UPDATE: Muhamad Ridhwan became the first Singaporean to win the World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia Featherweight Championship title on Saturday (April 8) at the Singapore Foochow Association.

He knocked out his opponent — Indonesia's Waldo Sabu — during the Singapore Fighting Championship 5: Combat Redefined event in the second round of a 10-round bout.

He has bided his time, preferring to challenge opponents in the past 16 months instead of going for gold.

But local professional boxer Muhamad Ridhwan is now ready to take the next step in his career, which began in a cramped dormitory in Cebu, the Philippines, in December 2015.

Tonight, the 29-year-old will step into the ring to face Indonesian Waldo Sabu for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia super featherweight title.

The fight for the strap will headline the Singapore Fighting Championship (SFC) 5 event at the Foochow Building in Jalan Besar.

Speaking to The New Paper at the Legends Fight Sport gym he co-owns, Ridhwan reflected on the growth of boxing in Singapore over the past two years.

He sees tonight's bout as a milestone of sorts.

"A lot of people worked very hard to make this happen," he said.

"So even though this is a very good opportunity for me personally, I also see this as a fight for all of us - the fighters, coaches, promoters and gym owners who have put in effort to raise the profile of local boxing."

Ridhwan, a former national amateur boxer who won three South-east Asia (SEA) Games bronze medals, is eyeing another victory to enhance his pro record of six wins from six fights.

"Globally, I'm currently 187th and my opponent is 113rd," he said. "A win and the best case scenario for me is I get to break into the top 100."

His manager, Arvind Lalwani, is confident his fighter has what it takes to see off the challenge of Sabu, who has 12 wins from 18 fights.

"For me, Ridhwan was pretty much ready two fights ago, when he beat Indonesian Ramly Pasaribu (in November 2016)," said the local boxing promoter.

"Pasaribu is a seasoned veteran who has fought in Japan and Thailand, but Wan made him look amateurish, and finished him with a K.O. in the first round.

"So I thought he was ready to step up for a bigger challenge.

"And after his last fight, when he knocked out Filipino (48-bout fighter) Jason Butar Butar in February, I felt this was the perfect time for him to fight for a title."

SFC 5 will feature a stacked card of 14 bouts, with seven pro boxing bouts, four mixed martial arts fights, and three K1 kickboxing matches.

Other local professional boxers in action include Rafi Majid, who became Singapore's first male champion when he won the Universal Boxing Organisation (UBO) super middleweight Asia Pacific title in February, as well as Nurshahidah Roslie, who won the UBO super featherweight intercontinental title at the Futsing Building last June.

For more information on the SFC 5 tickets, which are priced at $50, visit the Singapore Fighting Championship Facebook page.

Fresh off his World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia super featherweight title victory at the Singapore Fighting Championship 5 event on Saturday, local professional boxer Muhamad Ridhwan already has another target in his sights.

The 29-year-old, who is undefeated in seven fights, will vie for the vacant Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) World super featherweight title next month, at the Roar of Singapore II event at Resorts World Sentosa.

He will face Tanzania's WBA Pan African Champion Fadhili Majiha (20 wins, eight losses, four draws), who is the 79th-ranked super bantamweight fighter in the world.

If Ridhwan wins, he will be Singapore's first world professional boxing champion.

While the UBO is not one of the world's major boxing promotions, it is regarded as a prestigious body and counts American great Roy Jones Jr as a former champion.

Ridhwan, who went into his bout on Saturday as the 187th-ranked super featherweight fighter, is looking forward to using Majiha as a yardstick of his progress.

"This will be a big fight but, to me, the title on the line is a bonus," said the former national amateur boxer.

"I'm more motivated by the challenge of fighting a tough opponent in Fadhili.

"He will be a good test for me, to see where I stand."

Roar of Singapore organiser Scott O'Farrell has no doubt Ridhwan is ready for the challenge.

"To me, Ridhwan is the finished article," said the Briton, who owns Ringstar Management.

"In terms of his boxing skills, the way he moves and as a person, he's ready for a shot like this.

"It looks like it'll be a very tough fight for Ridhwan, but both him and (his trainer) Rey Caitom Jr said it was a great way for them to test themselves, and I'm so proud they took up the challenge."

Ridhwan's bout will be one of four UBO world title bouts at the Roar of Singapore II event.

Elsewhere on the card, Canada's Ryan Ford will defend his world light heavyweight title against New Zealander Robert Berridge, while Australian Chad Bennett will take on Thailand's Banlue Sawangwong for the vacant world super lightweight title.

One of the highlights of the night will be the clash for the vacant world super middleweight title between former WBA world champion Manny Siaca of Puerto Rico and Australian Renold Quinlan, who unsuccessfully challenged for Briton Chris Eubank Jr's International Boxing Organization world title fight in London two months ago.

While he could make history on May 27, Ridhwan, who is a gym owner and trainer, said he hasn't had time to digest Saturday's triumph when The New Paper spoke to him yesterday.

When asked how he felt a day after his WBA Asia title win, he said: "It's still sinking in.

"I've been receiving congratulatory messages non-stop on my mobile phone and Facebook, but I haven't had time to let the win sink in because I had work.

"But, for sure, winning the title felt good. It felt like I've really accomplished something, not just for me... I feel like the whole Singapore boxing community won last night."

Japan defeated Singapore 3-0 in the women's team quarter-finals of the International Table Tennis Federation Asian Championships in Wuxi, China, yesterday.

With world No. 3 Feng Tianwei rested, Singapore's Wong Xin Ru, Eunice Lim and Tan En Hui lost in straight sets to Mima Ito, Miu Hirano and Hina Hayata in the champion's division.

The Singaporeans had beaten Malaysia 3-1 in the qualifiers earlier yesterday. They will play North Korea in a fifth-eighth placing tie today. -

The OCBC Arena Hall 3 was filled by a cacophony of bouncing balls and sports shoes squeaking against the parquet floor yesterday evening, as the national netball squad went through their paces on one of the three courts.

The national Under-21 squad were training on an adjacent court, while the national volleyball teams were training on the remaining court, adding to the noise level.

But the racket suits interim national netball coach Yeo Mee Hong just fine. In fact, she wants to add to the din.

"It's going to be loud in Kuala Lumpur, so I want the players to get used to the noise," she said, on the sidelines of President Tony Tan Keng Yam's visits to silat, fencing, netball and volleyball last evening.

"I'd probably even play some loud music during training to get them accustomed to the noise."

In 2015, the national team clinched their first South-east Asia (SEA) Games gold medal in front of a full house at the OCBC Arena, with the crowd raising the roof during the Republic's 46-43 victory over Malaysia in the final.

Yeo, then the assistant coach to Ruth Aitken, is expecting a similar atmosphere at the Juara Stadium this August, where they will defend their title.

Since the 2015 Games, the team have lost several senior players, such as Micky Lin, Premila Hirubalan and Chen Huifen, while Aitken has returned to her native New Zealand.

With a new-look team, Singapore relinquished their Asian Championship title - which it won on home ground in 2014 - last year and finished third, while Malaysia beat Sri Lanka to clinch the continental crown.

Since that tournament, Yeo said the players have stepped up and are shaping up well, with the national squad to be announced after the Netball Super League (NSL) final next Sunday.

A 14-strong squad will leave for a training tour in Northern Ireland in June, when they will play the hosts, the Republic of Ireland, and Barbados.

Yeo said: "I am very happy with their progress so far, in terms of their fitness, and also the intensity of their play in the NSL. We are the underdogs... but we are definitely playing to win (at the SEA Games), even though Malaysia are the reigning Asian champions."

FIGHT FOR GLORY

Similarly, Fencing Singapore president Juliana Seow promised that her athletes will fight for glory for Singapore at the biennial Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The Republic's fencers clinched three golds, three silvers and seven bronzes in 2015, with two of the titles coming in the team events.

The upcoming Games will not offer team events for the sport, according to Seow.

She said: "We want to manage expectations, not just with ourselves but also with the athletes... but we are going to do our very best."

After visiting the four sports last evening, President Tan said: "They have put in a tremendous amount of work; we should admire them for the effort and discipline and training, and the fact that they are determined to do well for Singapore.

"From what I have seen today, I am very confident that they would do well in Kuala Lumpur and do Singapore proud."

Singaporean paddlers Gao Ning and Feng Tianwei got off to winning starts on Day One of the 2017 World Tour Korea Open yesterday, when they won their first-round matches in the men's and women's singles events respectively.

Gao Ning defeated Jonathan Groth of Denmark 4-1, while Feng swept aside Japanese opponent Saki Shibata 4-0. Both will play in the Round of 16 today.

Yu Mengyu and Lin Ye, however, failed to advance in the women's singles yesterday.

Yu and Lin Ye suffered 4-0 defeats by Japan's Minami Ando and Miu Hirano respectively.

In the women's doubles event, Lin Ye and Zhou Yihan fell 3-0 to German duo Shan Xiaona and Petrissa Solja in the quarter-finals.

Gao Ning and Pang Xue Jie crashed out of the men's doubles last night, following a 3-0 loss to Taiwan's Hung Tzu-hsiang and Yang Heng-wei in the last eight. - SWETHA SUNDARARAJAN

Singapore could send their largest-ever contingent of athletes to a South-east Asia (SEA) Games outside of the Republic this year.

This, after the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) gave the green light to 840 athletes across 34 sports last evening.

The SNOC selection committee, chaired by Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister for Social and Family Development and SNOC president, met yesterday to consider the nominations and decide on the athletes who have made the first cut to compete at the Games.

NOT FINAL COUNT

However, not all 840 athletes will make the trip to Kuala Lumpur this August, as the national sports associations will finalise their lists of SEA Games-bound athletes in due course.

SNOC secretary-general Chris Chan said: "We are pleased that 840 athletes in 34 sports have qualified to represent Singapore at the upcoming SEA Games.

"Sports like cricket, ice hockey and ice skating will feature for the first time at the SEA Games and our athletes in these sports have all made the mark on their first try.

"We are looking forward to adding more athletes and sports to the contingent list as some are still on their way to qualify.

"In the meantime, we wish all athletes and NSAs preparing for the SEA Games all the best and hope they will be in top form to represent Singapore in August."

At present, Singapore will be represented in 34 out of 38 sports offered at the Games in Kuala Lumpur this August.

• 747

  Singapore was represented by a record 747 athletes at the 2015 Games at home, where the Republic won 84 golds, 73 silvers and 102 bronzes, the nation's best-ever showing at the biennial Games.

Athletes from four sports - volleyball, sepak takraw, karate and weightlifting - were not given the nod by the SNOC selectors yesterday, although they could still appeal for their inclusion at an appeals session on June 15.

The Republic was represented by a record 747 athletes at the 2015 Games at home, where Singapore won 84 golds, 73 silvers and 102 bronzes, the nation's best-ever showing at the biennial Games.

The previous record for a Singapore contingent to an "away" Games was in 2007, when 442 athletes competed in Korat, Thailand.

It was also that year when Singapore had their best-ever away showing, with 43 golds, 43 silvers and 41 bronzes.

Sport Singapore chief executive Lim Teck Yin has previously envisioned the Class of 2017 topping the achievements of the 2007 vintage, with athletes now armed with support programmes such as the Sports Excellence Scholarships and the campaign-based funding scheme.

Singapore's top paddler Feng Tianwei is in the Seamaster 2017 World Tour Korea Open women's singles semi-finals after winning her matches yesterday.

The world No. 3 beat South Korea's Jeon Ji Hee 4-0 (13-11, 11-7, 11-9, 14-12) in the Round of 16, and Japan's Minami Ando 4-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7) in the last eight yesterday.

LAST FOUR

Feng will meet Taiwan's Chen Szu-yu in the last four today.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Zeng Jian beat Taiwan's Cheng I-ching 4-3 (8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 20-18, 11-5, 6-11, 11-4) in the last 16 yesterday.

She will face Japan's Miu Hirano in the quarter-finals today.

However, Gao Ning is out of the men's singles after a 4-0 (11-9, 11-2, 11-2, 11-2) loss to Germany's Timo Boll in the Round of 16. ­- SWETHA SUNDARARAJAN

The South Korean city of Incheon has witnessed the highs and the lows of Feng Tianwei's career in the last six years.

In 2011, the Singaporean paddler won the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) ProTour Korea Open women's singles title, with a 4-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8) thrashing of home favourite Moon Hyunjung.

Feng then went on to win the women's singles bronze at the London Olympics the next year.

The world No. 3's return to the city in 2014 was a mixed bag though - Feng lost 3-2 to Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa in the second match of the Asian Games women's team semi-finals, and Singapore eventually lost 3-2 to their opponents, although the Harbin-born Singaporean clinched a women's singles bronze.

WINNING WAY

Yesterday, Feng, 30, returned to her winning ways in Incheon, after beating Japan's Ishikawa 4-2 (12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9) in the Korea Open final.

When Ishikawa, the world No. 6 paddler, sent her last shot well wide, Feng pumped both fists in the air and let out an impassioned victory cry.

"Before the match, I felt very nervous, but very excited at the same time to be reaching the women's singles final," Feng told the ITTF website after the match.

"I am just happy I could win."

She also said in a post on her Facebook page: "Many thanks to Singapore National Olympic Council and the Singapore Sports Institute's (Sports Excellence) Scholarship for all the support given to me.

"Thank you, Singapore Table Tennis Association, for giving me the chance to compete."

The Korea Open title was Feng's first since she parted ways with the Singapore Table Tennis Association in October last year.

Since then, she has been training and competing on her own, without a fixed team of coaches, sparring partners and support staff.

"At the moment, I don't practise with the national team in Singapore although I live there," she told ittf.com.

"I am practising in different clubs and with different private sparring partners. Sometimes I even go to China for training."

The victory yesterday was also significant because of who her opponent was.

While Feng owned a 9-5 head-to-head record against Ishikawa before yesterday's tie, Feng had lost the last two ties against the dimunitive Japanese paddler.

After the 2014 Asiad loss, Ishikawa thrashed Feng 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-7) in the second match of the Olympic women's team bronze-medal tie against Japan last year, as the Republic fell 3-1 to finish fourth.

The much-publicised infighting in the Singapore Athletics (SA) management has made many in the fraternity see red.

Former SA chief Tang Weng Fei is so affected by it that he is considering a return for a third time.

The rift was set to come to a head at a snap election this week, barely a year after its present leadership was voted into office.

But, less than 48 hours before the SA's scheduled extraordinary general meeting (EOGM) was to take place last night, its president Ho Mun Cheong pulled the plug.

Ho had garnered sufficient support from affiliates to call for the EOGM but, heeding the advice of International Olympic Committee member and veteran sports administrator Ng Ser Miang, he made a U-turn and asked the 10 affiliates who had signed a requisition for the EOGM two weeks ago to withdraw their request.

Tang, who led SA from 2004 to 2006, and then 2010 to last June, had previously cited in-fighting within the SA's exco as a reason for him not standing for re-election last year.

“I’m disappointed the development of the association is at this stage.”Former Singapore Athletics chief Tang Weng Fei

In an interview with The New Paper yesterday, the oil trader said: "I'm disappointed the development of the association is at this stage... it's bad.

"I don't know if it is my responsibility to consider coming back next year (at SA's biennial election) and cleaning it all up.

"I thought six years was enough... and with Mun Cheong getting a clear mandate from the affiliates, I thought I was leaving the SA in good hands.

"But it's obvious the current team don't have the leadership (required).

"I'm still thinking, and my business dealings in Myanmar are still my priority at the moment. But I'm looking into (standing)."

In his second stint, Tang presided over a promising era, which saw the emergence of talents such as sprinters Veronica Shanti Pereira and Zubin Muncherji, who broke long-standing national records.

After Tang's exit last June, Ho led a team to a landslide victory over another team led by lawyer Edmond Pereira, sweeping 12 of the 14 positions on offer.

But Ho's seven-man exco became fractured after disagreements over several issues, one of them being the employment status of SA general manager Jaime Cheong.

On one side stood Ho and long-time friend and ally Loh Chan Pew, who is vice-president (competitions organising).

On the other were vice-president (training and selection) Dr G Balasekaran, vice-president (finance) R Rajandran, honorary secretary Alexander Charles Louis, honorary treasurer Alvin Phua and assistant honorary secretary Tan Ming Jen.

HALTED

The exco's disagreements resulted in national sports agency Sport Singapore witholding funding amounting to $550,000 since last July, because SA has not submitted a completed progress report and multi-year sports plan, as required.

Ho previously said the only way he felt the "gridlock" could be resolved was by dissolving the entire management committee, hence his push for an EOGM and snap election.

But, having heeded Ng's advice to call off the EOGM, Ho and his rivals are back to 
square one.

Wings Athletic Club vice-president Jezreel Mok, whose club are one of 12 affiliates on SA's management committee, said: "Of course, it makes me sad to see (in-fighting) happen again and again in the SA.

"Both sides have individuals with strong characters.

"But for now, I think we have to give them the benefit of the doubt to see if they can work through their differences."

Former national sprinter Kenneth Khoo is also upset at the saga.

The 35-year-old teacher, who was the captain of Singapore's athletics contingent at the 2015 South-east Asia (SEA) Games, said the athletes are ultimately the ones who suffer.

"Of course it troubles me," said Khoo. "I have to question the timing of having such a serious disagreement now, when athletes are trying their best and pushing themselves to qualify for the SEA Games (in Kuala Lumpur in August).

"The energy they spent going at each other's throats could have been better spent supporting the athletes.

"Now the EOGM is off, whatever reasons that caused them to argue will still be there.

"They don't have to like each other but they must be professional about it.

"For the sake of the athletes, they have to work it out."

msazali@sph.com.sg

The late Paul Elvstrom was a legend in Danish sailing, having won four Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles in eight different types of boat in his career.

World Sailing president Kim Andersen believes that Elvstrom, who died last December at age 88, paved the way for the European nation to clinch a total of 12 golds, nine silvers and nine bronzes at the Olympic Games, placing them sixth in the sport's all-time medal table.

The 59-year-old believes that Singapore needs a trailblazer like Elvstrom, for the Republic to start winning medals at major senior sailing events, such as the Olympics.

"You've already had 10 sailors at the (Rio Olympics), in numbers you are already exceeding many other nations and that is telling me that you have talent available," Andersen told The New Paper at the sidelines of the welcome reception for the World Sailing Mid-Year Meetings at the Equinox Restaurant last night.

"I think it's more of a mental game now, for a nation to believe that you can actually do it.

"Paul Elvstrom was our hero... he is one of the best sailors who ever existed and we are standing on his shoulders now.

"He is why we believe we can get a medal (at major regattas) and you'd need to pass that point.

"The first Singapore sailor to win a medal, that would be your Paul Elvstrom."

He also pointed out that the Republic already has a solid development structure, which contributed to Singapore's National Sailing Centre being accredited as a World Sailing Approved Training Centre in March.

Singapore is one of just five such centres worldwide, and the only Asian country with such a status.

The Republic sent its largest-ever sailing contingent to the Olympics last year, with 10 sailors across seven classes.

"Paul Elvstrom was our hero...he is one of the best sailors who ever existed...

The first Singapore sailor to win a medal, that would be your Paul Elvstrom."

World Sailing president 
Kim Andersen

HIGH HOPES

There were high hopes of Colin Cheng excelling in the Laser class, after he finished 15th and was the best-performing Asian in the same class at the London Games in 2012.

However, Cheng finished 20th in Brazil. The 49erFX duo of Griselda Khng and Sara Tan were the top-performing Singapore sailors when they finished 15th in their class.

Asians have traditionally lagged behind Europe in terms of medals at major sailing competitions.

Seven of the 10 most successful sailing nations at the Olympics are from Europe, while Asia's top nation, China, have won two golds, three silvers and a bronze at the Games so far.

But Andersen believes that Asia is gradually making its presence felt at the senior international level, even as the likes of Singapore have been excelling at junior classes, such as the Optimist and the 420, at the world level.

"When I was sailing, we didn't see any Asians competing; now you'd see Asians in the top 10," said the 2011 European champion in the Dragon class, who has been sailing since he was 13.

"People are forgetting that when you're in the top 10, you're really close to a medal."

Are there any teams in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League who can stop Albirex Niigata from retaining their title?

At Jalan Besar Stadium last night, Geylang International were the latest team who failed in their bid to stop the Albirex Express.

The Eagles built a great wall that stayed firm in the first half, only for the White Swans to chip away at it until they finally got the match-winner through Ryota Nakai in the 53rd minute.

After seeing off a stubborn Geylang side 1-0, Albirex have now won seven and drawn one of their opening eight league games.

With 22 points at the summit, they have a five-point lead over Home United, who take on Tampines Rovers tonight.

With defender Anders Aplin suspended, Geylang coach Hasrin Jailani opted for a five-man backline. Fullbacks Faritz Hameed and Al-Qaasimy Rahman were drafted in to partner Yuki Ichikawa in centre defence.

The trio, along with left back Safirul Sulaiman and 21-year-old Darren Teh on the right, stood so firm that goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari was relatively untroubled.

Geylang defended well from the front too, but that also left striker Victor Coto an isolated figure up front.

Perhaps eager to show his abilities, Coto displayed fine touches, but was also a little selfish to shoot on occasions when his teammates were in better positions.

Albirex coach Yoshinaga Kazuaki tweaked his tactics in the second half, switching Nakai from the left flank to a more central position, and was duly rewarded.

Amy Recha had just forced Yosuke Nozawa into a flying save at the other end, when Albirex broke forward.

The 22-year-old Nakai showed good pace to beat the Geylang defence and slot the ball past Syazwan for his fourth goal of the season.

Coto had the best chance to equalise when he skilfully took down a long ball and beat his marker, only to see Nozawa quickly narrow the angle to block his 68th-minute effort.

As the Eagles collapsed in frustration after the narrow defeat which sees them drop to sixth, the Albirex players merrily doused their chairman Daisuke Korenaga with water as he had just turned 40 on Wednesday.

Kazuaki said: "We wanted three points as a present for our chairman, and we had to work very hard for it.

"After Round 1, we have scored 21 and conceded five.

"Some of these goals we let in were unnecessary because they were a result of our mistakes.

"If we can get rid of these mistakes, then I can say with more confidence that we will march towards the title."

Meanwhile, Hasrin was disappointed with the result but not his team's performance.

He added: "With the injuries and suspensions we have, I thought we did well.

"At least we are finding consistency at the back, so we now have to work on how to be more composed in front of goal and score more."

In last night's other match, Hougang United stunned fourth-placed Warriors FC 2-0 at Choa Chu Kang Stadium with goals from Fumiya Kogure and Fareez Farhan to leapfrog Geylang into fifth position.

LAST NIGHT’S OTHER RESULT

• Warriors FC 0 Hougang United 2

TONIGHT

• Tampines Rovers v Home United
  (7.30pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)

TOMORROW

• Garena Young Lions v Brunei DPMM
  (7.30pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)

They will be up against five-time champions Malaysia today in the final of the Asian Youth Netball Championships in Jeonju, South Korea.

But Singapore's Under-21 netball team are banking on the "Singapore style" - speed and agility on court - and team spirit to clinch only their second victory in the age-group tournament.

Singapore beat Hong Kong to win the inaugural tournament in 1994, and lost the final in the second edition to Sri Lanka four years later.

Since then, they have finished third four times in a row, including the last edition in 2015.

Yesterday, Huang Po Chin's charges marched into the final with a comprehensive 58-32 win over defending champions Sri Lanka at the Jeonju National Stadium.

Looking forward to today's final, Huang, 36, said: "The thing that stands out for me, since I've been coaching them (from 2016), is their connection with one another as a team.

"Coming into this tournament it has been really significant for them and it's a collective effort for everybody.

"The morale and belief they have for each other, that gives them the confidence (going into today's final)."

Huang also took heart in the way her team dismantled Sri Lanka yesterday.

Singapore led in all four quarters, even though the coach was miffed at her team's sloppiness in passing in the mid-court during the second quarter.

She said: "The game plan was well executed by the team in terms of maintaining possession of the ball and their decision making was great.

"In the first, third and fourth quarters, we were consistent and led by eight goals but, in the second quarter, we lost a few centre passes and led by just two goals.

"We were able to take it back, but I think (against Malaysia) it has to be about us being able to put up a consistent performance and to treasure the centre pass."

Also, she stressed the need for her team to focus on defence.

Huang said: "Their attack is really good, with two very experienced shooters at their end of the court. Their mid-court is also really fast and feisty.

"We are going to have to put up a strong team effort to defend, take on their shooters and stop the ball from going in."

She added that her charges are highly motivated to win the Causeway Derby today.

"We know Malaysia are a quality team, but we are hyped and hungry for the win."

Singapore's cagers failed to exact revenge for their 2015 SEA Games semi-final defeat, as they lost 71-50 to Indonesia in the Seaba Championship opener in Manila yesterday.

The Republic got off to a horror start when they trailed 40-11 at half-time. The gap widened to 37 points at the start of the third period before the Singapore side awoke from their slumber and began to deal better with their opponents' physical game.

Singapore edged the second half 39-31, but Indonesia still ran out comfortable winners led by 38-year-old point guard Mario Wuysang with 20 points.

Forward Ng Hanbin said: "We are disappointed to lose the opener, but we still believe we have what it takes to win a medal despite our overall young age."

Singapore's next match in the seven-team, round-robin competition is against hosts Philippines tonight. - DAVID LEE

Local bowler Cherie Tan defeated her younger sister Daphne 210-199 to qualify for the step-ladder finals of the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Fountain Valley Open yesterday morning (Singapore time).

The competition in California, which is the third of 14 events on this year's PWBA Tour, saw 83 bowlers taking part.

Said Cherie, 29: "It was great bowling against Daphne. The lane conditions were pretty challenging, but I stuck to my routine to take it one shot at a time and pick up my spares.

"I'm excited to be bowling at the televised finals at Baton Rouge."

Daphne, 27, had initially performed better after three qualifying rounds. She was seeded third with 3,842 pinfalls, while Cherie was 11th with 3,760.

Fellow national bowler Shayna Ng was 10th on 3,765.

The three Sports Excellence scholars progressed to the group step-ladder finals where Ng, who was in Group B, was pipped 211-205 by Liz Johnson, who has won five PWBA Tour titles since 2015.

The Tan sisters met in Group A, with Cherie winning by 11 pinfalls.

She joins Americans Johnson and Kelly Kulick, and England's Verity Crawley in the step-ladder finals, which will be held in Louisiana on May 24 and aired on June 21 (both Singapore time) on the CBS Sports Network.

Daphne told The New Paper: "(I'm having) mixed feelings. I'm happy that my sister made the televised finals.

"Yet, at the same time, I'm disappointed that I missed the cut (after) coming so close.

"We play against each other all the time, just that it's not (usually) a one-on-one match."

This was only the second meeting between the Tan sisters over a decade of bowling. In 2014, Cherie won the Malaysia Open by beating her sister 237-194 in the step-ladder finals.

The finals of the QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open, PWBA Storm Sacramento Open and United States Bowling Congress Queens will also be held on May 24 (Singapore time).

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) yesterday ahead of this year's South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur in August.

The SSI is located at Sport Singapore, and was established in 2011.

PM Lee was introduced to the Sports Science and Sports Medicine support that helps Team Singapore athletes prepare for international competitions.

National kayakers Lucas Teo, Syaheenul Aiman and Sarah Chen were present to showcase some of the latest technologies at the SSI to PM Lee, who also met national divers Timothy and Mark Lee.

The technologies demonstrated include the Ballistic Measure System used to measure the maximum force and rate of force development of kayakers.

PM Lee was also shown a comprehensive physiological test on a Kayak ergometer, and how measurements are reflected on a screen.

Singapore bowlers Cherie Tan and Jazreel Tan have qualified for the TV finals of the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) USBC Queens.

The tournament is held in Louisiana, US, and is the first Major of the 2017 PWBA tour.

Jazreel and Cherie have been seeded third and fourth for the stepladder respectively. The top seed of the championship round is two-time Queens champion Liz Johnson of the US, while 2013 Queens winner Diana Zavjalova of Latvia is the second seed.

Cherie is also competing in the finals of the Fountain Valley Open, which takes place today.

At the ongoing Philippine International Open 2017, bowlers Jermaine Seah, Iliya Syamin and Amabel Chua have made it through the Round 1 finals, and will compete against teammates Fiona Yew and Tay Hui Wen in Round 2 among other bowlers.

The top three of the women's open will compete in the stepladder finals.

All three tournaments will conclude today.

Singapore kegler Cherie Tan defeated compatriot Jazreel Tan 213-203 to clinch third place in the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) USBC Queens Finals in Louisiana in the US yesterday.

Cherie also finished fourth in the PWBA Fountain Valley Open Finals at the same venue.

In the Philippine International Open in Manila, Singapore's Iliya Syamim Mohd Azni and Jermaine Seah finished second and third, respectively, in the women's open. - JOLENE ANG

Singaporean paddler Yee Herng Hwee came agonisingly close to qualifying for the main draw of the women's singles event at the World Table Tennis Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany, yesterday.

The 19-year-old had defeated Eva Brito from the Dominican Republic 4-2 earlier in her last qualifying match to top her group.

Winners in the first 13 women's groups out of 51 (according to the players' world rankings) qualified directly for the main draw.

The rest of the group winners had to win an additional knockout round to book their berths in the main draw.

Yee was in the latter group and all she had to do was beat Sweden's Christina Kallberg last night to progress to the main draw.

But it was not to be for the Singaporean as she lost 4-2 to the Swede.

In the men's singles, Ethan Poh, Clarence Chew and Pang Xue Jie topped their qualifying groups.

All winners in the 64 qualification groups had to navigate through the knockout round.

The Singaporean trio were in action last night, but the results were not available at press time.

Meanwhile, the women's doubles pair of Zhang Wanling and Tan En Hui also failed to qualify for the main draw.

Singapore's mixed doubles pair of Pang and Yu Mengyu were scheduled to play Malaysia's Leong Chee Feng and Ho Ying at press time.
- JOLENE ANG

The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) has picked Lee Wung Yew and Mark Chay as Team Singapore's deputy chefs de mission for August's South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Lee and Chay will both assist chef de mission Milan Kwee in leading the Singapore contingent.

Kwee, who is the president of the Singapore Taekwondo Federation, is confident that Lee and Chay's experience will prove invaluable to the athletes.

He said: "The combination of both Wung Yew and Mark's experience as athletes, coaches and chefs de mission will bring tremendous value to Team Singapore.

"This is experience that will come in handy when helping athletes, especially debutants, to set the right stage to perform at the Games," he added.

Lee, a retired trap shooter and physical education teacher at Innova Junior College, is a three-time Olympian. The 51-year-old notably won 16 SEA Games gold medals.

He said: "It is a great opportunity to be able to share the experience I gained as an athlete at major Games and contribute in a different way.

"I hope to help our athletes realise their full potential at the SEA Games."

Former national swimmer Chay participated in two Olympic Games and five SEA Games. He was also chef de mission for Team Singapore at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

The 35-year-old said: "Being part of Team Singapore at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games is an experience I will never forget.

"We will be working with a far larger contingent at the SEA Games, and I hope I can lend a hand and be there for our athletes when they need support."

National paddler Feng Tianwei remained on course yesterday in the World Table Tennis Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The world No. 4 defeated Thai Nanthana Komwong 4-0 in the second round and Hong Kong's Lee Ho Ching 4-2 in the third to progress to the next round in the women's singles event.

The fourth round and quarter-finals take place today. Feng's opponents were not known at press time.

Her compatriot Yu Mengyu crashed out in the second round, losing 4-2 to German Kristin Silbereisen.

However, world No. 23 Yu and partner Feng are still in the running for the women's doubles event.

The duo are through to the quarter-final stage, after their 4-1 third-round victory over a mixed associations' pair of Slovenia's Alex Galic and Swiss Rachel Moret.

In the men's singles event, world No. 43 Gao Ning was edged out in a 4-3 second-round defeat by Japanese paddler Koki Niwa.

The Republic's men's doubles pair of Gao and Pang Xue Jie were also knocked out 4-3 in the third round by South Koreans Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu.

- JOLENE ANG