vision is to position the UK at the forefront of pervasive sensing (miniaturised wearable and track-side sensors, computer modelling tools and smart training devices) in elite sports as well as to promote its wider application in public life-long health, wellbeing and healthcare.
To achieve this the team behind ESPRIT possess skills and expertise in body sensor networks, pervasive computing, smart textiles, biochemistry, biomechanics, mechanical engineering, automation, sports performance research and complex system modelling.
English Institute of Sport (EIS) Director of Sport Science Ken van Someren, who sits on the ESPRIT Research Steering Group alongside EIS Head of Sport Science & Medicine for Paralympic Sport Paul Davies, told eis2win.co.uk.
“The ESPRIT project plays a significant role in the development of research programmes that are extremely relevant to the sport science and medical services delivered by the EIS.
“To provide world leading services it is vital to stay at the forefront of innovation and the EIS is therefore pleased to be a part of the ESPRIT project.”
The project comprises four key research themes - Generalised Body Sensor Networks; Optimised Sensor Design and Embodiment; Learning, Data Modelling and Performance Optimisation; and Device and Technology Innovation – all of which will be explored at the upcoming conference via the four interactive challenge workshops that will take place, with a focus on practical application to elite sport:
Paralympic Challenge (biomechanics, ergonomics, mechanical design, integrated sensing, prosthetics)
Sports Medicine Challenge (injury surveillance, remote monitoring, rehabilitation, wireless technologies)
Talent Trainability Challenge (bio-markers, "omics", biochemical sensing, real-time feedback)
Workload and Technologies Challenge (stress, psychology, neuroscience, body sensors, field based sensing, wireless technologies, team sport/tactics, localisation)
Individuals from high performance sport, academia or industry who feel they can contribute creatively to one of these four workshops are encouraged to attend. More information can be found on the ESPRIT website, or contact Jayne.kavanagh@uksport.gov.uk for more information. You must register before 1 October as spaces are limited.
Experts developing cutting-edge technologies for Britain’s top athletes will congregate at Loughborough University on October 8th for the first ESPRIT Conference, where a unique opportunity to get involved with the groundbreaking project will be revealed.
The ESPRIT consortium hope to attract some of Britain’s most innovative minds to its inaugural conference, where details of an exciting secondment opportunity to the ESPRIT project will be presented and the application process will commence.
The Elite Sport Performance Research in Training with Pervasive Sensing (ESPRIT) project is funded by the EPSRC and led by Imperial College London in partnership with UK Sport, supported by Queen Mary University of London and Loughborough University.
It involves researchers from the three universities working alongside British athletes via UK Sport’s Research and Innovation programme.
Its vision is to position the UK at the forefront of pervasive sensing (miniaturised wearable and track-side sensors, computer modelling tools and smart training devices) in elite sports as well as to promote its wider application in public life-long health, wellbeing and healthcare.
To achieve this the team behind ESPRIT possess skills and expertise in body sensor networks, pervasive computing, smart textiles, biochemistry, biomechanics, mechanical engineering, automation, sports performance research and complex system modelling.
English Institute of Sport (EIS) Director of Sport Science Ken van Someren, who sits on the ESPRIT Research Steering Group alongside EIS Head of Sport Science & Medicine for Paralympic Sport Paul Davies, told eis2win.co.uk.
“The ESPRIT project plays a significant role in the development of research programmes that are extremely relevant to the sport science and medical services delivered by the EIS.
“To provide world leading services it is vital to stay at the forefront of innovation and the EIS is therefore pleased to be a part of the ESPRIT project.”
The project comprises four key research themes - Generalised Body Sensor Networks; Optimised Sensor Design and Embodiment; Learning, Data Modelling and Performance Optimisation; and Device and Technology Innovation – all of which will be explored at the upcoming conference via the four interactive challenge workshops that will take place, with a focus on practical application to elite sport:
Paralympic Challenge (biomechanics, ergonomics, mechanical design, integrated sensing, prosthetics)
Sports Medicine Challenge (injury surveillance, remote monitoring, rehabilitation, wireless technologies)
Talent Trainability Challenge (bio-markers, "omics", biochemical sensing, real-time feedback)
Workload and Technologies Challenge (stress, psychology, neuroscience, body sensors, field based sensing, wireless technologies, team sport/tactics, localisation)
Individuals from high performance sport, academia or industry who feel they can contribute creatively to one of these four workshops are encouraged to attend. More information can be found on the ESPRIT website, or contact Jayne.kavanagh@uksport.gov.uk for more information. You must register before 1 October as spaces are limited.
16 September 2010
S$387 million. the cost to host first YOG 2010
Singapore spent S$387m to host YOG＠CNA
SINGAPORE: Singapore would still bid for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), even if it knew it would have to spend S$387 million to host it.
Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said this in Parliament on Wednesday, in response to questions about the increased spending for the Games.
He said the government underestimated the requirements and costs for several major functional areas.
But he assured that spending on other ministry programmes was not affected.
Singapore won the bid to host the Games, with an initial budget of some S$104 million.
But this ballooned to S$387 million, when requirements to ensure the Games' success became clearer.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Our initial budget estimates during the bid phase were clearly inaccurate. We got it wrong. This was the first Youth Olympic Games in the world. Quite frankly, both the IOC and us were starting from scratch. In fact, the finalised specifications and standards for the YOG events were only determined after we were selected to host the Games.
"There was another alternative, I could have blindly cut the budget, and deliver a substandard Games which would not have been the right decision."
Big tickets items contributed to the higher expenditure. One was in the area of technology, with its projected cost being about S$97 million.
Upgrading sports venues and equipment accounted for S$76 million, while providing live broadcast cost S$45.5 million.
Another S$7 million was spent on the journey of the Youth Olympic Flame.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Initially the IOC was not keen on having an international torch relay because of the controversy that surrounded the Beijing Olympics.
“But this was the first Youth Olympic Games and also because they had the confidence in us being able to organise this without any major mishaps."
Dr Balakrishnan said it was also important to put things into context. The YOG was about one-third the size of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. But Singapore's projected expenses was only 10 per cent of Beijing's reported operating expenditure.
All in, it was money well spent.
"It achieved the objectives which IOC had set out, achieved the objectives which we had set out. And we wanted to do a Games which was doable by a city around the size of Singapore, as we may never have the opportunity to host the Olympic Games," said Deputy PM and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean. He is also the president of the Singapore National Olympic Council.
"I think we have been able to achieve all those objectives. I think all Singaporeans should be proud of it. It was money well spent - I am quite clear about it," he added.
Other expenses went to the culture and education programme, security, and operational requirements like language translation and interpretation, laundry and catering services at the Youth Olympic Village.
On revenue, Dr Balakrishnan said merchandise and ticket sales are expected to bring in S$7 million.
The Games also received up to S$60 million worth of sponsorship in kind and S$7.6 million in cash sponsorship from companies like Samsung, ATOS, Panasonic and DBS.
Singapore's economy also benefited, as about 70 per cent of contracts from the overall budget of S$367 million were awarded to local companies.
Another S$46 million to overseas companies with local subsidiaries.
The Games also laid a strong foundation for a sporting culture. This is particularly in the areas of sports spectatorship, community involvement, as well as volunteer engagement.
In this regard, Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry plans to have a committee to review Singapore's athlete development framework.
The committee will also suggest ways to enhance the education and career options for national athletes.
Details will be announced within the next six months.
SINGAPORE: Singapore would still bid for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), even if it knew it would have to spend S$387 million to host it.
Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said this in Parliament on Wednesday, in response to questions about the increased spending for the Games.
He said the government underestimated the requirements and costs for several major functional areas.
But he assured that spending on other ministry programmes was not affected.
Singapore won the bid to host the Games, with an initial budget of some S$104 million.
But this ballooned to S$387 million, when requirements to ensure the Games' success became clearer.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Our initial budget estimates during the bid phase were clearly inaccurate. We got it wrong. This was the first Youth Olympic Games in the world. Quite frankly, both the IOC and us were starting from scratch. In fact, the finalised specifications and standards for the YOG events were only determined after we were selected to host the Games.
"There was another alternative, I could have blindly cut the budget, and deliver a substandard Games which would not have been the right decision."
Big tickets items contributed to the higher expenditure. One was in the area of technology, with its projected cost being about S$97 million.
Upgrading sports venues and equipment accounted for S$76 million, while providing live broadcast cost S$45.5 million.
Another S$7 million was spent on the journey of the Youth Olympic Flame.
Dr Balakrishnan said: "Initially the IOC was not keen on having an international torch relay because of the controversy that surrounded the Beijing Olympics.
“But this was the first Youth Olympic Games and also because they had the confidence in us being able to organise this without any major mishaps."
Dr Balakrishnan said it was also important to put things into context. The YOG was about one-third the size of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. But Singapore's projected expenses was only 10 per cent of Beijing's reported operating expenditure.
All in, it was money well spent.
"It achieved the objectives which IOC had set out, achieved the objectives which we had set out. And we wanted to do a Games which was doable by a city around the size of Singapore, as we may never have the opportunity to host the Olympic Games," said Deputy PM and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean. He is also the president of the Singapore National Olympic Council.
"I think we have been able to achieve all those objectives. I think all Singaporeans should be proud of it. It was money well spent - I am quite clear about it," he added.
Other expenses went to the culture and education programme, security, and operational requirements like language translation and interpretation, laundry and catering services at the Youth Olympic Village.
On revenue, Dr Balakrishnan said merchandise and ticket sales are expected to bring in S$7 million.
The Games also received up to S$60 million worth of sponsorship in kind and S$7.6 million in cash sponsorship from companies like Samsung, ATOS, Panasonic and DBS.
Singapore's economy also benefited, as about 70 per cent of contracts from the overall budget of S$367 million were awarded to local companies.
Another S$46 million to overseas companies with local subsidiaries.
The Games also laid a strong foundation for a sporting culture. This is particularly in the areas of sports spectatorship, community involvement, as well as volunteer engagement.
In this regard, Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry plans to have a committee to review Singapore's athlete development framework.
The committee will also suggest ways to enhance the education and career options for national athletes.
Details will be announced within the next six months.
Singapore TID in speed skating
12 picked for China camp@Straits Times
IN HIS Winter Olympics dreams, Matthew Mak always saw himself as a figure skater.
The 13-year-old Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student is now a step closer to realising his dream of representing Singapore on ice - but as a speed skater instead.
He was one of 12 skaters who were selected yesterday to attend an eight-day International Skating Union (ISU) speed skating training camp in Changchun, China, from Sept 18-25.
The selection was made at the end of Singapore's first short track speed skating camp, which began on Sunday and ended last night.
The camp was organised by the Singapore Ice Skating Association (Sisa) and the ISU to identify the first batch of athletes with the potential of representing Singapore in the sport.
More than 80 participants - almost thrice the number that Sisa had expected - turned up on Sunday.
From there, 30 were chosen to stay for the remainder of the camp by coach Yves Nadeau, a renowned speed skating coach who has worked with world and Olympic champions.
Although Sisa had planned to select only the top three men and three women, the ISU decided in the end to extend the quota after being won over by the participants' enthusiasm.
Sisa president Sonja Chong said the additional numbers are a boost to its efforts to develop a Winter Olympian for the 2014 Sochi Games.
'It's an indication of the success of the programme, and hopefully we can build on this momentum,' she said.
Matthew and Co. made the final cut after impressing Nadeau with their ability to learn the various techniques quickly.
'I feel very lucky because I might not have made it if only six were selected,' he said. 'My hope is to qualify for the Winter Youth Olympic Games. That would be a good start. But my dream is to compete in the Winter Games.'
The other Changchun-bound athletes are Deanna See, 15, Anja Chong, 16, Vernetta Fong, 15, Yap Rong Xing, 22, Liang Qi'en, 19, Germaine Lim, 15, Lucas Ng, 21, Bertrand Chew, 19, Lim June Liang, 22, and brothers Kenneth, 17, and Terence Chew, 23.
Two participants - Condrey Liu, 24, and Kevin Tan, 34 - were also selected to attend the developmental camp as coaches. They will be joined by athletes from Malaysia and Thailand.
Deanna, who, like Matthew, has a figure skating background, said: 'It's been a whirlwind few weeks. A month ago, I heard about this camp, and now I'm going for it.'
IN HIS Winter Olympics dreams, Matthew Mak always saw himself as a figure skater.
The 13-year-old Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student is now a step closer to realising his dream of representing Singapore on ice - but as a speed skater instead.
He was one of 12 skaters who were selected yesterday to attend an eight-day International Skating Union (ISU) speed skating training camp in Changchun, China, from Sept 18-25.
The selection was made at the end of Singapore's first short track speed skating camp, which began on Sunday and ended last night.
The camp was organised by the Singapore Ice Skating Association (Sisa) and the ISU to identify the first batch of athletes with the potential of representing Singapore in the sport.
More than 80 participants - almost thrice the number that Sisa had expected - turned up on Sunday.
From there, 30 were chosen to stay for the remainder of the camp by coach Yves Nadeau, a renowned speed skating coach who has worked with world and Olympic champions.
Although Sisa had planned to select only the top three men and three women, the ISU decided in the end to extend the quota after being won over by the participants' enthusiasm.
Sisa president Sonja Chong said the additional numbers are a boost to its efforts to develop a Winter Olympian for the 2014 Sochi Games.
'It's an indication of the success of the programme, and hopefully we can build on this momentum,' she said.
Matthew and Co. made the final cut after impressing Nadeau with their ability to learn the various techniques quickly.
'I feel very lucky because I might not have made it if only six were selected,' he said. 'My hope is to qualify for the Winter Youth Olympic Games. That would be a good start. But my dream is to compete in the Winter Games.'
The other Changchun-bound athletes are Deanna See, 15, Anja Chong, 16, Vernetta Fong, 15, Yap Rong Xing, 22, Liang Qi'en, 19, Germaine Lim, 15, Lucas Ng, 21, Bertrand Chew, 19, Lim June Liang, 22, and brothers Kenneth, 17, and Terence Chew, 23.
Two participants - Condrey Liu, 24, and Kevin Tan, 34 - were also selected to attend the developmental camp as coaches. They will be joined by athletes from Malaysia and Thailand.
Deanna, who, like Matthew, has a figure skating background, said: 'It's been a whirlwind few weeks. A month ago, I heard about this camp, and now I'm going for it.'
15 September 2010
Singapore Sports Council's target in Rio 2016
6 medals in 2016@Straits Times
TWO years after the breakthrough in Beijing, the country's sports authorities are dreaming big - a clutch of medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) has set an ambitious target of bringing back six medals of any colour, a notion Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck called 'bold, but achievable'.
The announcement was met by scepticism among some in the sports fraternity, considering that the women table tennis team's silver at the 2008 Beijing Games was the Republic's first Olympic medal in 48 years.
But Bob Gambardella, the SSC's chief of sports development and head of the sports institute, said it is not a target 'pulled out of the sky'.
'We looked at similar-sized countries like New Zealand and Croatia, and used a predictive table that I had from my time at the United States Olympic Committee,' he said at a press conference that was also attended by Mr Teo yesterday.
Both New Zealand and Croatia have won numerous Olympic medals despite having a population similar to Singapore's five million.
At the 2008 Beijing Games, using athletes' past performances, the American predicted 20 medals in the 11 sports under his charge. The eventual haul was 19.
Gambardella, who came to Singapore a year ago after more than a decade holding various positions within the USOC, is eyeing one to two medals at the next Olympics in 2012 in London.
These will likely come from the women paddlers led by Feng Tianwei. Singapore Table Tennis Association president Lee Bee Wah had previously targeted two medals for 2012, and another two at the following Olympics.
'It's ambitious but funding is the most crucial element, we'll need at least a million dollars more,' she said yesterday. Her association was allocated over $1.5 million in government grants for the financial year 2010.
The Olympic medal burden is also expected to be shouldered by athletes from shooting (such as Jasmine Ser), sailing (Darren Choy) and swimming (Tao Li, Quah Ting Wen and Rainer Ng).
Part of the optimism among sports officials in setting the six-medal target stems from Singapore's two silvers and four bronzes at last month's Youth Olympic Games.
Members of Parliament have also tabled questions for today's sitting on what will be done to groom YOG athletes for further success.
The Straits Times understands that sports administrators have drawn up a preliminary shortlist of 15 of them, earmarking them as having strong potential to win at the highest levels, including the 2016 Olympics.
They include Darren, and YOG silver medallists Isabelle Li (table tennis) and Rainer. All are aged between 14 and 18.
Still, except for the women paddlers who upset China to take the world championship crown in May, the other three sports have not proven themselves at the Olympic level.
But SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik said in response to potential detractors: 'It's high time we stopped saying that we're going to major Games just for the experience.
'If we keep doing that, then the question is when are the athletes ready to win?'
The former swimmer, who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, pointed to Singapore's record medal hauls at recent multi-sport events - the 2005 Manila South-east Asia Games (except as hosts) and 2006 Doha Asian Games.
'Our athletes have shown that they can compete at not just the regional level, but on the global stage,' Oon added.
The new Sports Institute to be set up at the Sports Hub and ready in four years' time will be crucial to the 2016 plan.
It will provide sports science, sports medicine and other forms of support, following loosely models of similar facilities in Australia, the United States and Japan.
'To borrow a phrase from (former sailing president) Low Teo Ping, the pipeline is our lifeline,' said Oon.
On winning a medal in the pool in 2016, former Olympian and swim coach David Lim said: 'It's going to be twice as tough as in the YOG. The field is so much stronger at the Summer Olympics.
'Setting targets is fine, but from now until 2016, the authorities need to do everything in their power to prepare these athletes.'
TWO years after the breakthrough in Beijing, the country's sports authorities are dreaming big - a clutch of medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) has set an ambitious target of bringing back six medals of any colour, a notion Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck called 'bold, but achievable'.
The announcement was met by scepticism among some in the sports fraternity, considering that the women table tennis team's silver at the 2008 Beijing Games was the Republic's first Olympic medal in 48 years.
But Bob Gambardella, the SSC's chief of sports development and head of the sports institute, said it is not a target 'pulled out of the sky'.
'We looked at similar-sized countries like New Zealand and Croatia, and used a predictive table that I had from my time at the United States Olympic Committee,' he said at a press conference that was also attended by Mr Teo yesterday.
Both New Zealand and Croatia have won numerous Olympic medals despite having a population similar to Singapore's five million.
At the 2008 Beijing Games, using athletes' past performances, the American predicted 20 medals in the 11 sports under his charge. The eventual haul was 19.
Gambardella, who came to Singapore a year ago after more than a decade holding various positions within the USOC, is eyeing one to two medals at the next Olympics in 2012 in London.
These will likely come from the women paddlers led by Feng Tianwei. Singapore Table Tennis Association president Lee Bee Wah had previously targeted two medals for 2012, and another two at the following Olympics.
'It's ambitious but funding is the most crucial element, we'll need at least a million dollars more,' she said yesterday. Her association was allocated over $1.5 million in government grants for the financial year 2010.
The Olympic medal burden is also expected to be shouldered by athletes from shooting (such as Jasmine Ser), sailing (Darren Choy) and swimming (Tao Li, Quah Ting Wen and Rainer Ng).
Part of the optimism among sports officials in setting the six-medal target stems from Singapore's two silvers and four bronzes at last month's Youth Olympic Games.
Members of Parliament have also tabled questions for today's sitting on what will be done to groom YOG athletes for further success.
The Straits Times understands that sports administrators have drawn up a preliminary shortlist of 15 of them, earmarking them as having strong potential to win at the highest levels, including the 2016 Olympics.
They include Darren, and YOG silver medallists Isabelle Li (table tennis) and Rainer. All are aged between 14 and 18.
Still, except for the women paddlers who upset China to take the world championship crown in May, the other three sports have not proven themselves at the Olympic level.
But SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik said in response to potential detractors: 'It's high time we stopped saying that we're going to major Games just for the experience.
'If we keep doing that, then the question is when are the athletes ready to win?'
The former swimmer, who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, pointed to Singapore's record medal hauls at recent multi-sport events - the 2005 Manila South-east Asia Games (except as hosts) and 2006 Doha Asian Games.
'Our athletes have shown that they can compete at not just the regional level, but on the global stage,' Oon added.
The new Sports Institute to be set up at the Sports Hub and ready in four years' time will be crucial to the 2016 plan.
It will provide sports science, sports medicine and other forms of support, following loosely models of similar facilities in Australia, the United States and Japan.
'To borrow a phrase from (former sailing president) Low Teo Ping, the pipeline is our lifeline,' said Oon.
On winning a medal in the pool in 2016, former Olympian and swim coach David Lim said: 'It's going to be twice as tough as in the YOG. The field is so much stronger at the Summer Olympics.
'Setting targets is fine, but from now until 2016, the authorities need to do everything in their power to prepare these athletes.'
Singapore Sports Hub watersports centre
Sports Hub - A watersports centre for all@CNA
SINGAPORE : One of its main attractions was supposed to be a white-water rafting course but, as plans developed, the consortium awarded the tender to build and operate Singapore's new Sports Hub decided the proposed watersports centre at Kallang would do without it, at least initially.
The plan is to build the white-water rafting course a few years after the Sports Hub opens its doors in April 2014 by tapping on the Premier Park Foundation.
The foundation reinvests a portion of the revenue generated by the Sports Hub on future events, activities and facilities.
When it opens in 2014, the watersports centre will boast a 500m race course, warm-up and open areas for competitors and officials, indoor and outdoor storage facilities and training and boat-washing amenities for canoeing, kayaking, dragon-boating and rowing.
Besides targeting world-class competitive events, the centre will be open to the public, who will be able to use and enjoy a family-friendly facility.
"The Singapore Sports Hub is a manifestation of Singapore's sporting vision - the creation of a truly sustainable, fully integrated, premier land and sea sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub," said SportsHub Pte Ltd's Eugene De Rozario.
The watersports centre is part of a 35-ha site at Kallang which includes the current National Stadium, and the whole area will be transformed in four years' time.
The Sports Hub will include a new stadium with a 55,000-capacity and a retractable roof, a 6,000-capacity indoor aquatics arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena that can seat 3,000, a sports institute and 41,000 square metres of business, commercial and retail space.
The project was re-started late last-month after a two-year delay due to the global financial crisis.
Dismantling work on the 37-year-old National Stadium has already begun, with wrecking balls expected to move in next month.
The adjacent 12,000-seater Singapore Indoor Stadium, which opened in 1989, will also undergo refurbishment work.
Among the other facilities at the watersports centre site at Kallang Basin will be a visitor centre with reception counters, seating and information areas and commercial space with food and beverage outlets.
It will also feature a sheltered viewing gallery located within the building, providing a panoramic view of the waterway.
Dr Shaun Ho, team manager of Singapore's canoeing team at last month's Youth Olympic Games, believes the watersports centre will be the "final piece in the jigsaw".
"It's just fantastic that we'd soon have a world-class watersports centre," said Dr Ho, 30, a public officer at Republic Polytechnic. "It's been a long time coming, especially as Singapore has always been an ideal location to host world-class events. And it would be great if there were spectator stands, too."
National sailor Natasha Yokoyama, 16, who competed in the Byte CII girls event at the Youth Olympics, added: "It would be good if the watersports centre also had instructors there to guide users, because safety is most important when you do watersports."
Discussions are underway to secure top-class sporting events, including watersports events, at the Sports Hub, as part of the contractual agreement with the Singapore Sports Council to design, build, finance and operate the facility on a 25-year lease in the world's largest private-public partnership.
"There are definitely plans to stage world-class events," said De Rozario. "These are all still being discussed and will take some time before they are entered into the calendar."
SINGAPORE : One of its main attractions was supposed to be a white-water rafting course but, as plans developed, the consortium awarded the tender to build and operate Singapore's new Sports Hub decided the proposed watersports centre at Kallang would do without it, at least initially.
The plan is to build the white-water rafting course a few years after the Sports Hub opens its doors in April 2014 by tapping on the Premier Park Foundation.
The foundation reinvests a portion of the revenue generated by the Sports Hub on future events, activities and facilities.
When it opens in 2014, the watersports centre will boast a 500m race course, warm-up and open areas for competitors and officials, indoor and outdoor storage facilities and training and boat-washing amenities for canoeing, kayaking, dragon-boating and rowing.
Besides targeting world-class competitive events, the centre will be open to the public, who will be able to use and enjoy a family-friendly facility.
"The Singapore Sports Hub is a manifestation of Singapore's sporting vision - the creation of a truly sustainable, fully integrated, premier land and sea sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub," said SportsHub Pte Ltd's Eugene De Rozario.
The watersports centre is part of a 35-ha site at Kallang which includes the current National Stadium, and the whole area will be transformed in four years' time.
The Sports Hub will include a new stadium with a 55,000-capacity and a retractable roof, a 6,000-capacity indoor aquatics arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena that can seat 3,000, a sports institute and 41,000 square metres of business, commercial and retail space.
The project was re-started late last-month after a two-year delay due to the global financial crisis.
Dismantling work on the 37-year-old National Stadium has already begun, with wrecking balls expected to move in next month.
The adjacent 12,000-seater Singapore Indoor Stadium, which opened in 1989, will also undergo refurbishment work.
Among the other facilities at the watersports centre site at Kallang Basin will be a visitor centre with reception counters, seating and information areas and commercial space with food and beverage outlets.
It will also feature a sheltered viewing gallery located within the building, providing a panoramic view of the waterway.
Dr Shaun Ho, team manager of Singapore's canoeing team at last month's Youth Olympic Games, believes the watersports centre will be the "final piece in the jigsaw".
"It's just fantastic that we'd soon have a world-class watersports centre," said Dr Ho, 30, a public officer at Republic Polytechnic. "It's been a long time coming, especially as Singapore has always been an ideal location to host world-class events. And it would be great if there were spectator stands, too."
National sailor Natasha Yokoyama, 16, who competed in the Byte CII girls event at the Youth Olympics, added: "It would be good if the watersports centre also had instructors there to guide users, because safety is most important when you do watersports."
Discussions are underway to secure top-class sporting events, including watersports events, at the Sports Hub, as part of the contractual agreement with the Singapore Sports Council to design, build, finance and operate the facility on a 25-year lease in the world's largest private-public partnership.
"There are definitely plans to stage world-class events," said De Rozario. "These are all still being discussed and will take some time before they are entered into the calendar."
14 September 2010
Australia high performance funding
Athletes big winners in new high performance funding@ASC
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Board today announced the allocation to national sporting organisations (NSO) of $23.2 million in new high performance sport funding.
‘This extra funding is part of the largest package ever allocated to Australian sport,’ the Chair of the ASC Board the Hon Warwick Smith AM said today.
Mr Smith welcomed the support of both sides of politics for this allocation of high performance funding immediately, to meet the needs of sports.
As part of the Australian sport reform package Australian Sport: The Pathway to Success, the Government tasked the ASC with implementing the new direction and distribution of funding.
The new high performance funding injections range from $200,000 to $3 million per annum, benefiting 25 Olympic, Paralympic and non-Olympic Australian sporting bodies.
Swimming Australia and the Australian Paralympic Committee received the highest allocations of $3 million each which will help spearhead Australian elite sport through to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and beyond.
All NSOs were encouraged to bid for the new high performance funding to drive Australia’s continued sporting success.
In order to determine how best to invest the additional high performance funding the ASC developed an improved assessment framework based on the existing ‘Excellence, Relevance and Effectiveness’ criteria utilised by the Commission during previous funding deliberations.
Consistent with the focus on a more collaborative and effective sport system, the ASC consulted with State and Territory Institutes and Academies of Sport and State and Territory Departments of Sport and Recreation, in relation to the assessment criteria prior to making any decisions.
The additional high performance funding has been made to sports seen to demonstrate an ability to deliver successful outcomes in line with the Government’s new direction for sport.
This funding is in addition to the current baseline high performance funding NSO’s will continue to receive.
‘We believe that this high performance funding will provide exciting new opportunities for Australian sporting organisations and the elite athletes that all Australians are so proud of,’ Mr Smith said.
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Board today announced the allocation to national sporting organisations (NSO) of $23.2 million in new high performance sport funding.
‘This extra funding is part of the largest package ever allocated to Australian sport,’ the Chair of the ASC Board the Hon Warwick Smith AM said today.
Mr Smith welcomed the support of both sides of politics for this allocation of high performance funding immediately, to meet the needs of sports.
As part of the Australian sport reform package Australian Sport: The Pathway to Success, the Government tasked the ASC with implementing the new direction and distribution of funding.
The new high performance funding injections range from $200,000 to $3 million per annum, benefiting 25 Olympic, Paralympic and non-Olympic Australian sporting bodies.
Swimming Australia and the Australian Paralympic Committee received the highest allocations of $3 million each which will help spearhead Australian elite sport through to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and beyond.
All NSOs were encouraged to bid for the new high performance funding to drive Australia’s continued sporting success.
In order to determine how best to invest the additional high performance funding the ASC developed an improved assessment framework based on the existing ‘Excellence, Relevance and Effectiveness’ criteria utilised by the Commission during previous funding deliberations.
Consistent with the focus on a more collaborative and effective sport system, the ASC consulted with State and Territory Institutes and Academies of Sport and State and Territory Departments of Sport and Recreation, in relation to the assessment criteria prior to making any decisions.
The additional high performance funding has been made to sports seen to demonstrate an ability to deliver successful outcomes in line with the Government’s new direction for sport.
This funding is in addition to the current baseline high performance funding NSO’s will continue to receive.
‘We believe that this high performance funding will provide exciting new opportunities for Australian sporting organisations and the elite athletes that all Australians are so proud of,’ Mr Smith said.
AIS high performance sports programs in 2011
AIS high performance sports programs confirmed for 2011@ASC
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has announced that the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will move to support 35 high performance sport programs across 26 sports from 2011 in an effort to ensure the Institute continues to operate as a world class sports training facility.
Like all organisations, the AIS has had to find productivity improvements to sustain its performance and capacity to strategically support high performance sport in Australia.
Recognising the continuing annual rise in costs to deliver and support these programs, the AIS cannot continue to support the current number of programs whilst also maintaining the integrity of the AIS in line with its aspiration to be the world’s best sports institute producing champions for Australia.
In consideration of this, from 2011, the AIS will not deliver high performance programs for three of its current sport programs – archery, boxing and golf - at the conclusion of their respective scholarship periods.
This decision also allows the AIS to maximise Government investment in high performance sport by ensuring the Institute better aligns with the priority high performance sports identified earlier this year by the joint Australian Sports Commission/State and Territory Institutes and Academies of Sport National Assessment Process.
The AIS has informed the national sporting bodies affected by this decision and will work closely with athletes, coaches and staff currently involved in these programs.
Those athletes affected will continue to receive AIS support services in accordance with the AIS Athlete Transition Policy once their programs conclude.
The ASC has allocated extra high performance funding to archery, boxing and golf to support their programs outside of the AIS.
This allocation of extra funding to these sports will allow the sports to run their own high performance programs to best fit their individual needs.
From 2011 the AIS will also remodel the AIS Gymnastics program from a residential to a camps-based program. This shift supports the new high performance plan developed by Gymnastics Australia.
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has announced that the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will move to support 35 high performance sport programs across 26 sports from 2011 in an effort to ensure the Institute continues to operate as a world class sports training facility.
Like all organisations, the AIS has had to find productivity improvements to sustain its performance and capacity to strategically support high performance sport in Australia.
Recognising the continuing annual rise in costs to deliver and support these programs, the AIS cannot continue to support the current number of programs whilst also maintaining the integrity of the AIS in line with its aspiration to be the world’s best sports institute producing champions for Australia.
In consideration of this, from 2011, the AIS will not deliver high performance programs for three of its current sport programs – archery, boxing and golf - at the conclusion of their respective scholarship periods.
This decision also allows the AIS to maximise Government investment in high performance sport by ensuring the Institute better aligns with the priority high performance sports identified earlier this year by the joint Australian Sports Commission/State and Territory Institutes and Academies of Sport National Assessment Process.
The AIS has informed the national sporting bodies affected by this decision and will work closely with athletes, coaches and staff currently involved in these programs.
Those athletes affected will continue to receive AIS support services in accordance with the AIS Athlete Transition Policy once their programs conclude.
The ASC has allocated extra high performance funding to archery, boxing and golf to support their programs outside of the AIS.
This allocation of extra funding to these sports will allow the sports to run their own high performance programs to best fit their individual needs.
From 2011 the AIS will also remodel the AIS Gymnastics program from a residential to a camps-based program. This shift supports the new high performance plan developed by Gymnastics Australia.
26 August 2010
Singapore Sports Hub to open by April 2014
Sports Hub to open by April 2014@CNA
SINGAPORE: After being stalled for nearly two years due to the global financial downturn, the Sports Hub project will finally kick into gear.
On Wednesday, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) signed the contract with the Singapore Sports Hub Consortium to design, build, finance and operate the Sports Hub for the next 25 years on a 35-hectare site in Kallang.
Demolition of the National Stadium, which sits on the site, will begin in October, and the new facility will open its doors by April 2014.
The final construction cost is estimated to be $1.33 billion - which the Government will pay in annual payments.
No financing details were available following the midnight announcement.
"I am glad that we are ready to start construction of the Singapore Sports Hub," said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, in a statement.
"It will be a fully integrated sports, leisure, entertainment and lifestyle hub for world-class events and community activities. The facilities will be accessible to the public and to top athletes to train and compete in. As part of the Greater Marina Bay masterplan, the Singapore Sports Hub will also contribute to the larger Government objective of re-positioning Singapore as a great place to work, live and play," he said.
When completed, the Sports Hub will include a 55,000-seat National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000-seat indoor aquatics arena, about 41,000 square metres of business, commercial and retail space, and a sports institute.
Two new features of the Sports Hub are a bowl-cooling system and retractable seats for the main stadium.
The bowl cooling system features blowing treated air from chillers through holes in the tier below each seat.
There will also be a sports library and sports museum, as well as other amenities including a volleyball court, rock-climbing wall, hard courts, a skate park and state-of-the-art training and sports recovery facilities, among others.
The Sports Hub will also strive to attract live entertainment events, conventions and exhibitions, while 80 corporate boxes will be available for lease during major sporting events.
The deal between the Singapore Government and the consortium is the largest sports infrastructure public-private-partnership project in the world.
Sports Hub deal sealed@Straits Times
PEN was put to paper yesterday on the contract that will pave the way for the construction of the Sports Hub.
Demolition of the National Stadium will begin by October, with the new 35ha facility catering to both sports and non-sports enthusiasts to open its doors by April 2014, the Singapore Sports Council said in a press statement early this morning.
The centrepiece remains a new 55,000-seater stadium with a retractable roof, with other highlights including a 6,000-capacity indoor Aquatic Centre, a water sports centre, and 41,000 sq m of commercial space.
But several features not in the initial proposal by a private consortium tasked to build the world-class project have been added. They include a beach volleyball court and rock climbing wall.
The construction cost is $1.33 billion. This does not include the costs of operating the facility.
Under the agreed public-private-partnership (PPP) scheme, the winning consortium Singapore Sports Hub Consortium (SSHC) will bear the cost of constructing and operating the Sports Hub. The Government will, however, make an annual payment to SSHC over 25 years.
The new cost announced is higher than the $1.2 billion estimated in 2008.
'I am glad that we are ready to start construction of the Singapore Sports Hub,' the statement quoted Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan as saying.
'It will be a fully integrated sports, leisure, entertainment and lifestyle hub for world class events and community activities.
'As part of the Greater Marina Bay masterplan, the Singapore Sports Hub will also contribute to the larger government objective of repositioning Singapore as a great place to work, live and play,' he added.
Since its announcement, the Sports Hub has been dogged by repeated delays and been a magnet for criticism. Its completion date was pushed back from this year to next year, 2012 and then 2013.
After the SSHC beat two other groups to be named the project's preferred bidder in January 2008, it struggled to raise financing for construction to begin due to the recession.
Mr Ludwig Reichhold, the managing director of Dragages Singapore which heads the SSHC, said: 'We are ready to go full swing.'
Other members of the consortium include United Premas, a facilities management company, and events management firm World Sport Group.
It is understood that while $1.87 billion was the initial cost to the Government over the 25-year period for the contract with the SSHC, this figure will now change as there have been tweaks to the financing terms.
Under the PPP scheme, SSHC is in charge of designing, financing, building and operating the hub.
Events such as the Asean Football League and Twenty20 cricket matches are among the high-profile events being planned to ensure it remains a vibrant year-round destination.
Singapore Rugby Union president Low Teo Ping, who had been among those eagerly awaiting the hub's completion, said: 'Now we can try to bid to get the highly successful Rugby 7s series back.
'With the sport making its debut at the 2016 Olympics, we could see qualifying matches for the Rio Games played here too from 2014 onwards.'
The Sports Hub's completion will also allow the Republic to host a major Games like the South-east Asia Games.
It had given up hosting rights for the 2013 edition as the Hub could not be completed in time. Cambodia are the front runners for the 2015 SEA Games, though no country has been picked yet.
SINGAPORE: After being stalled for nearly two years due to the global financial downturn, the Sports Hub project will finally kick into gear.
On Wednesday, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) signed the contract with the Singapore Sports Hub Consortium to design, build, finance and operate the Sports Hub for the next 25 years on a 35-hectare site in Kallang.
Demolition of the National Stadium, which sits on the site, will begin in October, and the new facility will open its doors by April 2014.
The final construction cost is estimated to be $1.33 billion - which the Government will pay in annual payments.
No financing details were available following the midnight announcement.
"I am glad that we are ready to start construction of the Singapore Sports Hub," said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, in a statement.
"It will be a fully integrated sports, leisure, entertainment and lifestyle hub for world-class events and community activities. The facilities will be accessible to the public and to top athletes to train and compete in. As part of the Greater Marina Bay masterplan, the Singapore Sports Hub will also contribute to the larger Government objective of re-positioning Singapore as a great place to work, live and play," he said.
When completed, the Sports Hub will include a 55,000-seat National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000-seat indoor aquatics arena, about 41,000 square metres of business, commercial and retail space, and a sports institute.
Two new features of the Sports Hub are a bowl-cooling system and retractable seats for the main stadium.
The bowl cooling system features blowing treated air from chillers through holes in the tier below each seat.
There will also be a sports library and sports museum, as well as other amenities including a volleyball court, rock-climbing wall, hard courts, a skate park and state-of-the-art training and sports recovery facilities, among others.
The Sports Hub will also strive to attract live entertainment events, conventions and exhibitions, while 80 corporate boxes will be available for lease during major sporting events.
The deal between the Singapore Government and the consortium is the largest sports infrastructure public-private-partnership project in the world.
Sports Hub deal sealed@Straits Times
PEN was put to paper yesterday on the contract that will pave the way for the construction of the Sports Hub.
Demolition of the National Stadium will begin by October, with the new 35ha facility catering to both sports and non-sports enthusiasts to open its doors by April 2014, the Singapore Sports Council said in a press statement early this morning.
The centrepiece remains a new 55,000-seater stadium with a retractable roof, with other highlights including a 6,000-capacity indoor Aquatic Centre, a water sports centre, and 41,000 sq m of commercial space.
But several features not in the initial proposal by a private consortium tasked to build the world-class project have been added. They include a beach volleyball court and rock climbing wall.
The construction cost is $1.33 billion. This does not include the costs of operating the facility.
Under the agreed public-private-partnership (PPP) scheme, the winning consortium Singapore Sports Hub Consortium (SSHC) will bear the cost of constructing and operating the Sports Hub. The Government will, however, make an annual payment to SSHC over 25 years.
The new cost announced is higher than the $1.2 billion estimated in 2008.
'I am glad that we are ready to start construction of the Singapore Sports Hub,' the statement quoted Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan as saying.
'It will be a fully integrated sports, leisure, entertainment and lifestyle hub for world class events and community activities.
'As part of the Greater Marina Bay masterplan, the Singapore Sports Hub will also contribute to the larger government objective of repositioning Singapore as a great place to work, live and play,' he added.
Since its announcement, the Sports Hub has been dogged by repeated delays and been a magnet for criticism. Its completion date was pushed back from this year to next year, 2012 and then 2013.
After the SSHC beat two other groups to be named the project's preferred bidder in January 2008, it struggled to raise financing for construction to begin due to the recession.
Mr Ludwig Reichhold, the managing director of Dragages Singapore which heads the SSHC, said: 'We are ready to go full swing.'
Other members of the consortium include United Premas, a facilities management company, and events management firm World Sport Group.
It is understood that while $1.87 billion was the initial cost to the Government over the 25-year period for the contract with the SSHC, this figure will now change as there have been tweaks to the financing terms.
Under the PPP scheme, SSHC is in charge of designing, financing, building and operating the hub.
Events such as the Asean Football League and Twenty20 cricket matches are among the high-profile events being planned to ensure it remains a vibrant year-round destination.
Singapore Rugby Union president Low Teo Ping, who had been among those eagerly awaiting the hub's completion, said: 'Now we can try to bid to get the highly successful Rugby 7s series back.
'With the sport making its debut at the 2016 Olympics, we could see qualifying matches for the Rio Games played here too from 2014 onwards.'
The Sports Hub's completion will also allow the Republic to host a major Games like the South-east Asia Games.
It had given up hosting rights for the 2013 edition as the Hub could not be completed in time. Cambodia are the front runners for the 2015 SEA Games, though no country has been picked yet.
20 August 2010
MOU between JOC and SNOC
S'pore-Japan sports exchange@Staits Times
SINGAPORE athletes and coaches can look forward to exchange programmes in Japan over the next four years, after the signing of an agreement between the two countries' National Olympic Committees yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister and Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) president Teo Chee Hean and Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda signed the document in a ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel yesterday.
Mr Teo noted that Japan has achieved numerous sporting successes, and has also organised international meets.
'Japan is one of the powerhouses in sports and in Asia as well,' he said.
Japan has won Olympic medals in a diversity of sports, including judo, gymnastics, wrestling, swimming, athletics and volleyball.
Mr Teo added in his speech: 'There's much that we can learn from you; our national sports federations can learn from your national sports federations.
'Our SNOC can learn from you in a variety of ways, in terms of preparation for Games, training and helping our athletes compete, and even in terms of administration and marketing.'
The partnership covers sharing of information, promoting athlete, official and coach exchanges, and exchange of sports science and anti-doping activities.
The recently completed National Training Centre in Tokyo will host Singaporeans once individual national sports associations firm up their plans on who to send.
Mr Takeda said he hopes his athletes can learn from Singapore's sailors and table tennis players, who have achieved global success in recent years.
Meanwhile, Mr Teo said he was delighted with several aspects of the ongoing Youth Olympic Games, including the volunteers' efforts and Singapore athletes' performances.
The Republic has two bronzes (taekwondo), one mixed-team bronze (archery) and one silver (swimming) so far.
'Quite frankly, we were not quite sure what to expect and they have exceeded our expectations,' he said.
SINGAPORE athletes and coaches can look forward to exchange programmes in Japan over the next four years, after the signing of an agreement between the two countries' National Olympic Committees yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister and Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) president Teo Chee Hean and Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda signed the document in a ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel yesterday.
Mr Teo noted that Japan has achieved numerous sporting successes, and has also organised international meets.
'Japan is one of the powerhouses in sports and in Asia as well,' he said.
Japan has won Olympic medals in a diversity of sports, including judo, gymnastics, wrestling, swimming, athletics and volleyball.
Mr Teo added in his speech: 'There's much that we can learn from you; our national sports federations can learn from your national sports federations.
'Our SNOC can learn from you in a variety of ways, in terms of preparation for Games, training and helping our athletes compete, and even in terms of administration and marketing.'
The partnership covers sharing of information, promoting athlete, official and coach exchanges, and exchange of sports science and anti-doping activities.
The recently completed National Training Centre in Tokyo will host Singaporeans once individual national sports associations firm up their plans on who to send.
Mr Takeda said he hopes his athletes can learn from Singapore's sailors and table tennis players, who have achieved global success in recent years.
Meanwhile, Mr Teo said he was delighted with several aspects of the ongoing Youth Olympic Games, including the volunteers' efforts and Singapore athletes' performances.
The Republic has two bronzes (taekwondo), one mixed-team bronze (archery) and one silver (swimming) so far.
'Quite frankly, we were not quite sure what to expect and they have exceeded our expectations,' he said.
19 August 2010
IOC’s social networking
Join the Olympic Social Media Club!@IOC
Today’s young people have never known life without the internet. They have grown up with a mouse in their hands and the world wide web at their fingertips. In fact, the internet has become such a huge part of their everyday lives that recent figures indicated that the average teen spends as much as 31 hours per week online. It’s little wonder that the IOC is using digital media more and more as a way to engage with young people and encourage them to be more active when it comes to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
Indeed, with over 1.7 million young fans on the IOC’s social-networking site Facebook, and thousands more followers on micro-blogging site Twitter, the Olympic Games has already taken the social media world by storm – and now the Youth Olympic Games is doing the same.
Today’s young people have never known life without the internet. They have grown up with a mouse in their hands and the world wide web at their fingertips. In fact, the internet has become such a huge part of their everyday lives that recent figures indicated that the average teen spends as much as 31 hours per week online. It’s little wonder that the IOC is using digital media more and more as a way to engage with young people and encourage them to be more active when it comes to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
Indeed, with over 1.7 million young fans on the IOC’s social-networking site Facebook, and thousands more followers on micro-blogging site Twitter, the Olympic Games has already taken the social media world by storm – and now the Youth Olympic Games is doing the same.
13 August 2010
Singapore Youth Olympic Scholarships awarded
Six young athletes awarded first Singapore Youth Olympic Scholarships « Red Sports. Always Game@YOG2010
Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew presented the first Youth Olympic Games Scholarships today as a legacy of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games, and as part of the country’s commitment to the Olympic Movement.
The scholarships aim to seed the pursuit of excellence and the forging of friendships. Six fully-funded scholarships to the Singapore Sports School were presented to students from Botswana, Guyana1, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore and Thailand.
The scholarship recipients are: Ebineng Seabe Beryl (Botswana, swimming), Jevina Raydon Sampson (Guyana, Athletics), Angeline Tang An Qi (Malaysia, table tennis), Nieto Herrera Janina Sofia (Peru, table tennis), Ang Wan Qi (Singapore, table tennis), and Phiangkhwan Pawapotako (Thailand, swimming). Please see Annex for details.
“Singapore is a small open and cosmopolitan city with no natural resources. The key determinant of our future is our people – in particular, our young people. This is why we invest so heavily in education, transmitting values that have stood the test of time, enabling our young people to reach across cultural boundaries and equipping them to seize opportunities in a rapidly changing world. These Scholarships represent our commitment to share these opportunities with top talented students from the Olympic Movement,” said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.
“Singaporean youth will benefit from a more diverse classroom environment and increased opportunities to learn from their new international schoolmates, reinforcing the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect,” he added.
Some 30 National Olympic Committees submitted a total of 54 applications for the scholarships between February and April 2010. In May and June, short-listed candidates were invited to Singapore for interviews, and recipients were informed of their selection in July.
The scholarships are funded by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, with operational support from the Singapore Sports School, the Singapore National Olympic Council, the Olympic Solidarity and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee.
About Singapore 2010 – Blazing the Trail
Singapore is hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) from 14 to 26 August 2010. The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games will receive some 5,000 athletes and officials from the 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), along with estimated 1,900 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers, and 320,000 spectators. Young athletes - aged between 14 and 18 years - will compete in 26 sports and take part in a Culture and Education Programme.
The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games aims to inspire youth around the world to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. It will create a lasting sports, culture and education legacy for Singapore and youth from around the world, as well as enhance and elevate the sporting culture locally and regionally.
For more information, please visit www.singapore2010.sg
Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew presented the first Youth Olympic Games Scholarships today as a legacy of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games, and as part of the country’s commitment to the Olympic Movement.
The scholarships aim to seed the pursuit of excellence and the forging of friendships. Six fully-funded scholarships to the Singapore Sports School were presented to students from Botswana, Guyana1, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore and Thailand.
The scholarship recipients are: Ebineng Seabe Beryl (Botswana, swimming), Jevina Raydon Sampson (Guyana, Athletics), Angeline Tang An Qi (Malaysia, table tennis), Nieto Herrera Janina Sofia (Peru, table tennis), Ang Wan Qi (Singapore, table tennis), and Phiangkhwan Pawapotako (Thailand, swimming). Please see Annex for details.
“Singapore is a small open and cosmopolitan city with no natural resources. The key determinant of our future is our people – in particular, our young people. This is why we invest so heavily in education, transmitting values that have stood the test of time, enabling our young people to reach across cultural boundaries and equipping them to seize opportunities in a rapidly changing world. These Scholarships represent our commitment to share these opportunities with top talented students from the Olympic Movement,” said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.
“Singaporean youth will benefit from a more diverse classroom environment and increased opportunities to learn from their new international schoolmates, reinforcing the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect,” he added.
Some 30 National Olympic Committees submitted a total of 54 applications for the scholarships between February and April 2010. In May and June, short-listed candidates were invited to Singapore for interviews, and recipients were informed of their selection in July.
The scholarships are funded by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, with operational support from the Singapore Sports School, the Singapore National Olympic Council, the Olympic Solidarity and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee.
About Singapore 2010 – Blazing the Trail
Singapore is hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) from 14 to 26 August 2010. The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games will receive some 5,000 athletes and officials from the 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), along with estimated 1,900 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers, and 320,000 spectators. Young athletes - aged between 14 and 18 years - will compete in 26 sports and take part in a Culture and Education Programme.
The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games aims to inspire youth around the world to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. It will create a lasting sports, culture and education legacy for Singapore and youth from around the world, as well as enhance and elevate the sporting culture locally and regionally.
For more information, please visit www.singapore2010.sg
03 August 2010
Youth Olympic Village is ready
Youth Olympic Village ready for YOG athletes and officials@CNA
SINGAPORE: With about two weeks to the official August 10 opening of the Youth Olympic Village at the campus of Nanyang Technological University, organisers say they are ready to welcome the athletes and officials.
The Village Square is where the athletes and officials will rest and relax, and it'll be filled with activities that will leave a lasting impression.
Director of the Culture and Education Programme for the Youth Olympic Games, Lee Pak Sing says: "We have this interesting project called the Photoscape, where we'll take pictures of every athlete and these pictures will be immortalised in the Youth Olympic Park. So when they come back 10 or 20 years from now, they can see their own pictures and say, "Hey look! This is me at the first YOG"."
Over at the dining hall, a temporary kitchen that will serve 22,000 meals a day. Athletes will also have a different dish for 10 days.
It's an elaborate menu that took four to five months to plan.
Head of Catering for the Youth Olympic Village, David Leong says: "During the European theme, we have things like the beef goulash, we have stewed lamb and things like that. For Asia, we'll have our chicken rice, so that it's in sync with the CEP programmes. We also have other things like pizza and pasta which the kids will love.
And during certain days, six days onwards, we have treat stalls. They'll have chicken wings, french fries, these are by the side, and coaches will tell the teams whether they're allowed to eat or not."
There's also a discotheque that will belt out the latest hip hop music - where only soft drinks are served, and a gymnasium that can accommodate 150 people at any one time.
Those who need medical attention can visit the clinic, where condoms will also be made available.
Organisers stressed that the intention is not to widely distribute condoms as some athletes are minors. But they're provided by UNAIDS - the Joint United Nations Programmes on HIV and Aids.
The Residential Zone will be the private corner for athletes and officials.
There are about 4,000 rooms, and all of them will be tended to by professional cleaners. Bed linen will be changed every two days. The committee is expecting about 5,600 bags of laundry to be handled every single day.
With all the amenities in place, organisers are working to ensure that this western corner of Singapore becomes a "home away from home".
SINGAPORE: With about two weeks to the official August 10 opening of the Youth Olympic Village at the campus of Nanyang Technological University, organisers say they are ready to welcome the athletes and officials.
The Village Square is where the athletes and officials will rest and relax, and it'll be filled with activities that will leave a lasting impression.
Director of the Culture and Education Programme for the Youth Olympic Games, Lee Pak Sing says: "We have this interesting project called the Photoscape, where we'll take pictures of every athlete and these pictures will be immortalised in the Youth Olympic Park. So when they come back 10 or 20 years from now, they can see their own pictures and say, "Hey look! This is me at the first YOG"."
Over at the dining hall, a temporary kitchen that will serve 22,000 meals a day. Athletes will also have a different dish for 10 days.
It's an elaborate menu that took four to five months to plan.
Head of Catering for the Youth Olympic Village, David Leong says: "During the European theme, we have things like the beef goulash, we have stewed lamb and things like that. For Asia, we'll have our chicken rice, so that it's in sync with the CEP programmes. We also have other things like pizza and pasta which the kids will love.
And during certain days, six days onwards, we have treat stalls. They'll have chicken wings, french fries, these are by the side, and coaches will tell the teams whether they're allowed to eat or not."
There's also a discotheque that will belt out the latest hip hop music - where only soft drinks are served, and a gymnasium that can accommodate 150 people at any one time.
Those who need medical attention can visit the clinic, where condoms will also be made available.
Organisers stressed that the intention is not to widely distribute condoms as some athletes are minors. But they're provided by UNAIDS - the Joint United Nations Programmes on HIV and Aids.
The Residential Zone will be the private corner for athletes and officials.
There are about 4,000 rooms, and all of them will be tended to by professional cleaners. Bed linen will be changed every two days. The committee is expecting about 5,600 bags of laundry to be handled every single day.
With all the amenities in place, organisers are working to ensure that this western corner of Singapore becomes a "home away from home".
28 July 2010
EIS sports science and medicine staff to make a difference in London Olympics
SPORT SCIENCE & MEDICINE FINDING COMPETITIVE EDGE FOR LONDON@EIS
It’s estimated that in the two years leading up to the London 2012 Games, the EIS will have delivered approximately 409,208 hours of sport science and medical support services to Olympic and Paralympic athletes at EIS High Performance Centres across England.
It’s estimated that in the two years leading up to the London 2012 Games, the EIS will have delivered approximately 409,208 hours of sport science and medical support services to Olympic and Paralympic athletes at EIS High Performance Centres across England.
26 July 2010
YOG online media workroom launched
Online media workroom for YOG launched@CNA
SINGAPORE: An online media workroom was launched Friday to give media around the world access to information about the inaugural Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Singapore from August 14 to 26.
The YOG organising committee says the workroom will enable accredited media to access Games information on-the-go.
As a one-stop-shop, it will also facilitate coverage by reporters and photographers who are unable to attend the Games.
The Online Media Workroom is accessible via the Singapore 2010 website at www.singapore2010.sg/mediaworkroom and will provide editorial and photo content to the international media for editorial use.
These include competition schedules, real-time results, as well as information by the Youth Olympic News Service (YONS) and images by the Youth Olympics Photo Service (YOPS).
SINGAPORE: An online media workroom was launched Friday to give media around the world access to information about the inaugural Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Singapore from August 14 to 26.
The YOG organising committee says the workroom will enable accredited media to access Games information on-the-go.
As a one-stop-shop, it will also facilitate coverage by reporters and photographers who are unable to attend the Games.
The Online Media Workroom is accessible via the Singapore 2010 website at www.singapore2010.sg/mediaworkroom and will provide editorial and photo content to the international media for editorial use.
These include competition schedules, real-time results, as well as information by the Youth Olympic News Service (YONS) and images by the Youth Olympics Photo Service (YOPS).
Singapore Education Ministry (MOE) to set up more Youth Sports Academies
MOE to set up more Youth Sports Academies@CNA
SINGAPORE : The Education Ministry will set up more Youth Sports Academies to cater to a wider range of sports, says Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Masagos Zulkifli.
Speaking at the launch of the MOE Youth Sports Academies 2010 on Friday, he said that in time to come, Singapore could see up to 10 academies catering to an estimated 1,000 athletes at the secondary and pre-university levels.
Mr Masagos added that MOE has completed the first selection of students for three sports - badminton, wushu and table tennis.
Forty-nine Secondary One students from 20 schools have enrolled in the three youth sports academies. - CNA/ms
SINGAPORE : The Education Ministry will set up more Youth Sports Academies to cater to a wider range of sports, says Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Masagos Zulkifli.
Speaking at the launch of the MOE Youth Sports Academies 2010 on Friday, he said that in time to come, Singapore could see up to 10 academies catering to an estimated 1,000 athletes at the secondary and pre-university levels.
Mr Masagos added that MOE has completed the first selection of students for three sports - badminton, wushu and table tennis.
Forty-nine Secondary One students from 20 schools have enrolled in the three youth sports academies. - CNA/ms
22 July 2010
Singapore to prepare athletes to participate at the Winter Olympics
Olympics: Sunny Singapore heading for the snow slopes@CNA
SINGAPORE: Tropical Singapore is on track to join the ranks of Winter Olympic nations as efforts to form a sporting authority here charge full steam ahead.
Slated to head the national sports association (NSA) is veteran sports administrator Low Teo Ping, who recently stepped down as president of SingaporeSailing.
Although there are already ice hockey and skating bodies here, the Singapore Sports Council said the proposed NSA will oversee only two sports - snowboarding and downhill skiing - with the aim of competing in future Winter Olympics.
The multi-sport event in temperate climate is held every four years, with the last one in Vancouver earlier this year.
In February, Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), revealed that a high-performance team from the SSC were studying the possibility of sending athletes to the Winter Olympics, as early as the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.
SINGAPORE: Tropical Singapore is on track to join the ranks of Winter Olympic nations as efforts to form a sporting authority here charge full steam ahead.
Slated to head the national sports association (NSA) is veteran sports administrator Low Teo Ping, who recently stepped down as president of SingaporeSailing.
Although there are already ice hockey and skating bodies here, the Singapore Sports Council said the proposed NSA will oversee only two sports - snowboarding and downhill skiing - with the aim of competing in future Winter Olympics.
The multi-sport event in temperate climate is held every four years, with the last one in Vancouver earlier this year.
In February, Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), revealed that a high-performance team from the SSC were studying the possibility of sending athletes to the Winter Olympics, as early as the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.
18 July 2010
Technogym to supply fitness equipment in London 2012
London 2012 signs Technogym as fitness equipment supplier@London2012
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirmed that Technogym has become the latest Tier Three supplier to London 2012. Technogym will supply and install fitness equipment for athletes in the Athletes’ Village and other training venues, becoming Official Fitness Equipment Supplier.
The main gym facility will be located at the Athletes’ Village and will provide thousands of competing athletes with top of the range fitness equipment for their event preparation. Alongside the facility at the Athletes Village, Technogym will equip several gyms within the other competition and training venues by installing a total of over 750 pieces. Technogym will also be responsible for the design and layout of the facilities, as well providing staff and ongoing maintenance.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirmed that Technogym has become the latest Tier Three supplier to London 2012. Technogym will supply and install fitness equipment for athletes in the Athletes’ Village and other training venues, becoming Official Fitness Equipment Supplier.
The main gym facility will be located at the Athletes’ Village and will provide thousands of competing athletes with top of the range fitness equipment for their event preparation. Alongside the facility at the Athletes Village, Technogym will equip several gyms within the other competition and training venues by installing a total of over 750 pieces. Technogym will also be responsible for the design and layout of the facilities, as well providing staff and ongoing maintenance.
17 July 2010
popular YOG social media platforms
Some popular YOG social media platforms@Straits Times
WhyOhGee community site
www.singapore2010.sg/community
13,000 registered members
Launched June 22, this social networking site for the planet's youth allows users to share photographs, videos, tweets and blog posts without hassle.
WhyOhGee micro site
www.singapore2010.sg/whyohgee
Produced by youth, for youth. A wealth of multimedia content connects young people all over the globe through digital media.
Twitter
twitter.com/YOG2010SG
2,900 followers and counting
Keep up-to-date with the latest YOG events and behind-the-scenes preparations.
Million Deeds Challenge
milliondeeds.sg
Always wanted to make a difference in the lives of those closest to you? Now you can. About 69,000 good deeds have been submitted from all over the world so far.
Every deed posted brings the virtual Youth Olympics flame closer to Singapore.
Singapore 2010 Odyssey
www.singapore2010odyssey.sg
200,000 registered users since October last year
Promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, this online game gives kids the chance to take part in a vibrant multi-player online world styled with a futuristic theme.
WhyOhGee community site
www.singapore2010.sg/community
13,000 registered members
Launched June 22, this social networking site for the planet's youth allows users to share photographs, videos, tweets and blog posts without hassle.
WhyOhGee micro site
www.singapore2010.sg/whyohgee
Produced by youth, for youth. A wealth of multimedia content connects young people all over the globe through digital media.
twitter.com/YOG2010SG
2,900 followers and counting
Keep up-to-date with the latest YOG events and behind-the-scenes preparations.
Million Deeds Challenge
milliondeeds.sg
Always wanted to make a difference in the lives of those closest to you? Now you can. About 69,000 good deeds have been submitted from all over the world so far.
Every deed posted brings the virtual Youth Olympics flame closer to Singapore.
Singapore 2010 Odyssey
www.singapore2010odyssey.sg
200,000 registered users since October last year
Promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, this online game gives kids the chance to take part in a vibrant multi-player online world styled with a futuristic theme.
09 July 2010
WADA launches an online Anti-Doping learning tool
WADA Launches CoachTrue - New Anti-Doping Learning Tool＠WADA
This new resource, available at no cost to stakeholders, covers a wide range of anti-doping activities and topics in order to cater to the various learning styles and demanding schedules of coaches.
CoachTrue contains separate platforms for coaches of elite-level athletes and coaches of young or recreational-level athletes.
An evolution of the Coach’s Tool Kit, which assists stakeholders in the facilitation of a face-to-face workshop for coaches, CoachTrue is intended to assist anti-doping organizations, coaching associations and universities in providing anti-doping education to coaches.
This new resource, available at no cost to stakeholders, covers a wide range of anti-doping activities and topics in order to cater to the various learning styles and demanding schedules of coaches.
CoachTrue contains separate platforms for coaches of elite-level athletes and coaches of young or recreational-level athletes.
An evolution of the Coach’s Tool Kit, which assists stakeholders in the facilitation of a face-to-face workshop for coaches, CoachTrue is intended to assist anti-doping organizations, coaching associations and universities in providing anti-doping education to coaches.
07 July 2010
YOG costs $387 million
Youth Olympic Games to cost $387 million@red sports
It will cost Singapore $387 million to host the upcoming Youth Olympic Games, three times the original estimate of $122 million.
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said that money was spent to upgrade existing venues to allow international broadcasting. Also, the number of volunteers have gone from the 7,000 to 20,000.
Local companies were awarded $260 million worth of contracts as a result of the YOG. The companies include CityNeon Holdings and Pico Global Service (both for events and exhibition services), Comfort-Delgro (transport), Singapore Food Industries, Select Group (catering), CISCO (auxiliary police), NCS (software system, data centres management) and Purechem Veolia (cleaning).
The government expects an estimated 40,000 foreign visitors and tourism receipts of about $57 million.
It will cost Singapore $387 million to host the upcoming Youth Olympic Games, three times the original estimate of $122 million.
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said that money was spent to upgrade existing venues to allow international broadcasting. Also, the number of volunteers have gone from the 7,000 to 20,000.
Local companies were awarded $260 million worth of contracts as a result of the YOG. The companies include CityNeon Holdings and Pico Global Service (both for events and exhibition services), Comfort-Delgro (transport), Singapore Food Industries, Select Group (catering), CISCO (auxiliary police), NCS (software system, data centres management) and Purechem Veolia (cleaning).
The government expects an estimated 40,000 foreign visitors and tourism receipts of about $57 million.
Sports Sci J@Jun-Jul10
This is the latest sports science journal update.
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Jun-Jul10
Long term athlete development
Comparison of Technical and Physiological Characteristics of Prepubescent Soccer Players of Different Ages. JSCR
Development of dribbling in talented youth soccer players aged 12-19 years: A longitudinal study. JSS
Assessing Muscular Strength in Youth: Usefulness of Standing Long Jump as a General Index of Muscular Fitness. JSCR
Vertical jumping and leg power normative data for English school children aged 10-15 years. JSS
Improving Acceleration and Repeated Sprint Ability in Well-Trained Adolescent Handball Players: Speed Versus Sprint Interval Training. IJSPP
The International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on age determination in high-level young athletes. BJSM
The Science of Sex Verification and Athletic Performance. IJSPP
Relative age effect in youth soccer: analysis of the FIFA U17 World Cup competition. SJMSS
Relative age effect in female sport: a diachronic examination of soccer players. SJMSS
Relative age and dropout in French male soccer. JSS
Differences in self-regulatory skills among talented athletes: The significance of competitive level and type of sport. JSS
Growth, maturation, functional capacities and sport-specific skills in 12-13 year-old- basketball players. JSMPF
Genetics-based performance talent research: polymorphisms as predictors of endurance performance. JAP
Does your (genetic) alphabet soup spell "runner"? JAP
Are calcineurin genes associated with endurance phenotype traits? EJAP
Physical Activity Questionnaires for Youth: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties. SM
Mortality and longevity of elite athlete. JSMS
Performance enhancement
Coping with stressors in elite sport: A coach perspective. EJSS
Nullius in Verba: A Call for the Incorporation of Evidence-Based Practice into the Discipline of Exercise Science. SM
The biomechanics of kicking in soccer: A review. JSS
`Combining Hypoxic Methods for Peak Performance': a Biomedical Engineering Perspective. SM
Beneficial Effects of Ice Ingestion as a Precooling Strategy on 40-km Cycling Time-Trial Performance. IJSPP
The effect of pre-cooling intensity on cooling efficiency and exercise performance. JSS
The Effects of Whole-Body Compression Garments on Prolonged High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise. JSCR
Heart rate recovery as a guide to monitor fatigue and predict changes in performance parameters. SJMSS
Role of [beta]-Alanine Supplementation on Muscle Carnosine and Exercise Performance. MSSE
Physiological Measures Tracking Seasonal Changes in Peak Running Speed. IJSPP
Prolonged Repeated-Sprint Ability Is Related to Arterial O2 Desaturation in Men. IJSPP
Injury prevention and management
ECSS Position Statement 2009: Prevention of acute sports injuries. EJSS
Massage Impairs Postexercise Muscle Blood Flow and "Lactic Acid" Removal. MSSE
Diagnosing overtraining in athletes using the two-bout exercise protocol. BJSM
The effectiveness of a neuromuscular prevention strategy to reduce injuries in youth soccer: a cluster-randomised controlled trial. BJSM
Core Training: Evidence Translating to Better Performance and Injury Prevention. SCJ
More data needed on injury risk among young elite athletes. BJSM
Sports injuries and illnesses in the 2009 FINA World Championships (Aquatics). BJSM
The influenza A (H1N1-2009) experience at the inaugural Asian Youth Games Singapore 2009: mass gathering during a developing pandemic. BJSM
Whole-Body Cryotherapy in Athletes. SM
Technology development
World Records: How Much Athlete? How Much Technology? IJSPP
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---
Jun-Jul10
Long term athlete development
Comparison of Technical and Physiological Characteristics of Prepubescent Soccer Players of Different Ages. JSCR
Development of dribbling in talented youth soccer players aged 12-19 years: A longitudinal study. JSS
Assessing Muscular Strength in Youth: Usefulness of Standing Long Jump as a General Index of Muscular Fitness. JSCR
Vertical jumping and leg power normative data for English school children aged 10-15 years. JSS
Improving Acceleration and Repeated Sprint Ability in Well-Trained Adolescent Handball Players: Speed Versus Sprint Interval Training. IJSPP
The International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on age determination in high-level young athletes. BJSM
The Science of Sex Verification and Athletic Performance. IJSPP
Relative age effect in youth soccer: analysis of the FIFA U17 World Cup competition. SJMSS
Relative age effect in female sport: a diachronic examination of soccer players. SJMSS
Relative age and dropout in French male soccer. JSS
Differences in self-regulatory skills among talented athletes: The significance of competitive level and type of sport. JSS
Growth, maturation, functional capacities and sport-specific skills in 12-13 year-old- basketball players. JSMPF
Genetics-based performance talent research: polymorphisms as predictors of endurance performance. JAP
Does your (genetic) alphabet soup spell "runner"? JAP
Are calcineurin genes associated with endurance phenotype traits? EJAP
Physical Activity Questionnaires for Youth: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties. SM
Mortality and longevity of elite athlete. JSMS
Performance enhancement
Coping with stressors in elite sport: A coach perspective. EJSS
Nullius in Verba: A Call for the Incorporation of Evidence-Based Practice into the Discipline of Exercise Science. SM
The biomechanics of kicking in soccer: A review. JSS
`Combining Hypoxic Methods for Peak Performance': a Biomedical Engineering Perspective. SM
Beneficial Effects of Ice Ingestion as a Precooling Strategy on 40-km Cycling Time-Trial Performance. IJSPP
The effect of pre-cooling intensity on cooling efficiency and exercise performance. JSS
The Effects of Whole-Body Compression Garments on Prolonged High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise. JSCR
Heart rate recovery as a guide to monitor fatigue and predict changes in performance parameters. SJMSS
Role of [beta]-Alanine Supplementation on Muscle Carnosine and Exercise Performance. MSSE
Physiological Measures Tracking Seasonal Changes in Peak Running Speed. IJSPP
Prolonged Repeated-Sprint Ability Is Related to Arterial O2 Desaturation in Men. IJSPP
Injury prevention and management
ECSS Position Statement 2009: Prevention of acute sports injuries. EJSS
Massage Impairs Postexercise Muscle Blood Flow and "Lactic Acid" Removal. MSSE
Diagnosing overtraining in athletes using the two-bout exercise protocol. BJSM
The effectiveness of a neuromuscular prevention strategy to reduce injuries in youth soccer: a cluster-randomised controlled trial. BJSM
Core Training: Evidence Translating to Better Performance and Injury Prevention. SCJ
More data needed on injury risk among young elite athletes. BJSM
Sports injuries and illnesses in the 2009 FINA World Championships (Aquatics). BJSM
The influenza A (H1N1-2009) experience at the inaugural Asian Youth Games Singapore 2009: mass gathering during a developing pandemic. BJSM
Whole-Body Cryotherapy in Athletes. SM
Technology development
World Records: How Much Athlete? How Much Technology? IJSPP
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06 July 2010
Community projects for YOG athletes
Community projects for YOG athletes@CNA
Athletes taking part in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games will have the opportunity to be involved in community projects when they participate in the Culture and Education Programme.
The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee is working with the National Youth Council and six community partners to deliver the Community Project activities.
The six activities are clog painting, community drumming, circus arts, balloon sculpting, origami folding, and ceramic tile-making.
Athletes taking part in the Community Project activities will also interact with local community participants such as students from the Movement For The Intellectually Disabled Of Singapore.
Athletes taking part in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games will have the opportunity to be involved in community projects when they participate in the Culture and Education Programme.
The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee is working with the National Youth Council and six community partners to deliver the Community Project activities.
The six activities are clog painting, community drumming, circus arts, balloon sculpting, origami folding, and ceramic tile-making.
Athletes taking part in the Community Project activities will also interact with local community participants such as students from the Movement For The Intellectually Disabled Of Singapore.
26 June 2010
NZ boost for high performance sport
Govt Boost for High Performance Sport@SPARC
The Government has today announced a major re-shaping and expansion of high performance sport in New Zealand. Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully, says the aim is to ensure that New Zealand is consistently one of the most successful sporting nations in the world.
Key features of the changes announced today by Prime Minister John Key and Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully are:
-The most significant funding injection into high performance sport in New Zealand, amounting to new Budget funding of $10 million in 2010/11, $15 million in 2011/12, and $20 million annually after that. By the 2012/13 year, total funding for high performance sport will be over $60 million annually, compared to the current annual allocation of $42 million;
- $15 million injection from Lottery Grants Board reserves, of which $10 million has already been received by SPARC, which will contribute towards high performance infrastructure development;
The establishment of a new High Performance Institute as a separate entity within SPARC, charged with overseeing government investment into world class sporting facilities and delivery of athlete support, with a distinct high performance culture of excellence;
- $40 million expansion of the Millennium Institute (into which the Government will invest $15 million) which is currently the home of the North Island Academy of Sport and the majority of our top athletes, and will become the National Training Centre for High Performance Sport;
-Plans for a further $40 million development of a network of satellite high performance facilities (to which the Government will make key cornerstone contributions) at QEII in Christchurch, the home of the South Island Academy of Sport; rowing and canoe racing high performance centres at Lake Karapiro; a centre for sailing, triathlon, and ocean kayaking at Takapuna; a new high performance centre for cycling; and regional Academy feeders in Wellington and Dunedin;
- significant boost to supporting our best athletes with direct funding, by retaining and recruiting top coaches, providing world class sports science and medicine services through the two Academies of Sport, and through innovation and technology that will give our athletes a competitive advantage on the world stage.
The Government has today announced a major re-shaping and expansion of high performance sport in New Zealand. Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully, says the aim is to ensure that New Zealand is consistently one of the most successful sporting nations in the world.
Key features of the changes announced today by Prime Minister John Key and Minister for Sport and Recreation, Murray McCully are:
-The most significant funding injection into high performance sport in New Zealand, amounting to new Budget funding of $10 million in 2010/11, $15 million in 2011/12, and $20 million annually after that. By the 2012/13 year, total funding for high performance sport will be over $60 million annually, compared to the current annual allocation of $42 million;
- $15 million injection from Lottery Grants Board reserves, of which $10 million has already been received by SPARC, which will contribute towards high performance infrastructure development;
The establishment of a new High Performance Institute as a separate entity within SPARC, charged with overseeing government investment into world class sporting facilities and delivery of athlete support, with a distinct high performance culture of excellence;
- $40 million expansion of the Millennium Institute (into which the Government will invest $15 million) which is currently the home of the North Island Academy of Sport and the majority of our top athletes, and will become the National Training Centre for High Performance Sport;
-Plans for a further $40 million development of a network of satellite high performance facilities (to which the Government will make key cornerstone contributions) at QEII in Christchurch, the home of the South Island Academy of Sport; rowing and canoe racing high performance centres at Lake Karapiro; a centre for sailing, triathlon, and ocean kayaking at Takapuna; a new high performance centre for cycling; and regional Academy feeders in Wellington and Dunedin;
- significant boost to supporting our best athletes with direct funding, by retaining and recruiting top coaches, providing world class sports science and medicine services through the two Academies of Sport, and through innovation and technology that will give our athletes a competitive advantage on the world stage.
24 June 2010
S'pore will be represented in all 26 sports at upcoming YOG
S'pore will be represented in all 26 sports at upcoming YOG@CNA
Singapore will be represented in all 26 sports at the upcoming Youth Olympic Games.
The selectors said the remaining five slots have been awarded and the republic will field a 130-strong contingent.
Singapore will be represented in all 26 sports at the upcoming Youth Olympic Games.
The selectors said the remaining five slots have been awarded and the republic will field a 130-strong contingent.
23 June 2010
YOG social networking platform
YOG social networking site 'WhyOhGee' launched@CNA
SINGAPORE: A social networking platform for youths around the world to celebrate the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) was launched Tuesday.
The WhyOhGee Community (www.singapore2010.sg/community) complements the WhyOhGee microsite (www.singapore2010.sg/whyohgee) that features multimedia content produced by young people for young people, and connects youths globally through the digital media.
The beta site was introduced eight months ago and currently has more than 10,000 registered users.
If you do not speak the same language as the other users in your group, the chat function on WhyOhGee Community translates their messages for you.
Visitors on the WhyOhGee microsite can also discuss the content featured on the WhyOhGee Community forums, as well as start discussions on topics of their own.
There will be a section soon to feature athletes who have signed up for profiles on the WhyOhGee Community.
This will allow users to follow what these YOG hopefuls are doing through their updates and allow them to send them personal messages of support.
Meanwhile, Sing! Singapore 2010 finalists performed to a lunch-time crowd at Lau Pa Sat at the central business district on Tuesday, in celebration of the upcoming YOG.
The performance is part of the Youth Outreach Initiative to bring the excitement of the inaugural games to more young working adults.
An album "Voices of Singapore 2010: In Celebration of Youth Olympic Games" will also be launched soon.
The initiative is supported by the National Youth Council.
SINGAPORE: A social networking platform for youths around the world to celebrate the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) was launched Tuesday.
The WhyOhGee Community (www.singapore2010.sg/community) complements the WhyOhGee microsite (www.singapore2010.sg/whyohgee) that features multimedia content produced by young people for young people, and connects youths globally through the digital media.
The beta site was introduced eight months ago and currently has more than 10,000 registered users.
If you do not speak the same language as the other users in your group, the chat function on WhyOhGee Community translates their messages for you.
Visitors on the WhyOhGee microsite can also discuss the content featured on the WhyOhGee Community forums, as well as start discussions on topics of their own.
There will be a section soon to feature athletes who have signed up for profiles on the WhyOhGee Community.
This will allow users to follow what these YOG hopefuls are doing through their updates and allow them to send them personal messages of support.
Meanwhile, Sing! Singapore 2010 finalists performed to a lunch-time crowd at Lau Pa Sat at the central business district on Tuesday, in celebration of the upcoming YOG.
The performance is part of the Youth Outreach Initiative to bring the excitement of the inaugural games to more young working adults.
An album "Voices of Singapore 2010: In Celebration of Youth Olympic Games" will also be launched soon.
The initiative is supported by the National Youth Council.
07 June 2010
ICPESS 10 conference review
From 25th to 28th May 2010, III International Conference of Physical Education and Sports Science 2010 (ICPESS): Youth in Physical Education and Sport was held at National Institute of Education, Singapore.
There were more than 1200 participants from over 30 countries. I have presented 2 oral presentations and 2 poster presentations:
It was good to catch up with friends and colleagues at the conference. I also showed Japanese visitors around our school. Thanks all.
There were more than 1200 participants from over 30 countries. I have presented 2 oral presentations and 2 poster presentations:
symposium (Optimization of athletic performance in childhood): The optimization of aerobic fitness in childhood
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
special interest group (Singapore Sports School): Sports science: empowering athletes, enhancing performance
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:ICPESS SSP sports sci introView more presentations from Taisuke Kinugasa.
poster 1: Effects of Ramadan fasting on physical performance and psychological characteristics in youth soccer players
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:ICPESS ramadan poster 10View more documents from Taisuke Kinugasa.
poster 2: . Relative age effect in Singapore Sports School
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:ICPESS relative age effect in SSP 10View more documents from Taisuke Kinugasa.
It was good to catch up with friends and colleagues at the conference. I also showed Japanese visitors around our school. Thanks all.
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