Loh Kean Yew, Sheik Farhan, Feng Tianwei gunning for honours at S’pore Sports Awards
The battle for honours at the Singapore Sports Awards is set to heat up, with badminton star Loh Kean Yew and silat world champion Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin in contention for the Sportsman of the Year accolade, while former table tennis player Feng Tianwei will be out to bag her fourth Sportswoman of the Year gong.
The trio were among the finalists for the annual awards on Aug 23 that were unveiled on Thursday.
The awards recognises individuals and teams for their performances and achievements in 2022. It is organised by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) and Sport Singapore (SportSG), and supported by the Tote Board.
Loh, who was named Sportsman of the Year at the last edition, reached a career-high ranking of world No. 3 in 2022, matching badminton legend Zarinah Abdullah who reached the same milestone in 1994 in the women’s singles.
While he has yet to win a title since becoming world champion in 2021, the 26-year-old won the men’s singles silver at the Hanoi SEA Games and finished runner-up at the India Open.
Loh was also part of the mixed team who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Also up for the Sportsman gong is Farhan, who won a gold medal at the SEA Games last May before picking up his fourth world title two months later.
The 25-year-old said: “It’s an honour to be nominated for such an award. It’s always a great feeling to be recognised for our achievements in sports where we work hard to reach higher heights. Congratulations to all nominees!”
Fencer Jonathan Au Eong, swimmer Teong Tzen Wei and Xiangqi player Alvin Woo are the other nominees for the award.
A dream swansong for Feng at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she claimed three gold medals, has put her in contention for a fourth Sportswoman award. She won the award in 2010, 2013 and 2018.
She will come up against silat exponent Siti Khadijah Shahrem, Ngo Lan Huong (Xiangqi), Quah Jing Wen (swimming), Cherie Tan (bowling), Contessa Loh (archery), and Teh Xiu Hong (shooting) in the battle for top honours.
Lawrence Leow, chairman of the Singapore Sports Awards 2023 organising committee said: “This year we are celebrating sporting excellence in a diversity of sports.
“The finalists include athletes and teams who have performed at the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games, regional and world championships.
“We are looking forward with excitement to recognise and award the deserving recipients who have demonstrated excellence and contributed to Singapore’s sporting journey in 2022.”
Three journalists from The Straits Times – assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath, sports correspondents Sazali Abdul Aziz and David Lee – were also shortlisted for the Most Inspiring Sports Story of the Year.
Nominees (selected)
Sportsman of the Year: Loh Kean Yew (badminton), Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin (silat), Jonathan Au Eong (fencing), Teong Tzen Wei (swimming), Alvin Woo (Xiangqi)
Sportswoman of the Year: Feng Tianwei (table tennis), Siti Khadijah Mohamad Shahrem (silat), Ngo Lan Huong (xiangqi), Quah Jing Wen (swimming), Cherie Tan (bowling), Contessa Loh (archery), Teh Xiu Hong (shooting)
Sportsboy of the Year: Max Lee (diving), Maximillian Maeder (sailing), Nicholas Mahabir (swimming), Aniq ‘Asri Mohammad Yazid (silat), Ronan Tan (wushu)
Sportsgirl of the Year: Elle Koh (fencing), Kassandra Ong (wushu), Colleen Pee (bowling), Nadhrah Sahrin (silat)
Coach of the Year: Helmi Chew (bowling), Gao Ning (table tennis), Joewe Lam (ice hockey), Li Peng (diving), Sheik Alau’ddin Yacoob Marican (silat), Gary Tan (swimming), Teo Shun Xie (shooting)
Team of the Year (Team sport): Ice hockey men’s team, tchoukball women’s team, water polo women’s team
Team of the Year (Event): Badminton mixed doubles team (Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – Terry Hee, Jessica Tan Wei Han); Fencing women’s foil team (Asian Fencing Championships – Amita Berthier, Denyse Chan, Cheung Kemei, Maxine Wong); Shooting pistol women’s team (ISSF World Cup Changwon – Teh Xiu Hong, Teh Xiu Yi, Teo Shun Xie); Silat women’s artistic team (19th Pencak Silat World Championships – Iffah Batrisyia Noh, Amirah Sahrin, Nur Ashikin Zulkifli); Table tennis women’s team (Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – Feng Tianwei, Wong Xinru, Zeng Jian, Zhou Jingyi)
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