Eight Singaporean athletes who made us proud in 2015

Medals, records, and big dreams for bigger goals. These eight Singaporean athletes made headlines this year for some inspiring tales of perseverance and being trailblazers in their sport. In no particular order, here’s our pick for the top Singaporean sports newsmakers of 2015.

Quah Zheng Wen, swimming
Quah Zheng Wen was the most bemedalled Singapore athlete at the 28th SEA Games in June, collecting 12 medals – seven golds, four silvers and a bronze – in all 12 events he swam in and breaking six Games records. Showing incredible endurance, he accomplished the feat despite falling sick halfway through the tournament.

Quah, who was granted a deferment from national service to train, has qualified for the 100m and 200m butterfly and the 100m backstroke under the ‘A’ timings for the Rio Olympics and is aiming to make at least one Olympic final.

Izwan Mahbud, football
Goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud's heroics were on full display during the World Cup qualifier in June where Singapore held Japan to a goalless draw at the Saitama Stadium on 16 June. The 24-year-old made 18 saves against a Japan side that dominated possession.

Since then, the skipper has drawn interest from Japan club Matsumoto Yamaga and Thai club Chonburi.

Joseph Schooling, swimming
Joseph Schooling gave the Republic a special gift right in time for the nation’s birthday. On 8 August, Schooling clinched a bronze at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia in the 100m butterfly. It was the country’s first ever podium finish at the World Championships.

The nation waits in anticipation that he could be the first Singaporean to take home an Olympic medal in swimming at Rio in August 2016.

Sarah Pang, tennis
Sarah Pang is Singapore’s only professional tennis player. At the age of 30, Pang is determined to play on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) pro circuit.

When told that she “falls through the cracks” for current funding schemes, Pang started a crowdfunding campaign in October to help finance her training. Her efforts even got a shoutout from tennis legend Michael Chang, who said, “I think if you’ve got the passion for something, who cares how old or young you are? Go out and pursue it, absolutely. The longevity of players has gotten a lot older over the past few years and that is obviously a bonus and plus for somebody like Sarah.”

Khairul Anwar, cerebral palsy football
He wowed a nation, and even football legend David Beckham watched his highlight reel. Captain of the cerebral palsy football team Khairul Anwar has the honor of being the first Singaporean to score a hat trick at the National Stadium. And he’s in good company - only Brazil’s Neymar and Arsenal’s Chuba Akpom have done the same since the new stadium opened. Khairul and his team also led Singapore to a bronze at the Asean Para Games by beating Malaysia 2-1.

Yip Pin Xiu, swimming
Born with muscular dystrophy, Yip Pin Xiu (in white cap) is Singapore’s only gold medal-winning Paralympian. She’s taken a break from her university studies to focus fully on training for the Rio Paralympics. And her swim in the 50m backstroke at the Asean Para Games was a possible foretaste of what’s to come.

It wasn’t just a new Games record, but a world record. Yes, you read that right - a world record. Yip’s swim in the 50m backstroke was a record-breaking feat in the S2 category on 8 December. She is now in pole position for this discipline in her category, and her coach Mick Massey believes a podium finish is possible at the Rio Paralympics.

Shayna Ng, bowling
Shayna Ng won Singapore’s ever gold at the Women’s World Bowling Championships on 12 December.

Held in Abu Dhabi this year, the biennial championships are viewed as the equivalent of the Olympics. Ng beat 147 other competitors, and beat her second-place rival American Liz Johnson by one pinfall, totalling 5,587 pinfalls in the singles, doubles, trios and team events.

“It was like a dream come true to be clinch a gold medal at such a prestigious event. The is the biggest and most competitive competition in bowling and I'm just so happy to have won it,” Ng told Yahoo Singapore.

It is also Ng’s first world championship title since 2012.

Micky Lin, netball
Micky Lin is the captain of the Singapore national netball team. It’s been a big year for Lin. In June, she and her team brought home a gold at the SEA Games - a victory that avenged a loss against Malaysia 14 years ago. Lin, together with Chen Huifen and Premila Hirubalan were inducted into the Netball Hall of Fame in November for their contributions to growing the popularity of netball in Singapore, and representing the nation at several international tournaments.

In December at the Nations Cup, Lin got her 100th international cap, becoming only the fourth Singaporean player to achieve such a feat. Singapore also clinched a bronze after a hard-fought game against Botswana.