WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Sports happenings in Singapore (9-15 Nov)

SINGAPORE — Here is a round-up of sports events and developments in Singapore in the past week (9 to 15 November):

New kits for national football men’s and women’s teams

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and Nike unveiled new national team kits for the national men’s and women’s teams on Thursday (12 November).

The new kit designs have incorporated the scales and curves of the Merlion on the jersey front. The national flag has also been given a new interpretation through the crest on the red neck tape as well as the wave-line graphic across the chest of the jerseys.

The Lions will be wearing the new kit when they resume their campaign to qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup, while the Lionesses will don their kits at next year’s AFF Women’s Championship.

The FAS will be donating 10 per cent of the jersey sales to the OneStrong Fund, a collective trust which seeks to support less privileged families and children amidst the COVID-19 situation. Coinciding with the unveiling of the new kits, FAS also launched of its E-Commerce store for all FAS and national team merchandise.

F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2021 set on 1-3 Oct

Formula One released its provisional 23-race calendar for 2021 on Tuesday (10 November), with the Singapore Grand Prix tentatively set to be held on 1 to 3 October.

The Singapore race will be part of a triple-header, with three consecutive weeks of races – Russia, Singapore and Japan – from end of September to early October next year.

The calendar will remain provisional until it is signed off by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council.

This year’s Singapore GP was cancelled in June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Albirex overtake Tampines at top of SPL

Albirex Niigata (S) overtook Tampines Rovers at the top of the Singapore Premier League (SPL), after a 1-0 win over Geylang International on Friday (13 November). Tomoyuki Doi got the winner in the third minute of the match at Our Tampines Hub.

Tampines Rovers had drawn 2-2 with Balestier Khalsa at Bishan Stadium on Thursday, and trail Albirex on goal difference, with both sides level on 17 points. The Stags had a 2-0 lead after goals from Ryaan Sanizal (fifth minute) and Boris Kopitovic (18th penalty), but Balestier pulled level with a brace from Sime Zuzul (45th, 55th).

Third-placed Lion City Sailors registered their second high-scoring win in as many weeks, with a 6-1 thrashing of Tanjong Pagar United at Bishan Stadium on Friday. Kaishu Yamazaki (15th), Stipe Plazibat (19th penalty, 45th), Song Ui-yong (40th) and Adam Swandi (84th, 90th) got the goals for the Sailors, while Suhairi Sabri (52nd) scored Tanjong Pagar’s consolation goal.

Hougang United leapfrogged Balestier and Geylang into fourth place, following a 4-1 win over the Young Lions at Hougang Stadium on Thursday. The hosts scored through Zachary Anderson (17th), Charles Machell (47th), Shawal Anuar (80th) and Anders Aplin (85th), with Jacob Mahler (29th) replying for the Young Lions.

36 recipients for this year’s Haw Par Para Sports Bursary Award

This year’s Haw Par Para Sports Bursary Award saw 36 recipients across 11 para-sports bringing Haw Par Corporation’s support for the bursaries to a total of $131,500 over three years.

The award was launched in 2018 to support persons with Disabilities who additionally face financial challenges to continue their sporting dreams. This year, the awards were presented to each recipient separately, together with “Back to Sport” care packages which comprise sport accessories and handwritten messages by Haw Par Corporation employees.

The youngest recipient this year was para-cyclist Muhammad Nur Amsyar Abdemanaf, 20, while the oldest recipient was lawn bowler Aisah Ibrahim, 74.

Mainstream, special needs students in Play Inclusive 2020 finale

Over 100 students from mainstream and special education needs schools took part in the finale event of Play Inclusive 2020 on Sunday (7 November). Together with 24 participants onsite, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, Eric Chua, kickstarted the blended event at Toa Payoh ActiveSG Sport Hall, while other participants joined the event online.

Co-organised by SportCares and Special Olympics Singapore, in partnership with the Ministry of Education Special Education Branch, Play Inclusive 2020 is the culmination of a three-month long campaign to promote social inclusion between students with and without intellectual disabilities.

Participants have had the opportunity to exercise online together using various exercise and dance videos such as HIIT fitness and cardio fitness dance videos. Through these weekly exercises, the students interacted and had a keener understanding of their new friends, as well as the value of sport beyond competition.

Jinro signs on as official support of AFF Suzuki Cup

Korea’s leading soju brand Jinro has signed on to be an official supporter of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020, which will take place in April and May 2021. The deal was brokered by Sportfive, the tournament’s exclusive commercial partner.

The partnership is the latest move by Jinro to step up its efforts to penetrate overseas markets, especially the Southeast Asian market. With football being the most popular sport in the region, JINRO believes that the Suzuki Cup is an ideal platform to further boost its brand awareness and sales in the region.

Jinro has been an active supporter in sports, being the longest sponsor of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. It recently also signed a sponsorship deal with promising Korean female golfer Seo Uh Jin.

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