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Disabled athletes in Top 50 Sports Idols: Vote them into the final 20!

We’re almost there! SDSC thanks everyone for their support towards our athletes with disability during the preliminary round of the Team Singapore Sports Idols 2007, which was held from 22 Oct to 16 Nov 2007.

Kudos to everyone who gave up a little time to show your encouragement. Even we were overwhelmed when 8 of 12 athletes with disability nominated successfully entered the finals.

Now that we’re in our last stage, let’s work together to keep our idols in the Top 20! Do remember to continue voting for them in this FINAL ROUND from 26 November 2007 to 21 December 2007.

You can VOTE NOW, using the following two methods;

1) Online

2) SMS

“TSIDOL“ to 77877,
e.g. “TSIDOL Eric S1234567A M36” and send it to 77877.

Vote now and keep your sporting heroes in the race!

Nominees for Top 10 Male Sports Idol (Final Round):

Emilio Choo Choo Poh Choon
Idol Number: M25

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is playing a part in the team
coming in 3rd place in ASEAN Wheelchair Basketball Championship in 2003.

Achievements
3rd in ASEAN Wheelchair Basketball Championship 2003
3rd in Malaysia Wheelchair Basketball Invitational 2005 (Including Top 5 Players of Tournament)
2nd in Singapore Wheelchair Basketball League 2007

Likes
Food, Sports, Anime and Manga, Gaming, Clubbing, Singing

Dislikes
Cakes, all talk and no action, and one who won’t fight for oneself

Click here to view Emilio’s nomination.

Click here to vote Emilio into the final 20!

Mohd Firdaus Bin Nordin Muhammad Firdaus Bin Nordin
Idol Number: M26

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is when I won a silver medal at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championship 2006 and earned the Beijing 2008 Paralympic slot.

Achievements
Sportsboy of the Year 2001 & 2005, Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC)
Sportsboy of the Year 2004 (Merit), SDSC
National Colours Award 2004 & 2005
Japan Paralympic Athletic Championships 2007 (Osaka, Japan) - 2 gold medals in 100m and 200m (T53)
World Wheelchair and Amputee Games 2007 (Taipei, Taiwan) - 4th placings in 100m, 200m and 400m (T53)
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships 2006 (Sep 2006) – Silver medal in 200m sprint (T53) - confirmed entry slot to Beijing 2008 Paralympics.
Games record-holder of 200m sprint (T53) of IPC Athletics World Championships (since Sep 2006)
9th Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled (FESPIC) 2006 – Bronze medal in 400m sprint (T53)
3rd ASEAN Para Games 2005 (Dec 2005) – 2 gold and 1 silver medals. Timing for 100m was ranked #1 in the world (official as the Para Games was not an IPC sanctioned event).
World Wheelchair and Amputee Games (2005) – 3 silver medals
2nd ASEAN Para Games 2003 (Dec 2003) – 3 silver medals
Malaysia Paralympiad Games and Asian Cities Invitation 2002 – 2 silvers
National Junior Disabled Games in Brisbane, Australia (Oct 2001) – 1 gold and 2 silver medals. Broke 1 games record.

Likes
Hanging out with friends, spending time with family, Manchester United!

Dislikes
Early mornings

Click here to view Firdaus’ nomination.

Click here to vote Firdaus into the final 20!

Jovin Tan Wei Qiang
Idol Number: M27

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is when I receive gold medals.

Achievements
Sailability Singapore Regatta (Access Dinghy 2.3) 2001 – 4th placing
Pesta Sukan Regatta 2002 – 4th placing
3rd Australian National & International Access Dinghy Championships 2002 – Div 3 2nd placing
1st National Disability Games (Sailability Regatta) 2002 – 4th placing
Australian National & International Access Dinghy 2003 – Div 1 2nd placing
Pesta Sukan Regatta 2003 – 5th placing
Changi Sailing Club Commodore Cup 2003 – 1st placing
2nd National Disability Games (Sailability Regatta) 2003 – 3rd placing
11th Singapore Straits Regatta (SONAR) 2005 – 1st placing
4th National Disability Games (Sailability Regatta) 2005 – 1st placing
Ambassador’s Cup 2005 – 1st placing (among able-bodied keel boats)
IFDS World Disabled Sailing Championships 2005 – 16th placing
Singapore Sailability Open 2005 – 5th placing
MPPP/PSC International Sailing Regatta – 1st placing
Sailability Singapore Regatta 2005 – 2nd placing
Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled 2006 – Gold medal in Men’s Dinghy class

Likes
Sailing

Dislikes
Failures

Click here to view Jovin’s nomination.

Click here to vote Jovin into the final 20!

Bakhia Bin Hashim
Idol Number: M28

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is when I get selected to represent my country and bring back medals.

Achievements
Represented Singapore at Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled (FESPIC) in Hong Kong, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia.
2nd place in Javelin event at FESPIC Games in Hong Kong.
1st place in National Paraplegic Bodybuilder, organised by Singapore Amateur Bodybuilder Federation in 1992.
1st place in Javelin in Surakarta, Indonesia Fespic Games in 1985.
2nd place in swimming at FESPIC Games in Kobe, Japan, in 1989.
1st place in Freestyle Swimming event, organised by Sukan Organizing Cacat, Malaysia, in 1992.
3rd place in javelin event in Beijing China, 1994.
Represented Singapore in Lawn Bowls at 9th FESPIC Games 2006 - 1st place in double partner with another country.

Likes
I like any sport that keeps me fit. I love to go bowling with my family during my free time.

Dislikes
Hypocrites

Click here to view Bakhia’s nomination.

Click here to vote Bakhia into the final 20!

Eric Ting Chee Keong
Idol Number: M29

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is when I first represented Singapore at the 2005 World Wheelchair and Amputee Games (Brazil).

Achievements
32nd National Track and Field Championships 2004 - Gold (100m T52 Wheelchair Racing)
33rd National Track and Field Championship 2005 - Participation
4th IPC Athletics World Championship 2006 (Assen, Holland) - Participation in 100m, 200m (T52)
34th National Track and Field Championship 2007 - Silver medal in 400m (T52)
IWAS World Wheelchair and Amputee Games 2007 - 1 Silver Medal in 100m T52 Wheelchair Race, Participation in 200m and 400m

Likes
Honesty

Dislikes
Hypocrisy

Click here to view Eric’s nomination.

Click here to vote Eric into the final 20!

Nominees for Top 10 Female Sports Idol (Final Round):

Laurentia Tan Yen Yi
Idol Number: F2

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is when I came in 4th at the World Para-Dressage Championships 2007 in the United Kingdom in the “Freestyle to Music” class because it was my highest mark at my first international competition and ironically, with my profound deafness, to be the most challenging test.

Likes
People with a sense of humour, having a good laugh and traveling

Dislikes
Very spicy food!

Click here to view Laurentia’s nomination.

Click here to vote Laurentia into the final 20!

Theresa Goh Rui Si
Idol Number: F17

Something About Me
For my proudest sporting moment, there are too many moments, I can’t decide between the first time I represented Singapore in an international meet, setting my first world record or the times I set the next world records. Sometimes I just experience this moment where I’m not at the pool and I just suddenly feel so lucky to be able to represent Singapore as a national athlete.

Achievements
• Sportswoman of the Games during 1st ASEAN Para Games 2001
• Sportsgirl of the Year 2002 & 2003, Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC)
• Sportswoman of the Year 2004, SDSC
• Sportswoman of the Year 2005, SDSC
• Sportswoman of the Year 2006, SDSC
• Singapore Youth Award – Sports and Adventure 2005
• U.S. Paralympics (Aug 2006) – World Record in 200m Breaststroke (SB4)
• Telkom South Africa National Aquatic Swimming Championships 2006 (April 2006) – 0.05 seconds off world record for 50m Breaststroke (SB4)
• International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Swimming Championships 2006 (Dec 2006) – Gold medal in 200m Individual Medley (S5) – confirmed entry slot to Beijing 2008 Paralympics.
• Danish Open 2007 – World Record in 50m Breaststroke (SB4)
• British International Disability Swimming Championships 2007 (May 2007) – rewrote her own world record for 200m Breaststroke (SB4)
• 21st International German Championships 2007 (May 2007) – rewrote her own world record for 50m Breaststroke (SB4)
• SSC (School Sports Council) Colours Award 2002 & 2003
• SSC Special Colours Award 2004
• VISA Paralympic World Cup (May 2005, Manchester) - Silver medal for 100m Breast with PB
• Paralympic Games (October 2004, Athens) - Finalist in 5 events
• Japan Paralympic Swimming Championships 2007 (Aug 2007) – 3 gold and 1 silver medals.
• Participated in her first triathlon at Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore (2 Sept 2007). Completed swimming (1.9km) and race (21km) legs only as she fell during the handcycling leg.

Academic Achievement School Award
• EAGLES ( Edusave Awards for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service) – 2002
• EAGLES – 2003
• EAGLES – 2004
• CDC & CCC Good Progress Award – 2003
• Design and Technology Creative Aesthetic Award - 2005

Other Awards
• AWWA Perseverance Award – 2000
• AWWA Outstanding Achievement Award – 2001
• AWWA Special Effort Award – 2004
• AWWA Special Effort Award – 2005
• Tampines Mall Outstanding Achievement Award – 2003
• SSC Top 20 Sports Idol – 2005
• Her World’s Young Woman Achiever Award – 2006
• Longines Sports Captain Award 2007

Likes
I like the smell of chlorine, dark chocolate, coffee, being at peace, drawing, listening to music, hanging out with friends and family.

Dislikes
I dislike alot of things but I try not to let them affect me. I’d rather be happy and ignorant than knowing and stressed.

Click here to view Theresa’s nomination.

Click here to vote Theresa into the final 20!

Yip Pin Xiu
Idol Number: F20

Something About Me
My proudest sporting moment is I was classified under S5 at the 2005 World Wheelchair and Amputee Games in Brazil. My condition then should have been a S4 classification. That being the case, I was competing with athletes whose physical conditions were better than me. When I won one gold and two bronze medals, I really felt a great sense of achievement.

Achievement
2004:
3rd National Junior Swimming Championship 2004 – 6 gold medals (25m Fly, 50m & 100m Free, 50m & 100m Breast, 50m Back)
25th National Swimming Championship 2004 – 5 silver and 1 gold medal (50m & 100m Free, 50m & 100m Breast, 50m & 100m Back)

2005:
1st Asia Paralympics Swimming Championship 2005 – 2 gold medals
The Young Talent Award (Sports) by AWWA TeachMe Services
Colours Award by Singapore South Zone Schools’ Sports Council
CCA Award for Outstanding Performance in Swimming by Bendemeer Secondary School
Sportsgirl of the Year by Singapore Disability Sports Council
25th National Swimming Championships – 1 gold medal
World Wheelchair and Amputee Games (Brazil) – 1 bronze (150m Medley) and 2 gold medals (50m & 200m Free).

2006:
SPH Foundation National Junior Swimming Championship 2006 – 3 gold medals (50m & 100m Free, 50m Breast)
Sportsgirl of the Year by Singapore Disability Sports Council
Colours Award by Singapore South Zone Schools’ Sports Council
CCA Award for Outstanding Performance in Swimming by Bendemeer Secondary School
36th National Colours Award by Singapore Schools’ Sports Council
Disability Sports England (DSE) Long Course Swimming Championship – 4 gold medals (50, 100m & 200m Free, 150m Medley)
9th FESPIC Games 2006 (equivalent of Asian Games) – 1 personal best
2006 IPC World Swimming Championship – Participation in 6 events.

2007:
British International Disability Swimming Championships 2007 – 4 gold medals (50m, 100m & 200m Free, 50m Back) and 1 silver (50m Back).
21st International German Championships 2007 – 3 gold medals (50m, 100m Back, 150 Medley Junior), 1 silver (50m Breast), 1 bronze (150m Medley Open)
Japan Paralympic Swimming Championships 2007 – 3 gold medals (50m, 100m, 200m Free) and 3 personal bests
IWAS World Wheelchair and Amputee Games 2007 – 4 gold medals (50m & 100m Free, 50m Back, 150m Medley)
Colours Award by Singapore South Zone Schools’ Sports Council
CCA Award for Outstanding Performance in Swimming by Bendemeer Secondary School
37th National Colours Award by Singapore Schools’ Sports Council

Academic Achievements:
2005: Edusave Awards for Achievement, Good Leadership & Service (EAGLES) by Ministry of Education
2006: Edusave Awards for Achievement, Good Leadership & Service (EAGLES) by Ministry of Education
2007: Edusave Awards for Achievement, Good Leadership & Service (EAGLES) by Ministry of Education

Likes
I like swimming, traveling, making friends and talking.

Dislikes
I dislikes heights and unfair accusations.

Click here to view Pin Xiu’s nomination.

Click here to vote Pin Xiu into the final 20!