SINGAPORE — The 8th ASEAN Para Games (APG) may have ended just two days ago, but plans are already afoot to leverage on the event to 
improve Singapore’s disability sports ecosystem.

The Republic’s 154-strong contingent had put on an impressive showing during the Games, winning a 
record haul of 24 gold, 17 silver and 22 bronze medals, while 49 personal-best results were also achieved over the seven days of competition.

The APG also went a long way in helping to raise awareness and support for para sports — some 4,300 volunteers were involved in the event, while the APG carnival 
attracted more than 600,000 people.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu believes all this indicates there is huge potential for para sports in Singapore to thrive. As such, the next step forward must be to increase the number of para-athletes in the country.

During a dialogue session at 
Marina Bay Sands yesterday she told the media: “Disability sport is currently at a different phase now. In 
order to have a higher level of disability sports in Singapore, we must focus on developing a broader base of para-athletes in the country.

“That’s why we decided to set up five Centres of Expertise in disability sports at ActiveSG centres around the island next year. We want to make it more accessible for persons with disabilities to participate in sports.

“There’ll also be training and development programmes for 
para sport coaches, many of whom worked pro-bono during the APG. But it’ll require our stakeholders to work hard together, in order for us to reach the level we want.”

Singapore ASEAN Para Games Organising Committee (SAPGOC) chairman Lim Teck Yin added that while attracting new disabled sportsmen and women is important, efforts must also be made to retain the current Team Singapore athletes.

As such, Singapore plans to send more para-athletes to more international competitions, so as to retain their interest in the sport.

“There is a need for more competitions for the athletes in order to retain their interest and attract new talent to join,” he said. “So we will explore the possibilities of cross-city tournaments for our athletes and provide them with opportunities to test themselves against competitors from different countries.

“In this current batch of athletes, we can detect that many of them, 
especially those who have won gold, aspire to be Paralympians in the 
future. For us to help them bridge the gap between the APG level and the Paralympics, work has to start now.

“And while it’s important to bring in new blood, we must also keep the experienced ones to serve as mentors and sparring partners for the next generation of athletes.”

One reason for Singapore’s strong showing at this year’s APG was the increase in funding for athletes. Close to S$1 million was provided to them via the Final Push programme. This allowed the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) to send athletes to countries such as Japan and the United States for training and exposure, as well as to double its monthly transport allowances for all APG competitors to S$100.

Fu, however, was unable to 
reveal if additional Government funding would be provided towards the development of disability sports in the future. The subject is set to be reviewed during the Committee of Supply Budget discussions.

But SDSC president Teo-Koh Sock Miang believes it should not solely rely on the Government for funding. Referring to the more than S$12 million that was raised from more than 35 sponsors and donors, she said: “The onus is on us to engage more corporate sponsors to support us. We have seen really strong support from the corporate sector during this APG and hopefully this continues on past the Games.”

Lim added: “From the amount of sponsorship we’ve got for the Games, I’m confident we’ll get the support from the corporate sector if we ask. There is more awareness now about para sports, and I’m sure more companies will step forward in future to contribute to this cause.”