Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Chan Chun Sing has said that Singapore hopes to grow its own sporting culture by learning from London's Olympic experience.
Speaking at an event to mark the one-year countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Major-General (NS) Chan said, "As we move forward to grow the sports community in Singapore, we hope to tap on London's experiences in the promotion of sports."
He feels that there are many things that the city can share with Singapore, which still has "a long way to go" in building a local sporting culture.
MG Chan had earlier said that Singapore is slowly working towards cultivating national interest in sports with the announcement of Vision 2030, a 20-year strategy "to unite and ignite the passion of the nation" through sports.
Read: How can Singapore's sporting scene be improved?
Together with the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), the national sports master plan was announced last week with Vision 2030 aiming to harness the power of sports for individual development, community bonding and nation building.
At the event, British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson described the sporting ties between Singapore and the UK as strong.
He cited the collaboration between the British Chamber of Commerce and the Singapore Sports School to support local athletes who have the potential to do well at the Olympics.
Adding that preparation for the games were on time and within budget, he said: "We're hoping to make London a fantastic and welcoming location for everyone for the duration of the Games."
Philipson also paid tribute to two of Singapore's former Olympians during the event.
Sprinter C. Kunalan, whose 100m national record of 10.38s set at the 1968 Mexico Olympics stood for 33 years, and Chia Boon Leong, who was hailed as one of the most skilful football players in Malaya during the 1940s and 1950s, were given 2012 Olympic pins in acknowledgement of their achievements.
Nicknamed "Twinkle Toes", the 86-year-old Chia was one of two Singaporean football players who represented China at the 1948 Games in London.
At that time, China had invited any Chinese from the Malayan region to play under their flag, and Chia, together with Chu Chee Seng, were chosen to be part of that team.
Looking back, Chia said that it was an exciting and memorable time for him because it was rare that Singapore athletes could travel overseas.
When asked for the most memorable moment when he was at the 1948 Olympics, he said, "I was the only one from my football team to be invited to have tea with King George and Queen Mary at the Buckingham Palace -- it was an honour."
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