SEA Games in Laos in 2009

SINGAPORE : Start preparing now for the next SEA Games in Laos in 2009.

That's what Chef-de-Mission Low Teo Ping is urging Team Singapore athletes to do, as they return home from Thailand with 43 gold medals.

Nearly 100 athletes returned home to flag-waving fans, families and friends at Changi Airport.

Though many National Sports Associations used the current SEA Games for their young athletes to gain exposure and experience, officials feel the event is still important for many athletes.

Mr Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Council, said: "It is a chance for them to compete in a different environment. A crucial experience comes from this participation which allows them to prepare for other larger multi-sport games."

And that is why Singapore needs to get preparations underway early for the next SEA Games in Laos.

Mr Low said: "Try and in fact get into it right now, immediately, hopefully next week, and have a bit of a post-mortem and find out where you have done well and where you could have done better, and then after that move on from there."

A few sports did not performed well at the Games.

Among them was cue sports, which had targeted three gold medals, but failed to deliver any.

Mr Peter Gilchrist said: "We went there in good form, in high spirits. I was certainly playing well before I went there. We just did not perform on the day, disappointing really.

Labels: SEA Games 2009