Sports happenings in Singapore (9-15 Jan)

SINGAPORE — Here is a round-up of sports events and developments in Singapore in the past week (9 to 15 January):

Singapore clinch three golds at Asian Tenpin Bowling C’ships

Singapore bowlers clinched three titles at the 26th Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships in Hong Kong over the past week.

Veteran Cherie Tan got the bowlers’ campaign off to the perfect start when she won the women’s singles title on Tuesday (10 January), amassing a total of 1,525 pinfalls to beat Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan by 49 pinfalls and claim her first Asian Championships trophy.

A day later, Singapore’s men’s doubles pair Muhammad Jaris Goh and Timothy Tham also clinched a surprise gold, as the 2022 SEA Games silver medallists rolled 2,991 pinfalls finished ahead of Malaysia’s Syazirol Shamsudin and Tun Hakim and South Korea’s Park Dong-hyuk and Park Geon-ha.

On Friday, Tan teamed up with New Hui Fen and Shayna Ng to clinch the women’s trios title, sealing Singapore’s third gold of the championships with 4,463 pinfalls, ahead of the teams from Malaysia and South Korea.

Son Heung-min announced as AIA Singapore brand ambassador

AIA Singapore announced Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min as its first Singapore brand ambassador on Friday (13 January).

Son is a seven-time Asian Footballer of the Year and became the first Asian player to win the English Premier League Golden Boot award for being the league’s top scorer last season.

As AIA Singapore’s brand ambassador, Son will inspire Singaporeans to live better every day by promoting holistic wellness in three key aspects – physical health, motivation and mental health, as well as financial health.

He will play a key role in championing AIA Singapore’s upcoming initiatives to demonstrate the importance of holistic wellness to achieving a healthier, longer, better life.

Young golf stars to grass Singapore Classic next month

Singapore Classic spectators will get a glimpse into the future of Asian golf next month, with young stars Ratchanon Chantananuwat and Ding Wenyi to lead the regional amateur field at the DP World Tour event from 9 to 12 February.

Story continues

Ding and Ratchanon ended the year ranked 15th and 16th respectively in the world amateur golf rankings, making them the top male amateur players in Asia Pacific.

The 15-year-old Ratchanon, also known as TK, had a stellar 2022 where he became the youngest male player to win on one of golf’s major Tours. The Thai teenager will no doubt be eager to return to Singapore, where he played in his first ever overseas professional event last year.

Ding has also enjoyed a successful year, the 17-year-old having won the US Junior Amateur Championships last year to earn a spot at the 2023 US Open.

Other Asian golfers who earned their places in the US$2 million Singapore Classic include Taichi Kho of Hong Kong and Amarin Kraivixien of Thailand. They were placed first and second respectively in the qualifier held last month.

Single session tickets for the Singapore Classic are available from $25, while a four-day event pass is priced at $80.

Geylang International signs Japanese forward

Singapore Premier League (SPL) club Geylang International have confirmed the arrival of Japanese forward Yushi Yamaya as it gears up for the upcoming season.

The 22-year-old Yamaya came through the ranks of the Yokohama F. Marinos youth system and played for the seven-time J1 League champions in the 2019 season.

The Kanagawa-born player made a total of 10 appearances in all competitions for Tricolor, finding the net twice in his debut season. He then went on loan to gain first-team experience with numerous clubs, including J2 League sides Mito Hollyhock and Yokohama FC and Kagoshima United in the J3 League.

Yamaya is expected to spearhead the Eagles’ attack as they seek to mount a strong challenge for the league title and qualify for the continental competitions.

Yamaya is the only foreign recruit signed by Geylang, with the club retaining the services of French attacking midfielder Vincent Bezecourt and Japanese duo Takahiro Tezuka and centre-back Rio Sakuma.

Youth paddler clinches silver in Linz, Austria

Singapore youth paddler Loy Ming Ying, 12, came in second in U-13 girls’ singles competition at the World Table Tennis Youth Contender tournament in Linz, Austria, which was held from 11 to 14 January.

Ming Ying did not drop a set as she powered her way to the final, beating the likes of Ioana Ionescu (Romania), Linda Ratajska (Czechia), Miriam Meier (Austria) and Farida Omar (Egypt).

However, she lost in straight sets to Czechia’s Hanka Kodetova in the final.

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