SINGAPORE: The Singapore national ice-skating team are not letting the closure of the country’s only Olympic-sized rink earlier this month dampen their spirit as they aim to showcase their talent in the upcoming Asia Open Short Track Trophy to be held from Aug 31 to Sep 2 in Thailand.
The Singapore Ice Skating Association (SISA) has selected 13 figure skaters and 11 short-track skaters for the competition. This marks the largest-ever delegation from Singapore to an international ice skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union.
SISA’s president Alison Chan commended the Team Singapore athletes’ resilience and perseverance despite the challenges they faced while preparing for the overseas competition, losing a vital training venue when the JCube shopping mall was officially closed on 6 Aug to make way for a new residential development.
SISA’s president, Alison Chan, commended the resilience and perseverance of Team Singapore athletes in the face of challenges while preparing for the overseas competition. They encountered a setback when they lost a vital training venue, as the JCube shopping mall officially closed on Aug 6 to make way for a new residential development.
“We are very happy that our team is pressing on. Asia Open is one of the top international competitions in this region, and we are glad that at this event, our skaters are still hitting key development milestones and advancing through the national team pathway even without a full-sized rink in Singapore,” said SISA’s president Chan.
She added that SISA the development achieved by the Singapore ice skaters bodes well for the sport in the country and that the association are working closely with their counterparts in Southeast Asian skating federations to have ice skating included for the SEA Games in 2025, 2027 and 2029.
Long-term development has always been at the core of SISA’s strategy, and this competition will be no different. It will mark the overseas debut of two young figure skaters, Christal Tay (11) and Avriele Oon (10). Before the Asia Open Short Track Trophy, both skaters competed in the Basic Novice Girls category at the Asian Open Trophy held in Bangkok, Thailand, from Aug 16 to 19
“When I saw my score, I was very happy. This was the first time I was representing Singapore in an overseas international competition and to achieve this recognition on an international stage is such a boost! I also had a huge sense of relief as my hard work, perseverance and sacrifice were not in vain. I will press on, continue to improve and hope to do even better in future competitions,” shared a joyful Tay who earned scores that qualified her into the national figure skating development squad.
While Oon is pleased to have been selected for the competition, her sights are set on a better performance in future so that she can secure a place in the higher-level team within the national ice-skating setup.
“When I saw my score, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t make it for the Singapore international squad, especially since I was so close to qualifying for it. But I am very glad that I did manage to qualify for the development squad as it means I have achieved a new milestone as an athlete. For the next competition, I promise myself that I will continue to keep on improving and make the cut for international squad!” mentioned Oon.
SISA is raising funds through the 25th Anniversary Fund to support the ice skating community for overseas competitions and pre-competition training and may be used to subsidise expenses such as airfares, accommodation and entry fees.
The campaign is held on giving.sg, and donors who contribute $180 or more will receive a complimentary copy of the SISA 25th anniversary commemorative book on the history of ice skating in Singapore.
“To support the continued development of our sport, we encourage everyone to donate to the SISA 25th Anniversary Fund to provide funding for our skaters to travel overseas for competitions and to access on-ice training while we work towards building a new Olympic-sized rink in Singapore,” expressed SISA’s president Chan.