Singapore: Team Singapore’s badminton players arrived home to a hero’s welcome early Tuesday morning (Aug 5). All 10 members of the squad returned from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a medal. They were greeted by around 30 supporters at Changi Airport, toting flowers and teddy bears.
Badminton won bronze in the mixed team event and silver medals in the men’s singles and doubles. Mr Low Teo Ping, Singapore’s Chef de Mission at the Games, said the players have exceeded expectations. “It is an important breakthrough for badminton in Singapore,” he believed. “The Commonwealth Games platform definitely has given them an opportunity to see who else there are in the world that you have to contend with. With regard to badminton, I would in fact give them a ‘A.'”
Singapore Badminton Association president Lee Yi Shyan was among those who welcomed the athletes. Mr Lee – who is also Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and National Development – described the team’s achievements as a “great confidence booster”.
Derek Wong’s silver medal success was particularly significant, as he was the first Singapore shuttler to win a medal in the men’s singles event at the Games. He called it one of his “greatest achievements”.
He will next be playing at the Li Ning BWF World Championship 2014, at the end of this month. “We will see how improving on some of my weaknesses will help in this tournament and also bring a new level of confidence,” he said.
(source: channelnewsasia)
