In this blog post I would be covering about the various sports significane in Singapore and the areas of improvement that Singapore can work on to become a better sporting nation.
Table tennis!
Courtesy of Onoc
Yea, thats one of the most significant sport in Singapore right isn't it? Let me analyse why is it so significant to Singapore's sporting market.
This sport has achieved tremendous results especially in recent years. It marked an increase in the popularity of the sport in 2008, when the table tennis team, had won the silver medal for Singapore, only the second time in 42 years. It was a historic moment for the Singaporean, and therefore the increase of popularity. I remember when I was a sec 1 but classmates had really loved to play this sport and we always enjoyed the game during recess.
However, recently, there was a significant markdown in the popularity of the sports? The evidence? Hwa Chong Table Tennis Tables. As one of the most popular and tremendous sports athlete of Singapore, Li Jia Wei , world number 6 has stepped down from the team, the team lost its X factor. Believe me? Just ask a friend whether they know Li Jia Wei was in the table tennis team which won the silver medal. Following that, ask them who is Feng Tian Wei. This is not known to despise the athlete but just to show an example about how a trademark athlete of the sport in the country could actually affect the popularity and future of the sports.
Squash
Well, this is the sport I am playing. Some of you might not heard of this sports before, thus explaining the popularity of the sport in Singapore.
However, you might be surprised that actually squash had been one of Singapore's favourite sport in the 1970s and the 1980s. In that regime, we actually had a world ranked player which linger around in the top 30? That is Zainal Abidin, which happens to be my coach too. You can ask your father or your mother who is Zainal, I can tell you that 70 percent of your parents would know who they are.
Surprising isn't it?
Let me explain this sports popularity. During the era, there were many squash courts, and squash rackets and equipment were everywhere, and this cause the popularity as many people were willing to try the sport. Compared to now, they are only 36 squash courts in Singapore. Squash equipment are also hard to find nowadays. During then, there were a lot of professional squash players who are world ranked. However, this days, many of the players only pick up the sports as a CCA in secondnary school because of lack of courts and thus leading to the decline in this sports.
I would continuing about sports in Singapore in my next post and summarizing all the events and posts in Term 1' 2010. Read More......