sport 쐽 THE STRAITS TIMES SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 2009 PAGE C35
120 picked
to be YOG
presenters
BY LIN XINYI
HE WAS the stadium announcer when
the Lions took on Liverpool in a friendly
match in July.
Now, Reds diehard supporter Adam Os-
man is preparing himself for another big
moment – presenting at next year’s
Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
The 23-year-old Nanyang Technologi-
cal University undergraduate is one of
120 youth sports presenters who will en-
gage spectators at the YOG.
The presenters, who were unveiled at
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard yesterday,
were chosen from nearly 500 applicants
to take on the roles as announcers, com-
mentators, hosts and mascot talents.
Osman said: “I don’t think I’ll become
a pro athlete but becoming a sports pre-
senter is the next best thing to me.
“To present in front of a 50,000-
strong crowd during the friendly match
was surreal. I’ll definitely be ready for the
YOG.”
To gear up for the Games, Osman and
company have been reading up on the var-
ious sports and honing their presentation
skills.
WILL BOLT STRIKE S’PORE?
Sprint ace may be here
as part of deal between
Jamaica and Republic
BY JEANETTE WANG
USAIN Bolt could well be in our backyard
soon as part of a deal that sees Singapore
assisting in resurfacing the run-down run-
ning track in Kingston, where the 100m
and 200m world-record holder and his Ja-
maican teammates train.
The Straits Times understands that
the appearance of the world’s fastest man
in the Republic hinges only on his sched-
ule – though the parties involved, be-
lieved to be a sports-related company
and the Jamaican consulate here, hope to
get him in town by year’s end.
Indeed, the time seems ripe with Bolt,
23, currently enjoying his off-season.
Last Sunday, he showed off his batting
skills in a celebrity cricket match in St
Ann in northern Jamaica. Then on Mon-
day, he received the Order of Jamaica for
his record-breaking performances at Au-
gust’s World Championships in the 100m
(9.58sec) and 200m (19.19).
When contacted yesterday, Jamaica
Trade Consul and Minister’s Envoy for
Culture, Youth and Sport in Singapore,
Dr Aloysius Tay, would only say that the
deal was in its “infancy stage” and names
of the stars coming were not confirmed.
But the Jamaica Observer on Thursday
quoted the country’s Minister of Youth,
Sports and Culture Olivia Grange as say-
ing that the Caribbean nation had agreed
to send a delegation to Singapore to help
9 England rugby
players sidelined
LONDON: England’s giant lock Simon
Shaw believes lengthy seasons and an
emphasis on size rather than technique
are to blame for a plague of injuries in
the sport.
The 36-year-old is one of nine play-
ers injured ahead of England’s autumn
internationals, including an entire front
row of Andrew Sheridan, Lee Mears and
Phil Vickery.
“We’ve got to start emphasising the
skill element over simple physicality.
Players are spending too much time in
the gym. We’re turning out athletes
rather than rugby players,” Shaw said.
“Take someone like Lawrence Dallagl-
io. He was never that great in the gym.
“Or Serge Betsen, now at Wasps.
Again, not the biggest lifter of weights
or even the fittest. Yet are there two bet-
ter players?”
Shoulder injuries have sidelined flank-
er Tom Rees, centre Riki Flutey and full-
back Delon Armitage for months, while
hooker Mears and fly-half Toby Flood
(knee) and centre Mike Tindall (ham-
string) complete England’s absentee
list.
With many of those names likely to
have featured in the side to face Austral-
ia at Twickenham on Nov 7 and the sub-
sequent Argentina and New Zealand
matches, coach Martin Johnson faces a
selection headache.
Mr Teo hamming it up with sports presenters representing taekwondo – (from left) Woo Su Xian, 14, Tang Rei-En, 16, and Gaurav Jaiswal, 16.
The 120 chosen youngsters danced on stage after their selection as presenters for next year’s Youth Olympic Games. ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
Guest of honour Teo Ser Luck, Senior
Parliamentary Secretary for Community
Development, Youth and Sports, said
that the presenters would be an impor-
Sprinter Usain Bolt, triple world-record holder and Jamaica’s most famous export, signing
autographs after being decorated with the Order of Jamaica, the country’s fourth-highest honour,
during Monday’s National Heroes Day awards ceremony in Kingston. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS
promote the inaugural 2010 Youth Olym-
pic Games.
“They (Singapore) made a specific re-
quest for Usain. And Asafa Powell and Ve-
ronica Campbell-Brown have confirmed
to go,” she said.
Powell, 26, is the Commonwealth
Games champion and former men’s 100m
world record-holder, while Camp-
bell-Brown, 27, is the reigning two-time
Olympic winner in the women’s 200m.
In return, Ms Grange said the Singa-
pore private sector has agreed to pay for
the track repairs to Jamaica’s National
Stadium, estimated to cost at least
“If you train too much, then it’s go-
ing to stress the body.
“It’s like a Formula One car. Why are
those F1 cars always breaking down
while your old banger goes on forever?
It’s because they’re under strain,” Shaw
added.
Shaw, who is recovering from a foot
injury and has not played since the Brit-
ish and Irish Lions’ tour of South Africa
in July, also says crammed club and in-
ternational schedules could be pushing
players too far physically.
“You can’t switch off. There are no
easy games any longer.
“Three years ago, there was a differ-
ence in intensity between the Premier-
ship and the Heineken Cup. There no
longer is,” Wasps player Shaw said.
“I’m also not sure that the summer
tours need to happen every year. It’s the
same with the November series of
games here.
“Playing the All Blacks used to be spe-
cial. Now, it’s every year.”
Wales also have problems ahead of
their autumn matches, after Ospreys re-
vealed that scrum-half Mike Phillips’ an-
kle injury could rule him out for up to
four months.
Wales host New Zealand on Nov 7,
followed by Tests against Samoa, Argen-
tina and Australia.
REUTERS
tant legacy for the Games.
He said: “Sports is becoming more and
more of a national interest.
US$700,000 (S$1 million), which the Ja-
maican government did not have funds
for. Resurfacing of the track will reported-
ly begin next month and be completed by
February.
The current track was laid in 2002
when Kingston hosted the World Junior
Championships. But its condition has be-
come well worn with use and thus increas-
es the athletes’ risk of injury.
“We are awaiting a date from Usain,”
the Minister of Sport said in another
newspaper report on Oct 3.
“I know they are interested and keen
because Usain personally spoke to me
Chan Keng Kwang (left) and Charlene Chai (right) en route to claiming the men’s and women’s
titles at the National 9-Ball Championship. ST PHOTOS: CHEW SENG KIM
Chan, Chai claim 9-ball titles
NATIONAL team player Chan Keng
Kwang claimed the National 9-Ball Cham-
pionship men’s title with a hard-fought
11-10 victory over two-time champion
Bernard Tey at Klassic Cuesports last
night.
The tense race-to-11 final swung back
and forth with both players enjoying a
golden break each.
But, with the match tied 10-10, Tey,
41, missed a crucial shot to allow his
29-year-old opponent to take the deci-
sive game.
In the women’s final, Charlene Chai,
29, had an easier time as she retained her
“There will be more sports events in
Singapore, so it is important that we give
young people a chance to present in many
different type of events.”
쏆
STARS COMING
“They made a specific request
for Usain. And Asafa Powell
and Veronica Campbell-Brown
have confirmed to go.”
OLIVIA GRANGE, Jamaica’s Minister of
Sport, on sending a delegation here to
help promote the inaugural YOG next
August. She said that in return, the
Singapore private sector had agreed to
pay for the track repairs to Jamaica’s
National Stadium, costing $1 million
about the track, saying we (the athletes)
really can’t train on the track because of
the condition it’s in.”
Talks to bring the Jamaican stars here
– as part of a world tour – began last
year, according to an MP for Pasir
Ris-Punggol GRC, Charles Chong.
Mr Chong, who is also SIA Engineer-
ing’s quality and safety vice-president,
said the subject was brought up by Jamai-
ca’s Minister of Transport and Works, Mr
Michael Henry, at a chance work meeting
late last year.
Dr Tay, who is also the Association of
Aerospace Industries (Singapore) chief ex-
ecutive, was also present.
What developed after that meeting is
unclear to Mr Chong, though it seems the
idea was not just a bolt out of the blue.
He said: “Having the Jamaican athletes
here would be such an inspiration to our
athletes.”
jwang@sph.com.sg
title with a 9-5 victory over 2007 champi-
on Jef Tan.
Tan, 28, missed her last ball on several
occasions to hand the game to her fellow
national team player, who won the first
six games in the race-to-9.
“I haven’t been playing well and the fi-
nal is my best show in the tournament.
“She (Tan) played well in the latter
half of the game and it was in the final
stages, close to the end, that the pressure
was on,” said Chai.
She will compete in the Asian Indoor
Games in Vietnam at the end of the
month.
FRANKIE CHEE
SPORTSWORLD
Kleybanova stuns
champ Jankovic
MOSCOW: Alisa Kleybanova
(above) of Russia beat defending
champion Jelena Jankovic of
Serbia 6-4, 6-3 yesterday to
advance to the semi-finals of
tennis’ Kremlin Cup.
The upset came a day after
the second-seeded Jankovic
took the last spot for next
week’s season-ending WTA
Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Thursday’s action saw former
men’s world No. 1 Marat Safin
suffer a second-round defeat by
fellow Russian Evgeny Korolev
4-6, 6-7 (4-7). Safin will retire
at the end of the season.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
India’s Rai leads
in Johor Open
JOHOR BARU: South Korean
golfer K.J. Choi fired an
eight-under 64 yesterday for a
132 total to tie for second with
Australian Darren Beck at the
Johor Open.
They are one stroke behind
leader Himmat Rai (67) of India.
The tournament has been
reduced to 54 holes due to
inclement weather, with 24
players – including Singapore
duo Lam Chih Bing and Mardan
Mamat – yet to complete their
second round.
Super Reds draw
2-2 with Albirex
S-LEAGUE football club Super
Reds fought out an entertaining
2-2 draw with Albirex Niigata at
the Jalan Besar Stadium last
night.
Goals by Albirex forward
Tetsuya Kishida (14th, 61st
minute) were cancelled out by
Korean duo Jeon Byung Euk
(36th) and Choi Dong Soo (57th)
for Super Reds.
No adidas for me,
says Jordan’s son
ORLANDO: A fight over the
shoes Michael Jordan’s son will
wear at the University of
Central Florida could cost the
school, which is negotiating a
new deal with adidas that could
be worth up to US$3 million
(S$4.2 million) and last up to six
years, financially.
First-year basketball guard
Marcus Jordan is refusing to
wear shoes made by adidas, the
brand the university has a
contract with for all its sports.
He says he will wear only his
father’s Nike Air Jordan shoes
because they hold a special
meaning to his family.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Striker Vieri,
36, calls it a day
MILAN: Much-travelled former
Italy striker Christian Vieri, who
once joined Inter Milan for a
then-world record fee of
US$53 million (S$74 million),
announced his retirement on
Thursday.
The 36-year-old footballer,
who also counts Juventus and
Atletico Madrid among his many
clubs, left Atalanta last season
and a recent trial at Blackburn
Rovers was not successful.
REUTERS
Tanzania bans four
corrupt refs for life
ARUSHA (Tanzania): The
Tanzanian football federation
has banned four referees for life
for match-fixing.
The referees allegedly
received about US$200 (S$280)
each to fix last month’s Premier
League match between Maji
Maji and Mtibwa Sugar. Maji
Maji, who won 1-0, were fined
about US$10,000 for their role.
The referees have denied any
wrongdoing.
ASSOCIATED PRESS