WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Sports happenings in Singapore (17-23 Oct)
SINGAPORE — Here is a round-up of sports events and developments in Singapore in the past week (17 to 23 October):
Albirex complete title-winning SPL season with 1-1 draw
Albirex Niigata completed their triumphant 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season with a 1-1 draw against Geylang International at Our Tampines Hub on Friday (21 October). Kodai Tanaka's 74th-minute effort cancelled out Sime Zuzul's opener for Geylang in the 64th minute.
With the draw, Geylang finished in fourth place, pipping Hougang United on goal difference. Hougang defeated Balestier Khalsa 4-1 at home on Thursday to overtake Tanjong Pagar United. Pedro Borholuzo (7th, 96th), Kristijan Krajcek (21st) and Andre Moritz (37th) scored for Hougang, while Balestier replied through Daniel Goh (86th).
Tampines defeated Tanjong Pagar 4-3 at Our Tampines Hub on Thursday, thanks to goals from Yasir Hanapi (20th), Boris Kopitovic (61st, 73rd) and Joel Chew (92nd). Kopitovic finished the season as SPL's top scorer with 35 goals. Blake Ricciuto (14th), Mirko Sugic (27th) and Khairul Nizam (75th) replied for Tanjong Pagar.
Last year's champions Lion City Sailors completed their season by beating Young Lions 2-1 at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday. Faris Ramli scored both Sailors' goals (49th, 66th), Jordan Emaviwe (84th) replied for the Young Lions.
F1 circuit to be updated with The Float@Marina Bay closure
The track layout of the Marina Bay Street Circuit will be updated for the 2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, due to the redevelopment of The Float@Marina Bay into NS Square, a community and events venue.
The track will no longer include the Bay Grandstand while the redevelopment works are underway. As such, the revised circuit layout will be reduced to 4.928km and the number of laps increased to 63 for next year's Singapore Grand Prix.
Turns 16 to 19 of the previous layout will now be re-aligned into a 397.9-metre-long straight, bringing the total number of turns down from 23 to 19.
Simulations based on a 2020 Formula 1 car indicate the best qualifying lap time at approximately 1min 27.7sec, with the minimum race time expected to be 1hr 30min 34sec. The changes are subject to the approval of world motorsport governing body FIA.
Works for the NS Square are scheduled to start in March next year, and are expected to be completed by end-2026.
Maximilian Maeder clinches silver at World Championships
Singapore kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder clinched a silver medal at the 2022 Formula Kite World Championships in Cagliari, Italy, on Sunday (16 October).
The 16-year-old, who won his second Formula Kite European Championships title earlier this month, had qualified for the final in second place behind Slovenia's Toni Vodisek.
While Maximilian won the first race in the final, he suffered a crash and finished third in the second race, allowing Vodisek to clinch the world championship trophy. France's Axel Mazella bagged the bronze medal.
Nevertheless, this is Maximilian's best-ever result at the senior level and adds to a growing list of accolades that include multiple youth world championships and Asian titles.
Free public access viewing areas for Tour de France S'pore Criterium
The Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium, to be held on 29 and 30 October, has confirmed free public access viewing areas at The Float@Marina Bay grandstand for the cycling races.
Spectators can catch the top cyclists in the world complete 20 laps of the 3.2km circuit race on 30 October. The riders competing in Singapore include four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome, reigning Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, cycling brothers Antonio and Vincenzo Nibali, and Spanish cycling great Alejandro Valverde.
The race flags off and ends at The Float@Marina Bay, and will take these cyclists past iconic Singapore land-marks including the Merlion and the Esplanade.
Ticketing and hospitality options remain available, including premium seating that offers views of the start/finish line and main stage at The Float@Marina Bay. Fans can also purchase their ticket to SYNTHONY, the one-night-only show featuring Singapore’s Metropolitan Festival Orchestra. Visit Ticketek Singapore for more ticketing information.
Silat athletes clinch 9 golds at Asian Championships
Singapore's silat athletes clinched nine golds, four silvers and six bronzes at the Asian Pencak Silat Championships in Kashmir, which ended on Sunday (16 October).
The haul placed them second in the medal table behind Vietnam, who won 11 golds.
The youthful Singapore contingent had 22 out of the 24 athletes under the age of 23. Nineteen of them were making their Asian Championship debuts, while established names like world champions Sheik Farhan, Sheik Ferdous, Hazim Yusli and Nurul Suhaila did not make the trip.
Gold medallists - Artistic: Sharifah Shazza Samsuri (female solo creative), Iqbal Abdul Rahman (male single), Siti Nazura Yusoff (female single) Nazrul Kamal, Affiz Zakri, Mustafar Isa (male team), Iffah Batrisyia Noh, Amirah Sahrin and Nur Asikin Zulkifli (female team). Match: Dhani Andika Razali (male under 45kg), Nurshahfareeq Shahrudin (85-90kg), Rizuan Razak (90-95kg), Nur Tuhfah Izzah Roslan (female under 45kg).
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