Singapore selects 950 athletes for SEA Games
Singapore will likely send its "largest-ever Southeast Asian (SEA) Games contingent" to the 28th edition to be held in the city-state from 5 to 16 June this year.
The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) said on Monday that roughly 950 Singapore athletes across all 36 sports made the first cut of selection to the games.
The number will be finalised after the respective National Sports Associations (NSAs) choose the actual athletes for their specific events by 15 April.
Local stars like swimmer Joseph Schooling, cyclist Dinah Chan, marathoner Mok Ying Ren and rower Saiyidah Aisyah were all named in this initial round of picks.
The last time Singapore hosted the SEA Games was in 1993, where 461 athletes across 29 sports yielded a record haul of 50 gold medals.
SNOC secretary-general Chris Chan said that while criteria for a Singapore athlete to qualify for the SEA Games remains a third-placing in Southeast Asia, this year's selection process was changed "to be more extensive... without compromising standards".
"Those who medaled at the 2013 Games are given the opportunity to defend their medal," he explained. "Athletes who have been training, competing and are not too far off the margin have also been selected."
NSAs also have until 2 April to submit appeal cases for the Games.
