SINGAPORE — Former Singapore national athletes in sprinter U K Shyam, wushu exponent Tao Yi Jun, gymnast Lim Heem Wei and water polo player Lim Yao Xiang believe the Republic can win 50 gold medals at the upcoming SEA Games and match its record haul achieved at the 1993 Games.

The 28th SEA Games officially opens on June 5, and the goal is for its 749-strong athlete contingent, which will compete in all 36 sports, to at least equal that achievement from 22 years ago when the Games were also held here.

While attending the launch of the limited edition Team Singapore “I AM RED” collection at the Giordano Flagship store at Suntec City yesterday, the quartet backed Singapore’s current cohort of SEA Games athletes to meet the target of 50 gold medals.

“Anything can happen at the SEA Games with homeground advantage,” said 2001 SEA Games silver medallist Shyam, whose time of 10.37secs set at the World University Games earlier that year is still the national men’s 100m record.

“For the track and field events especially, I’m expecting several national records to be broken, while I also think Singapore’s men’s 4x100m relay team has a really good chance of winning the gold.

“The competition will be tough, so it’ll be really great to watch and I think we could see the race of the century!”

2011 SEA Games wushu gold medallist (women’s Duilian) Tao added: “All the support from the home fans, as well as the chance for athletes to compete in front of their family and friends, will give them the added boost at the Games.”

More than 7,000 athletes and officials from 11 South-east Asian countries are set to be involved at the Games, which will see 402 events contested across the 36 sports.

With Singapore also celebrating its 50th birthday, former water polo player Lim believes reaching the 50-gold-medal mark will take on added meaning.

“And I hope the men’s water polo team will be the ones to win the 50th gold medal as their event is the very last of the Games,” he said.

However, gymnast Lim, a three-time SEA Games gold medallist, cautioned against getting overly fixated with medals.

“(The athletes should) not think of their medal chances but instead focus on their preparations and give their 100 per cent during training, while also watching their behaviour outside of training and not put themselves in compromising situations,” said Lim Heem Wei, who also became the first Singaporean gymnast to compete at the Olympics at the 2012 London Games.

Two per cent of all net proceeds from the sale of merchandise — it includes Singapore jerseys, polo tees and caps — from this collection will be donated to the SportCares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sport Singapore which reaches out to underprivileged youths through sports.

Hong Kong-based fashion retailer Giordano had previously collaborated with Team Singapore to introduce the first edition of Giordano’s Team Singapore merchandise for the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar.