Latest news with #10thSpecialOlympicsSingaporeNationalGames
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Athletes eager to compete as 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games kick off
Nuraqilah Fatin Swat, a participant in bocce, pictured with a sign her friends made her after the 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games during the opening ceremony held at Bishan Stadium on May 30, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG SINGAPORE – Through her schooling years, Nuraqilah Fatin Swat dabbled in different sports like football and floorball, but felt that none really suited her. With knee injuries also making it hard for her to pursue these sports, she began to search for other hobbies she could do outside of her job as a barista. Four months ago, while scrolling through Instagram, she came across a post on bocce, a bowling game of Italian origin played on a long narrow court, and decided to give it a try. The 30-year-old quickly took a liking to the sport and will be participating in her first bocce competition – the Special Olympics Singapore National Games, which will be held from May 30 to June 2. Although she picked up bocce only recently, Fatin is aiming for gold at the event as she eyes a spot at the 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Santiago, Chile. She said: 'During my school days, I always saw my classmates going for Special Olympics competitions, they always got the chance to go overseas to compete. 'I already had interest in sports for a long time but I just didn't get the chance to join (these overseas competitions), but after I work, I just thought maybe I want to join the Special Olympics with a sport that suits me.' Fatin was speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games, which took place at Bishan Stadium on May 30. The ceremony was graced by guest-of-honour President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who declared the Games open. The quadrennial, multi-sport competition will be held at the National University of Singapore, and will involve 543 athletes with intellectual disabilities, 140 coaches and over 1,000 volunteers from 27 schools and centres. It will feature seven sports competitions: athletics, badminton, bocce, bowling, dance sport, football and swimming. Also eager to make his debut at the Special Olympics Singapore National Games is footballer Shane Yan, who was inspired to take the sport more seriously after watching his favourite club Real Madrid clinch a third consecutive Champions League title in 2018. That led to him joining the Special Olympics football outreach programme the same year, with him training every Saturday morning at Bendemeer Secondary School in addition to weekly futsal sessions. The forward, 21, said: 'I really love football, it gives me the exhiliration when I run... I've never regretted my decision and look where I am now – I'm more physically active than before.' Shane Yan, a footballer, carries a torch with the Special Olympics flame during one leg of the relay during the opening ceremony held at Bishan Stadium on May 30, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Sport has given him the opportunity to mix with different people who share the same passion as him and has also emphasised to him the value of inclusion and social cohesion. 'For me, inclusivity and embracing diversity is very important to me because everybody has different capabilities in whatever they do,' said Yan, a third-year student in Republic Polytechnic, where he is pursuing a diploma in sports and exercise science. In her speech at the opening ceremony, Special Olympics Singapore president Teo-Koh Sock Miang sent a similiar message. Urging the crowd of about 2,500 people at Bishan Stadium to show their support for the athletes, she said: 'Tonight, I call on everyone to help us celebrate abilities and inspire possibilities. 'That's the theme of these Games – let's inspire each other, let's make sure that opportunities will always be there for our special athletes, so let's help to celebrate every single athlete at the Games.' Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Paper
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Singapore Idol's Leandra Lane to perform with son at Special Olympics Singapore National Games
About two decades after she first made her name as a teen contestant on the first season of Singapore Idol in 2004, home-grown artiste Leandra Lane is still actively singing. On May 30, the 38-year-old - who went by the name Leandra Veronica Rasiah and came in fifth in the hit local reality singing competition - will perform at the opening ceremony of the 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games. The ceremony, which is set to take place at Bishan Stadium, will feature VIP guest President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The 2025 edition of Special Olympics Singapore will see 543 athletes with intellectual disabilities compete in various sports at venues within the National University of Singapore until June 2. Lane and her 13-year-old son Alexander will perform their rendition of Reach, the 1996 hit by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan that was also one of the official songs of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Lane also mentors and trains young singers, including children with special needs, and runs Motown Kids, a music programme for those up to the age of 14. She says she got the upcoming gig via a friend who works with Special Olympics Singapore, and it will mark the first time mother and son perform together at a major public event. She says: "It is an extreme honour. This is also one of the most meaningful performances as Alexander and I get to share the message of working hard and giving all you've got." Alexander - her only child from a previous marriage to an Austrian engineer - started singing songs by veteran American singers Kenny Rogers and Bing Crosby since he was three. He has done several school performances and is currently a grade-eight student at Overseas Family School, an international school in Pasir Ris. Music and show business run in the family. Lane's African-American father, Rick Lane, was a member of the 1950s American soul group The Drifters, while her Eurasian mother, Lucia Rasiah, was a Miss Singapore in the 1970s. Like his mother, Alexander takes vocal lessons from Lane's sister and manager, Leynette. Leandra Lane and her 13-year-old son will sing together at the opening ceremony of the 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games. PHOTO: LEANDRA LANE The former Singapore Idol alumnus - who joined when she was 18 - still keeps in touch with fellow contestants like singer and Kiss92 DJ Daphne Khoo. "Being on the show taught me early on about the entertainment industry and how unique we all are. I was one of the youngest contestants going in and was naive about it all. Being able to sing is one thing, and identifying healthy competition is another. This was what I learnt from my time there." After Singapore Idol, she took vocal lessons in a performing arts school in Sydney, Australia, and studied dance at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles. The singer ended up fifth place on Singapore Idol. PHOTO: MEDIACORP She organises regular concerts at venues like the Esplanade and performs at events such as the St Patrick's Day Street Festival at Boat Quay in March. She also spent several years based in Europe and the United States, and sang in Los Angeles music venues such as The Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go. She has been based permanently in Singapore since 2019. While music takes up most of her time, she is also a property agent, having obtained her licence in October 2024. She is also writing and recording songs for an upcoming EP that is slated to be released in 2026. In January, a close brush with death after a gig at an orphanage in India strengthened her resolve to dedicate her life to music. She was sleeping in an Airbnb apartment in Mumbai when the air-con unit caught fire. She and her friend woke up just in time to escape the apartment before the whole place went up in flames. "It was such a scary experience that taught me the meaning of life and to live life to the fullest. I want to sing as much as I can, and love the people whom I love with all my heart and soul."
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Singapore Idol's Leandra Lane to perform with son at Special Olympics Singapore National Games
Singapore singer Leandra Lane first made her name in the inaugural season of Singapore Idol in 2004. PHOTO: LEANDRA LANE SINGAPORE – About two decades after she first made her name as a teen contestant on the first season of Singapore Idol in 2004, home-grown artiste Leandra Lane is still actively singing. On May 30, the 38-year-old – who went by the name Leandra Veronica Rasiah and came in fifth in the hit local reality singing competition – will perform at the opening ceremony of the 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games. The ceremony, which is set to take place at Bishan Stadium, will feature VIP guest President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The 2025 edition of Special Olympics Singapore will see 543 athletes with intellectual disabilities compete in various sports at venues within the National University of Singapore until June 2. Lane and her 13-year-old son Alexander will perform their rendition of Reach, the 1996 hit by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan that was also one of the official songs of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Lane also mentors and trains young singers, including children with special needs, and runs Motown Kids, a music programme for those up to the age of 14. She says she got the upcoming gig via a friend who works with Special Olympics Singapore, and it will mark the first time mother and son perform together at a major public event. She says: 'It is an extreme honour. This is also one of the most meaningful performances as Alexander and I get to share the message of working hard and giving all you've got.' Alexander – her only child from a previous marriage to an Austrian engineer – started singing songs by veteran American singers Kenny Rogers and Bing Crosby since he was three. He has done several school performances and is currently a grade-eight student at Overseas Family School, an international school in Pasir Ris. Music and show business run in the family. Lane's African-American father, Rick Lane, was a member of the 1950s American soul group The Drifters, while her Eurasian mother, Lucia Rasiah, was a Miss Singapore in the 1970s. Like his mother, Alexander takes vocal lessons from Lane's sister and manager, Leynette. Leandra Lane and her 13-year-old son will sing together at the opening ceremony of the 10th Special Olympics Singapore National Games. PHOTO: LEANDRA LANE The former Singapore Idol alumnus – who joined when she was 18 – still keeps in touch with fellow contestants like singer and Kiss92 DJ Daphne Khoo. 'Being on the show taught me early on about the entertainment industry and how unique we all are. I was one of the youngest contestants going in and was naive about it all. Being able to sing is one thing, and identifying healthy competition is another. This was what I learnt from my time there.' After Singapore Idol, she took vocal lessons in a performing arts school in Sydney, Australia, and studied dance at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles. The singer ended up fifth place on Singapore Idol. PHOTO: MEDIACORP She organises regular concerts at venues like the Esplanade and performs at events such as the St Patrick's Day Street Festival at Boat Quay in March. She also spent several years based in Europe and the United States, and sang in Los Angeles music venues such as The Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go. She has been based permanently in Singapore since 2019. While music takes up most of her time, she is also a property agent, having obtained her licence in October 2024. She is also writing and recording songs for an upcoming EP that is slated to be released in 2026. In January, a close brush with death after a gig at an orphanage in India strengthened her resolve to dedicate her life to music. She was sleeping in an Airbnb apartment in Mumbai when the air-con unit caught fire. She and her friend woke up just in time to escape the apartment before the whole place went up in flames. 'It was such a scary experience that taught me the meaning of life and to live life to the fullest. I want to sing as much as I can, and love the people whom I love with all my heart and soul.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
