SINGAPORE — Singapore-grown food and beverage brand Mr Bean and local sports apparel distributor Panyasingha Sports were unveiled as the team’s new mascot and national team jersey sponsors respectively in support of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore’s (TBAS) bid to win honours at the upcoming World Youth Tchoukball Championships and the Tchoukball World Championships.
The new mascot and jersey were launched at the TBAS’ training base at Bendemeer Secondary School on Sunday (May 21) by Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Ministry of Social and Family Development, and Mr Delane Lim, TBAS president.
Mr Bean and Panyasingha Sports are just two of the many Singapore companies which have rallied behind the TBAS, raising close to $120,000. The Tchoukball 100 Days Fundraising Challenge, launched in February 2023 by former national badminton player Ronald Susilo and ex-national bowler Lenny Lim on donation portal Ray of Hope, has also raised over $57,000, contributing to the overall $120,000 amount.
Photo credit: Tchoukball Association of Singapore
“We are very thankful for the support of so many local companies for tchoukball. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a country to support a team. The support of the local community will go a long way in helping our athletes to be sufficiently prepared and ready for both July’s World Youth Tchoukball Championships in Singapore and August’s World Tchoukball Championships in Prague,” said the TBAS’ president Lim.
Mr Lim revealed that the TBAS has set a target for the teams to reach the final in the World Youth Tchoukball Championships and a top-four finish at the World Championships for both the men’s and women’s senior teams.
Singapore will be hosting the 2023 World Youth Tchoukball Championships from July 13-16 at the ActiveSG Pasir Ris Sport Centre.
Singapore’s best showing was a gold medal in the girls’ under-18 category when it hosted the event in 2019.
At the Tchoukball World Championships, Singapore’s best achievement was a second-place finish by both the women’s and men’s teams in 2015.
This year the Tchoukball World Championships will be held in Prague, Czech Republic from Aug 2-5.
“Singapore tchoukball is the strongest it has been and we are ready to make a statement to the world. The hard work of our current players, officials and those before us who have helped build a strong foundation for the sport, has given us this opportunity to do great things this year and we are ready to take up the challenge,” added Mr Lim.
The association have also received strong support from Sport Singapore in its bid for glory. SportSG has also stepped in to provide support ranging from facilities to sports science. Since April 2023, tchoukball athletes have had access to National Youth Sports Institute gym facilities and sport psychologists.
The TBAS also signed two memorandums of understanding: It will be working together with Starbalm Singapore for the next four years to provide sports care products to the athletes, and with Next Factor Pte Ltd to provide the official ball for Tchoukball Singapore.