Latest news with #GaryTan
CNA
04-08-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Singapore swimmers fell short on semi-final spots at World Aquatics Championships: Head coach
National swimming head coach Gary Tan says his team could have performed better at the recently concluded World Aquatics Championships. Despite some bright spots such as Gan Ching Hwee's stellar outing, too few swimmers managed to reach the semi-finals. Gan's success has also spurred the national body to ramp up development in distance swimming. Alif Amsyar reports.
Straits Times
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
A ‘wake-up call': National coach Gary Tan on Singapore swimmers' performances at WCH 2025
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Gary Tan rates the Singapore swimmers' campaign at the WCH as a "soft" seven out of 10. SINGAPORE – With three national records in two days as well as a final berth on home soil, distance swimmer Gan Ching Hwee shone at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) in Singapore. The 22-year-old's performance , however, was a rare bright spot for the hosts. No one else from the 16-member Singapore swimming team reached the semi-finals at the WCH Arena, with national coach and performance director Gary Tan labelling it a 'good wake-up call' for the rest. Rating the campaign a 'soft' seven out of 10, he told The Straits Times on Aug 3: 'Could we have seen more semi-finalists? We definitely had more semi-finalists in Doha (2024 WCH) and an Olympic qualifier. This time, we only had one girl in the finals and no semi-finalists.' Swatting away suggestions that the swimmers were focusing on the year-end SEA Games instead, Tan said: 'We were gunning for this. We did whatever we could in our best capacity to prepare them in the best way possible. 'But again, swimming is like this. There will always be days that you'll fall short, and unfortunately it had to happen in Singapore when we missed out on maybe three or four chances to make evening swims.' At the 2024 WCH in Doha, the women's 4x100m medley relay team comprising two pairs of sisters – Quah Ting Wen and Jing Wen as well as Letitia and Levenia Sim – set a national record in the heats to clinch a historic qualification for the Paris Olympics. Letitia (200m medley, 100m and 200m breaststroke), Teong Tzen Wei (50m butterfly) and Jing Wen (200m fly) also reached the semi-finals. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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At the 2025 WCH, Gan won her 400m free heat and finished 13th overall in 4min 9.81sec to break Lynette Lim's record of 4:11.24 set in 2009. A day later, she smashed two more national records and clinched a spot in the 1,500m free final to become the first female Singapore swimmer to compete in a world championship final since Tao Li finished seventh in the 50m fly in 2007. Her time of 16:01.29 in the heats was almost nine seconds under the 16:10.13 she swam in the 2024 Olympics heats, while her front 800m split of 8:29.93 was also a national record – her previous best at Paris 2024 was 8:32.37. Gan finished seventh in 16:03.51 in the final, which was won by American legend Katie Ledecky. In the 800m free heats, she clocked 8:31.36 to finish 13th out of 30 overall. Gan Ching Hwee clocked 8:31.36 in the 800m free heats to finish 13th out of 30 overall. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Tan noted that Gan had prepared for the meet with a clear, year-long plan and others were also preparing, but without the same clarity or intensity which was needed post-Olympics, as performance standards have shifted. Reaching the final now required not just hard work, but a willingness to push beyond limits. 'Hopefully her swim will inspire the others to say 'we can do that as well', but I think they needed a good wake-up (call),' he added. 'This is a good wake-up call for us going into SEA Games and Asian Games because, to be frank, if the others apart from Ching are happy with that performance... we would have lost the plot. 'But I know for a fact that all of them have gone back and really thought about it and reflected about how well they need to be... they are actually having a bit more clarity as to what they need to do.' Besides Gan, Quah Zheng Wen has also shown some form, coming close to all three of his national backstroke records. On Aug 2, the 28-year-old clocked his best (25.38sec) in the men's 50m since setting the national record of 25.13 in 2015. In the 100m, he registered 54.39sec, 0.6 of a second off his national record of 53.79sec. In the 200m back, his 2:00.58 effort was also within a second of the 1:59.49 national record he set in 2017. Quah Zheng Wen came close to all three of his national backstroke records. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO There were some who struggled with injuries or mental blocks. Tan noted that Teong – who recorded 23.38sec in the 50m fly heats, some way off his 21.97 national record – was still dealing with an elbow issue. Letitia, who clocked 2:27.91 in her 200m breaststroke heat – more than three seconds behind her 2:24.15 national record – mentioned that she was experiencing mental blocks and self-doubt. Calling on swimmers and coaches to heed the lessons from the 2025 WCH, Tan said the fraternity needs to 'work harder, work smarter, work more efficiently and intentfully' ahead of the next big assignments – the Dec 9-20 SEA Games in Thailand and the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. 'I think we are going to go back as a coaching group, to really reassess how to get them better,' said Tan. 'We still didn't perform up to the mark that I wanted them to, and at the end of the day, our saving grace was Ching.' The 2025 WCH saw Singapore field a 72-strong contingent, their largest at the world meet . Besides the 16 swimmers, there were also 10 divers, nine artistic swimmers, eight open water swimmers, and the men and women's water polo squads. Singapore Aquatics president Kenneth Goh said he was proud of how the Singapore contingent performed on home soil and noted that there were milestones across disciplines. He highlighted Gan's campaign, how the open water swimmers finished as South-east Asia's top performers, 14-year-old Ainslee Kwang becoming the first Singaporean diver to qualify for the WCH semi-finals , the artistic swimming duet team finishing 14th with a new personal best, and the men's water polo team beating South Africa to secure their maiden victory on the world stage. Goh added that while these breakthrough moments were savoured, 'we would have liked to have more personal bests and new national records to celebrate'. He added: 'These championships reinforced that sustained success comes from building depth and resilience over the long term. We will continue to strengthen access to world-class coaching, sport science and technical expertise across all disciplines. 'The right competition exposure is critical, and our athletes need regular opportunities to compete and spar against top-tier opponents so that competing at that level becomes normalised.'
Zawya
02-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
India lures foreign investors back with big ticket block trades
SYDNEY/SINGAPORE - Foreign investors are starting to head back into Indian stocks after a major exodus, attracted by $5.5 billion worth of big ticket block trades in May and lifting hopes of a revival in the nation's equities market. The block trades were well bought by overseas investors, according to bankers. They marked the highest monthly total in almost a year and a huge jump from only $220 million in April. "We actually saw interest coming in from a fairly diverse set of investors who were missing in action in the last six months," said Abhinav Bharti, head of JPMorgan's India equity capital market business. "They had gone out of India, said India is just too expensive, we don't want to buy anything right now. I think we could start seeing them coming back." Block trades often precede a recovery in IPOs and May's robust offerings come amid a strong performance for Indian stocks. The Nifty 50 index has climbed risen 6% since early April when U.S. President Donald Trump announced his sweeping tariffs which were then paused for 90 days, with India emerging as an investor safe haven due to better-than-feared duties. Foreigners have since bought about $3 billion worth of Indian stocks in April and May combined, data shows. That comes after they pulled nearly $29 billion out of Indian stocks between October and March which followed record highs for the country's benchmark indices in September. Gary Tan, a portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments in Singapore, said the recent inflows into India reflect a resurgence of interest in emerging market equities. "We've selectively added to India on pullbacks but remain underweight," said Tan, citing high valuation in some sectors. Banking, telecommunications and diversified conglomerates were his most favoured sectors, he added. The $5.5 billion in block trades in May, according to LSEG data, included the sale of a British American Tobacco $1.51 billion stake in ITC, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters showed. IndiGo co-founder Rakesh Gangwal also offloaded a 5.7% stake in the low-cost carrier through a block deal worth about $1.36 billion, while Singtel sold $1.5 billion of Bharti Airtel shares. Both the ITC and IndiGo trades were increased in size after strong demand from investors, bankers said. It was the busiest May on record for block trades in the country, the data showed. "We're seeing high-quality global long-only accounts coming in with conviction," said Sunil Khaitan, a managing director at Goldman Sachs in India. "Some are still waiting for levels to normalize, but 90% to 95% of the foreign liquidity coming back into the market is from deeply embedded India investors, those who understand the market and have been waiting for the right window to reengage." Citigroup's head of India ECM Arvind Vashistha said the country's better economic performance, tax cuts and interest rate reductions had helped sentiment towards India's equity markets improve. "The economy is in good shape, valuations have become more reasonable, which is encouraging healthy market activity. Investors are telling us that these are the companies we find interesting and if there's a supplier, we'd love to buy it," he said. (Reporting by Scott Murdoch and Ankur Banerjee; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India lures foreign investors back with big ticket block trades
By Scott Murdoch and Ankur Banerjee SYDNEY/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Foreign investors are starting to head back into Indian stocks after a major exodus, attracted by $5.5 billion worth of big ticket block trades in May and lifting hopes of a revival in the nation's equities market. The block trades were well bought by overseas investors, according to bankers. They marked the highest monthly total in almost a year and a huge jump from only $220 million in April. "We actually saw interest coming in from a fairly diverse set of investors who were missing in action in the last six months," said Abhinav Bharti, head of JPMorgan's India equity capital market business. "They had gone out of India, said India is just too expensive, we don't want to buy anything right now. I think we could start seeing them coming back." Block trades often precede a recovery in IPOs and May's robust offerings come amid a strong performance for Indian stocks. The Nifty 50 index has climbed risen 6% since early April when U.S. President Donald Trump announced his sweeping tariffs which were then paused for 90 days, with India emerging as an investor safe haven due to better-than-feared duties. Foreigners have since bought about $3 billion worth of Indian stocks in April and May combined, data shows. That comes after they pulled nearly $29 billion out of Indian stocks between October and March which followed record highs for the country's benchmark indices in September. Gary Tan, a portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments in Singapore, said the recent inflows into India reflect a resurgence of interest in emerging market equities. "We've selectively added to India on pullbacks but remain underweight," said Tan, citing high valuation in some sectors. Banking, telecommunications and diversified conglomerates were his most favoured sectors, he added. The $5.5 billion in block trades in May, according to LSEG data, included the sale of a British American Tobacco $1.51 billion stake in ITC, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters showed. IndiGo co-founder Rakesh Gangwal also offloaded a 5.7% stake in the low-cost carrier through a block deal worth about $1.36 billion, while Singtel sold $1.5 billion of Bharti Airtel shares. Both the ITC and IndiGo trades were increased in size after strong demand from investors, bankers said. It was the busiest May on record for block trades in the country, the data showed. "We're seeing high-quality global long-only accounts coming in with conviction," said Sunil Khaitan, a managing director at Goldman Sachs in India. "Some are still waiting for levels to normalize, but 90% to 95% of the foreign liquidity coming back into the market is from deeply embedded India investors, those who understand the market and have been waiting for the right window to reengage." Citigroup's head of India ECM Arvind Vashistha said the country's better economic performance, tax cuts and interest rate reductions had helped sentiment towards India's equity markets improve. "The economy is in good shape, valuations have become more reasonable, which is encouraging healthy market activity. Investors are telling us that these are the companies we find interesting and if there's a supplier, we'd love to buy it," he said.
Independent Singapore
31-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Singapore Aquatics bolsters coaching team with Japanese Masataka Ishimatsu's expertise
SINGAPORE: Japanese coach Masataka Ishimatsu will join the national training centre as part of its long-term ambition to develop a sustainable pipeline of elite athletes and prepare a competitive team for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The announcement by the Singapore Aquatics (SAQ) on May 29 coincides with its National Training Centre's 10th anniversary this year, as the national sports association charts a bold course for the future with a strategic expansion of both its coaching and sport science teams. 'I'm excited to be part of the team at Singapore Aquatics, especially as the National Training Centre enters this new chapter. I have seen firsthand how committed teams can make a big impact on the world stage,' said SAQ's co-lead coach Ishimatsu. Ishimatsu, a key figure in Japan's Olympic coaching setup from 2017 to 2025, will be supporting Singapore's national swimming head coach, Gary Tan, alongside current lead coaches Alexander Mordvincev and Gustavo Schirru. 'The recent growth of our National Training Centre marks a pivotal moment in our pursuit of sporting excellence. By blending experienced international coaches with promising local talents, we are building a high-performance system geared for both immediate success and long-term sustainability. The addition of Masataka Ishimatsu strengthens our depth in middle-distance events, complementing our existing strengths,' expressed Gary Tan, SAQ's national head coach. Singapore Aquatic's national training centre co-lead Singapore Aquatics – Masataka Ishimatsu and national swimming head coach Gary Tan. (Photo credit: Singapore Aquatics) Ishimatsu brings extensive international experience, having trained some of Japan's most decorated swimmers, including two-time Olympic gold medalist Yui Ohashi, two-time Olympic medalist Ryosuke Irie, and Akihiro Yamaguchi, a former world record holder in the 200m breaststroke. Beyond his coaching credentials, Ishimatsu has played a key role in developing national training camps and technical planning structures for Japan's elite squads and is highly regarded within Japan's coaching community as a rising leader in high-performance swimming coaching. 'My goal is to contribute not just in the pool but also by sharing technical knowledge and coaching culture that supports long-term success. I look forward to working with the athletes and staff to build something special together,' added the 38-year-old Japanese swimming coach. SAQ also shared that they remain focused on preparing a strong and competitive team for the LA 2028 Olympics, and they are working to deliver world-class performance through enhanced coaching and sport science capabilities. Ex-national swimmers nurturing the next generation Former national swimmer Zach Ong will join SAQ as coach of the Emerging Talents Programme, where he will lead efforts to shape and develop Singapore's next generation of youth swimmers. Meanwhile, Donovan Lee will step into his new role as sports science executive. The sports science team will also welcome Koh Chiya as a full-time high-performance sports scientist. See also Golden gift from Shanti Pereira and Remy Ong to National Museum SAQ's national swimming head coach Tan also pointed out that as they prepare for the 2028 Olympics, they are 'dedicated to nurturing a strong pipeline of junior athletes and cultivating a strong coaching workforce rooted in local expertise, setting the foundation for our development into a world-class aquatics nation.' These appointments underscore SAQ's long-term commitment to nurturing local talent, with Ong and Lee's transition from national athletes to technical and coaching roles reflecting a purpose-driven pipeline that invests in individuals with lived experience in high-performance sport. Former national swimmer Donovan Lee will join Singapore Aquatics' sport science set-up. (Photo credit: Singapore Aquatics) 'As we mark 10 years of the National Training Centre, we are not only celebrating a significant milestone but also charting the next phase of our journey. Moving forward, we are placing greater emphasis on developing a robust pipeline of coaching talent,' said Associate Professor Kenneth Goh, President of SAQ. Goh shared that their goal is to build a sustainable, high-performance ecosystem anchored in home-grown talent. This includes providing meaningful opportunities to the local coaching community through educational workshops and on-deck mentorship from both local and international experts. 'This long-term investment in people and systems will strengthen Singapore's competitiveness in aquatics across all levels—from junior development right through to the Olympic stage,' added Goh. Apart from the 2028 Olympics, SAQ also highlighted its commitment to building a broad talent pipeline that will develop more athletes ready to compete in the 2026 Asian Games, as well as the 2027 and 2029 SEA Games.
