Singapore to field 427 athletes at upcoming SEA Games, 243 to make debut

Team Singapore will field 427 athletes across 33 sports at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games) in Hanoi, Vietnam in May.

Of the 427 Singapore athletes, 243 will make their debut at the regional games. The youngest athlete on the contingent is 14-year-old diver Max Lee, while the oldest is 54-year-old billiards world champion Peter Gilchrist.

Three-time Silat world champion Sheik Farhan has been appointed as the contingent’s flag bearer by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). 

The 2017 SEA Games champion said: “Representing Singapore has always been very special to me, to be able to lead the contingent as flag bearer this time will make this SEA Games a particularly memorable one for me.”

The 31st SEA Games was initially scheduled for December 2021 but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. The resumption of the sporting spectacle will see health and safety measures similar to those adopted during the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

The Games will be spread across 12 provinces and athletes and officials will be housed in different hotels. Athletes will also arrive two days before their competition commences and depart within 24 hours after their competition ends.

“This edition of the SEA Games is an unprecedented one. After a year of postponement, our athletes are very eager to compete to put to test the training and hard work they have put in over the past few years,” said the Chef de Mission S. Sinnathurai.

“I hope Singaporeans can lend their support to cheer for Team Singapore as they do their best to represent the nation in Hanoi,” he added.

The beach handball competition on May 6 will be Team Singapore’s first event. The Games will officially commence on May 12 and is scheduled to end on May 23.