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Until 27 February 2008, 9pm
13 Winners announced for 13th Sports Awards Night 2007
The 13th Sports Awards 2007 took place at the Intercontinental Hotel this evening, with 13 ‘Superstar Athletes emerging as winners. The winners were carefully selected from the 32 nominations received for their marked achievements in sports over the past year.
Receiving the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ award this year is Dr William Tan Kian Meng.
Dr Tan clinched one silver and two bronze medals in the 800m, 200m and 400m wheelchair racing events for T53 category respectively at the recent 4th ASEAN Para Games 2008. Locally, he took a silver medal in 100m and 2 silvers in the 200m and 800m wheelchair racing for T53 category at the National Track and Field Championships 2007, organised by the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC). Besides his devotion to challenge limits through various feats on his racing wheelchair, Dr William Tan has gone on further to benefit others through his passion.
Ms Norsilawati Binte Sa’at received her first ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ award this year, after 4 years of hard work in wheelchair racing. In 2007, Norsilawati represented Singapore in the 100m and 200m wheelchair racing events for T52 category at the IWAS World Wheelchair and Amputee Games and the 4th ASEAN Para Games, where she made marked improvements in her performance.
This year, the ‘Sportsgirl of the Year’ award went to sixteen-year old Ms Yip Pin Xiu of Bendemeer Secondary School. This is Pin Xiu’s third consecutive time winning the award. In the British International Disability Championships 2007, Pin Xiu took home 4 gold medals in the 50m, 100m, 200m Free and 50m Backstroke for S3 category. At the 21st International German Swimming Championships she clinched 3 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze . Her dedication in trainings reaped further rewards when she returned home with another 3 Gold medals at the Japan Paralympic Swimming Championships and 4 gold medals at the IWAS World Wheelchair & Amputee Games. At the 4th ASEAN Para Games, Pin Xiu brought home her last gold medal of the year in the 150m individual medley for SM3 category.
This year saw the emergence of two recipients for the Coach of the Year. One of them was Mr Jacter Singh who is highly regarded by his athletes as a role model. Mr Jacter has shown admirable attention grooming his athletes to display exemplary performance. He coached the national relay team to their first bronze medal at the 4th ASEAN Para Games. The other recipient was Ms Jiao Yang who has produced several outstanding swimmers like Sports Girl of the Year winner Yip Pin Xiu, Sports Woman of the Year (Merit) Ng Xiu Zhen and Sports Boy of the Year (Merit) Lee Shi Xin. Jiao Yang has been described by her athletes as a coach who always put their health and well being before hers.
The Team of the Year Award was given to the national relay team comprising Fitri Bin Amran, Fadli Bin Baba, Timothy Wang and Khairul Ridhuan. This is their first award, in recognition of their efforts in bringing home a bronze medal in the 400m relay event for T20 category at the 4th ASEAN Para Games.
Ms Theresa Goh received a special award tonight for her outstanding achievements in swimming. Besides holding the title of ‘Sports Girl of the Year’ in 2002 and 2003, Theresa went on to win the ‘Sports Woman of the Year’ award from 2004 to 2006. This award also recognizes her dedication to swimming and her work mentoring younger swimmers like Yip Pin Xiu and Kristine Quek. In 2007, Theresa secured a slot in the upcoming Beijing Paralympics, equivalent of Olympics for athletes with disabilities, amongst other notable achievements.
There was no recipient for the ‘Sports Boy of the Year’ award this year as the nominees did not meet the selection criteria. All award recipients received prize monies and a trophy. The Team of the Year and Coach of the Year awards were sponsored by Fitness First.
The Sports Woman of the Year merit award went to 24 year-old Ng Xiu Zhen who set a Games record for the 100m Freestyle event for S7 category at the recent 4th ASEAN Para Games. Other merit winners included Lee Shi Xin for Sports Man of the Year and Ms Kristine Quek for Sports Girl of the Year.