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SINGAPORE: A family that has produced several national water polo players donated S $ 500,000 to help their fellow athletes, the Singapore Olympic Foundation said on Sunday (March 21).
Headed by Olympian Tan Eng Liang, the Singapore Olympic Foundation’s Tan Family Water Polo Fund “will develop young athletes and prepare elite players to establish Singapore as an Asian powerhouse,” the foundation said. .
The fund was launched on Sunday at Our Tampines Hub with Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
“Even though I only had a S $ 200 scholarship to college, it helped me pay for the bus fare. Any amount you get as a national athlete is a lot, so (the fund) is just our family’s small way of supporting water polo, ”said Dr. Tan, who was Singapore’s first Rhodes Scholar.
“Water polo brought me to the Olympics and I benefited not only from flying the colors of Singapore, but also from achieving other achievements while playing for the country.
“Water polo was a life change for me. Without water polo and academics, I would not have had the opportunity to (receive the) scholarship. I am grateful for the sport ”.
The donation is eligible for one-to-one matching by the Government under the One Team Singapore Fund, the Singapore Olympic Foundation said.
Mr. Tong said: “The contributions made by Dr. Tan Eng Liang and his family over the years to the water polo and sports fraternity in Singapore have been significant and extensive.
“This new fund will support promising, high-performance water polo athletes and help them achieve their sporting aspirations.”
The Vice President of the International Olympic Committee, Ng Ser Miang, added: “The fund is an incredible way for Dr. Tan Eng Liang and his family to play a key role in the development of water polo in Singapore and carry on the legacy of their family. , as they have been doing for decades. “
FAMILY LEGACY
Dr. Tan, along with brothers Tan Eng Bock and Tan Eng Chai, as well as Uncle Tan Hwee Hock, took home a gold medal at the 1954 Asian Games. They later represented the country at the Olympic Games in Melbourne of 1956, which remains Singapore’s only appearance in water polo at the Olympics.
They were also part of the Singapore team that claimed their first water polo gold medal at the SEA Games in 1965, sparking a 54-year winning streak that lasted until 2019.
Tan Eng Bock’s sons Mark and Matthew also represented Singapore, with the latter becoming the captain of the national team in 1983 and winning 10 consecutive gold medals at the SEA Games.
Mr. Tan Hwee Hock, Mr. Tan Eng Chai and Mr. Tan Eng Bock all died in 2020 and early 2021. Dr. Tan “was eager to build on their legacies and enhance the support and development of the sport”, said the foundation.
“Let’s rebuild, and in the immediate term let’s push and continue to make water polo the pride and joy of Singapore,” he said. “If you look at all the team sports in Singapore, none has a more glorious history than water polo.”
The fund will be administered by the Singapore Olympic Foundation through scholarships, fellowships, and various programs. Its aim will be to enable young water polo athletes to “achieve their goals”, to support high performance water polo players to represent the nation and to promote a healthy environment for the progress of the sport in Singapore.
