SNOC approves initial list of 840 athletes for SEA Games
Final number of athletes will decrease as NSAs finalise their lists, says SNOC
Singapore could send their largest-ever contingent of athletes to a South-east Asia (SEA) Games outside of the Republic this year.
This, after the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) gave the green light to 840 athletes across 34 sports last evening.
The SNOC selection committee, chaired by Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister for Social and Family Development and SNOC president, met yesterday to consider the nominations and decide on the athletes who have made the first cut to compete at the Games.
NOT FINAL COUNT
However, not all 840 athletes will make the trip to Kuala Lumpur this August, as the national sports associations will finalise their lists of SEA Games-bound athletes in due course.
SNOC secretary-general Chris Chan said: "We are pleased that 840 athletes in 34 sports have qualified to represent Singapore at the upcoming SEA Games.
"Sports like cricket, ice hockey and ice skating will feature for the first time at the SEA Games and our athletes in these sports have all made the mark on their first try.
"We are looking forward to adding more athletes and sports to the contingent list as some are still on their way to qualify.
"In the meantime, we wish all athletes and NSAs preparing for the SEA Games all the best and hope they will be in top form to represent Singapore in August."
At present, Singapore will be represented in 34 out of 38 sports offered at the Games in Kuala Lumpur this August.
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Singapore was represented by a record 747 athletes at the 2015 Games at home, where the Republic won 84 golds, 73 silvers and 102 bronzes, the nation's best-ever showing at the biennial Games.
Athletes from four sports - volleyball, sepak takraw, karate and weightlifting - were not given the nod by the SNOC selectors yesterday, although they could still appeal for their inclusion at an appeals session on June 15.
The Republic was represented by a record 747 athletes at the 2015 Games at home, where Singapore won 84 golds, 73 silvers and 102 bronzes, the nation's best-ever showing at the biennial Games.
The previous record for a Singapore contingent to an "away" Games was in 2007, when 442 athletes competed in Korat, Thailand.
It was also that year when Singapore had their best-ever away showing, with 43 golds, 43 silvers and 41 bronzes.
Sport Singapore chief executive Lim Teck Yin has previously envisioned the Class of 2017 topping the achievements of the 2007 vintage, with athletes now armed with support programmes such as the Sports Excellence Scholarships and the campaign-based funding scheme.
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