Asian Youth Games medallists rewarded with scholarships

SINGAPORE – The Republic’s youth athletes were rewarded for their efforts at the Nanjing Asian Youth Games (AYG) today (Dec 4), as NTUC FairPrice Foundation presented the 17 medallists with sports scholarships worth a total of S$81,500.

Teenage swimmer Quah Zheng Wen was the biggest winner at the ceremony, as the 16-year-old earned a total of S$18,750 for his medal haul of three gold, two silver and one bronze in Nanjing, China. Teammates Samantha Yeo and Darren Lim also made the list of top three earners for the AYG, claiming reward sums of S$18,750 and S$11,750 respectively.

NTUC FairPrice chief executive officer Seah Kian Peng and AYG chef-de-mission Tan Paey Fern presented the awards to the youth athletes today, and fencer Choy Yu Yong – who won a bronze in the individual men’s sabre fencing – said: “The scholarship can help me to subsidy my expenses incurred in fencing such as competition and equipment costs, and I am very proud to be a recipient of the scholarship.”

Sponsored by NTUC FairPrice Foundation, the AYG sports scholarship – which does not give cash rewards to recipients – can be used to offset school and tuition fees, purchase of training and competition equipment, supplements, tickets to training camps and coaching fees. The scholarship amounts are pegged at between S$750 to S$6,000 for an individual medal, S$3,000 to S$10,000 for a team (event) medal, and S$6,000 to S$15,000 for a team (sports) medal.

The Republic’s 84-strong contingent competed in nine sports at the Aug 16 to 24 Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, winning a total of five gold, 12 silver and six bronze medals. At the inaugural AYG hosted here, Singapore’s youth representatives finished the competition with a 30-medal haul (nine gold, six silver, 15 bronze).