Caption: Loh Kean Yew rallied fiercely against his Syrian-born Dutch opponent.
PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
A total of 23 athletes from Team Singapore took part in 12 sports at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Led by flag bearers Yu Mengyu and Loh Kean Yew, our athletes played their hearts out and held their own, creating many special moments that Singaporeans won’t forget. Here to Play caught up with three Singaporean Olympians and asked them what their favourite moments of the Olympics were.
Loh Kean Yew
“Winning my first Olympic match was the most memorable for me,” shared 24-year-old badminton player
Loh Kean Yew. A seasoned shuttler who has won many tournaments and most famously defeated former world champion Lin Dan, Kean Yew beat his first opponent, Aram Mahmoud, 21-15, 21-12, in 32 minutes. Aram was the first badminton player to participate in the Olympics as part of the IOC Refugee Team.
“It has always been a dream of mine to win medals at the Olympics and tasting victory in my first match proves that I’m one step closer to my dream,” added Kean Yew.
Being in the presence of the world’s greatest sportspeople left Freida Lim enamoured.
PHOTO: FREIDA LIM
Freida Lim
“Anytime we were in the dining hall was memorable for me, because that was when we could see many athletes from all around the world of different sports,” divulged Freida Lim. The 23-year-old made her Olympic debut as the first female diver to represent Singapore in the Olympics.
“The energy and buzz of the dining room is something I won’t forget. To be in the same space as the best of the best of the sporting world is such a privilege, and a dream come true for any athlete. Despite the initial worries about whether the Olympics could even happen, I am beyond glad that it did. From the live action, camaraderie with Jon (first Singaporean diver to qualify for the Olympics), to the final fireworks of the closing ceremony, all of these will be memories that will be forever dear to me.”
Kiria Tikanah at the Makuhari Messe Hall B, where she almost pulled off an incredible upset.
PHOTO: KONG CHONG YEW / SINGAPORE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COUNCIL
Kiria Tikanah
“My most memorable moments were winning my first match against Coco Lin from Hong Kong and being able to fence the world number one, Ana Maria Popescu from Romania,” revealed 21-year-old fender Kiria Tikanah, who raised the score to 10-11 when there were only 35 seconds left in her match against her Romanian rival.
“That was the most memorable moment for me. I felt like I was actually fencing and taking part in the Olympics at that moment. It’s not every day that you get to fence against the World No. 1, and having the chance to do that at the biggest sporting event was definitely a very special experience, which I will cherish fondly in my heart.”
