With the Southeast Asian Games (SEA) fast-approaching, the host country of Singapore is putting the final touches on 31 competitive venues set to host the multi-sport competitive event from June 5 – June 16, 2015.
As a country, Singapore will be represented by over 900 athletes, its largest-ever contingent, who will be competing against athletes from countries such as Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam. In a recently published article by Channel News Asia, swimmer Joseph Schooling is among those athletes highlighted by Singaporeans when asked who they are most excited to see compete. “I’m looking out for Joseph Schooling because he is an upcoming swimmer who is breaking records. Our swimmers, water polo team and table tennis players are front runners (for gold) and with them I think this can be the best SEA Games ever”, says one fan.
According to the article, Schooling will be attempting a nine-gold feat in the pool, although entry lists have not yet been released. The Games’ site lists the dates for competitive pool swimming as specifically taking place from June 6th-11th.
In terms of spectator readiness, Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (SINGSOC) Chairman, Lim Teck Yin, said that a survey conducted by its organization indicated that 70% of respondents are aware that the SEA Games are taking place and about 790,000 tickets have gone on sale since February. Most sports’ sales have exceeded the 70% mark at this point. The committee will continue promoting the Games and encouraging spectatorship with one month out from the multi-million dollar Opening Ceremonies.
Who cares about Joseph Schooling; let me tell you about his Mom. Right after last night at NCAAs I walked from the pool to the team hotel with his family and talked to his Mom about how much Joseph hates losing, how he always played hard to beat his Mom in any game when he was little, and how much she and her husband loved Nitro, where she visited last Christmas when Joseph was practicing with Nitro’s National Group. At the end, we hugged like we knew each other for years and she tried to get me to join them for the team celebration dinner, which off course I (politely) declined. Joseph comes from a great family, which is also… Read more »