Singapore sports round-up (20-26 May): NTU students earn Red Bull internship, Tampines Rovers go top of SPL table

SINGAPORE — Here is a round-up of sports events and developments in Singapore in the past week (20 to 26 May):

NTU students earn 2-month internship with Red Bull Racing

Two Nanyang Technological University students, Charis Chua and Heng Yi-Hsin, have earned an opportunity to embark on a two-month internship with the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team - the reigning Formula 1 constructors' champions - at Milton Keynes in Britain.

They had emerged triumphant over thousands of Singaporean participants at Red Bull Intern Championship. Chua won in the Hospitality and Events Internship category, while Heng was tops in the Red Bull Relations Internship.

During their internship period, Chua and Heng will be working closely with seasoned professionals as they will delve into various critical aspects of the operations - from understanding the nuances of engineering to intricacies of logistics that ensure seamless race-day execution,

After returning from their overseas internship, the duo will take part in the F1 Singapore Grand Prix in September. With their newfound expertise and insights, they will significantly enhance the racing weekend, providing them an opportunity to showcase their talent and dedication.

Tampines go top of SPL with 4-2 win over Balestier

BG Tampines Rovers moved to the top of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) table with a 4-2 win over Balestier Khalsa at the Bishan Stadium on Friday (24 May), leapfrogging over the inactive Lion City Sailors.

Goals from Boris Kopitovic (3rd minute), Seia Kunori (11th), Milos Zlatkovic (63rd) and Faris Ramli (89th) gave the Stags their second win of the season, while Balestier responded with a brace from Kodai Tanaka (30th, 48th). The win puts Tampines on seven points, one ahead of the Sailors who have a game in hand.

On Saturday, Geylang International thrashed the Young Lions 7-1 at Jalan Besar Stadium to stay unbeaten this season with one win and two draws. New Japanese signing Tomoyuki Doi notched a hat-trick (54th, 66th, 89th), while Ryoya Taniguchi (12th), Sora Tanaka (18th) and Vincent Bezecourt (79th) also scored. The Young Lions got their consolation goal from an Itsuki Enomoto penalty in the 58th minute.

At Jurong East Stadium, Brunei DPMM FC notched their second win of the season with a 4-1 rout over defending champions Albirex Niigata Singapore, with goals from Julio Cruz (12th), Gabriel Gama (18th) and Miguel Oliveira (21st, 60th). Yohei Otake (56th) scored for Albirex, who endured their second loss of the season.

On Sunday at Jurong East Stadium, a 98th-minute own goal by defender Syed Akmal allowed Hougang United to salvage a 1-1 draw against Tanjong Pagar United, after Stefan Paunovic had given the hosts the lead with a superb long-range strike in the 87th minute. Both sides have yet to notch their first win of the season.

First Lions call-up for defender Jordan Emaviwe

Singapore national men's football head coach Tsutomu Ogura has announced a 27-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Korea at National Stadium on 6 June and Thailand at Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium on 11 June.

The Japanese has handed a first senior call-up to Balestier Khalsa centre-back Jordan Emaviwe, as well as recalls to the Young Lions’ Nur Adam Abdullah and Farhan Zulkifli, BG Tampines Rovers’ Taufik Suparno and Amirul Adli, Geylang International’s Joshua Pereira and Hairul Syirhan, and Christopher van Huizen and Hami Syahin from Lion City Sailors.

The team will commence centralised training on Monday (27 May) with overseas-based players joining up later in the week.

Singapore squad - Goalkeepers: Hairul Syirhan, Hassan Sunny, Syazwan Buhari, Zharfan Rohaizad. Defenders: Amirul Adli, Jordan Emaviwe, Fairuz Fazli, Irfan Fandi, Nur Adam Abdullah, Joshua Pereira, Safuwan Baharudin, Ryhan Stewart, Lionel Tan, Christopher van Huizen. Midfielders: Farhan Zulkifli, Hami Syahin, Hariss Harun, Glenn Kweh, Jacob Mahler, Shah Shahiran, Song Ui-young, Harhys Stewart. Forwards: Faris Ramli, Daniel Goh, Ikhsan Fandi, Shawal Anuar, Taufik Suparno.

STTA Crocodile Challenge Cup holds finals at Velocity@Novena Square

The Singapore Table Tennis Association’s (STTA) Crocodile Challenge Cup, its marquee competition for primary school players, concluded its week-long competition with the finals at Velocity@Novena Square on Sunday (26 May). This year’s competition saw a total of 426 participants from a record 89 schools taking part, surpassing last year’s record of 83.

Isaiah Raphael Ong of Montfort Junior School and Arissa Cheng of Ai Tong School were the respective winners in the P5/6 boys' and girls' singles events respectively, and will be sent on a fully-sponsored overseas trip to an upcoming WTT Youth competition.

Since its establishment in 2011, the Crocodile Challenge Cup has served as a platform for primary school players to enhance their individual abilities.

Singapore drawn with Thailand, Malaysia for Mitsubishi Electric Cup

Singapore were drawn together with seven-time champions Thailand and arch-rivals Malaysia in Group A of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup, Southeast Asia's premier football competition, following the official draw ceremony in Hanoi on Tuesday (21 May). The other teams in Group A are Cambodia and the winner of the play-off tie between Brunei and Timor Leste.

Group B of the 15th edition of the tournament features Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar and Laos.

The group stage of the Mitsubishi Electric Cup kicks off on 23 November, with matches played on a home-or-away basis in a single round-robin format until 7 December. The top two finishers in each group will advance to two-legged semi-finals on 10/11 and 13/14 December, with the two-legged final to be played on 17 and 21 December.

Singapore GP launches #RevUpSG outreach campaign

Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix race promoter Singapore GP has launched #RevUpSG, an outreach campaign to engage the local community and create buzz around the upcoming 2024 race in September. Motor racing fans can look forward to an array of F1-themed activities and events at various heartland locations in the four-month long campaign.

In a collaboration with the National Library Board, Singapore GP will present an F1-themed showcase on rotation at six public libraries over the upcoming school holidays up till July. Visitors will get to discover the extraordinary abilities of an F1 driver as illustrated by local design studio Lab Six Five and check out the creative photo opportunities on display.

The outreach campaign will also go to secondary schools and junior colleges, with a special programme by Singapore GP, Mastereign Group and EduTorque. The programme will feature a talk covering the science, technology, and engineering behind F1 as well as careers in the automotive industry. Students will also be able to have a go at miniature racing cars from the F1 in Schools challenge.

Students at selected institutes of higher learning (IHLs) will also take a deep dive to study ‘The Grand Prix Effect: From Marina Bay to the Global Stage’. Key personnel will provide an insight behind the operations from the night race, while local automotive platform Sgcarmart will share innovations and key learnings from F1 that have impacted the automotive industry.

Singapore to host Junior AHF Cup at Sengkang Hockey Stadium

Singapore will be hosting the seventh edition of the Junior Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Cup under-21 tournament at the Sengkang Hockey Stadium from 14 to 23 June, with a total of 19 teams battling for honours in the men's and women's competitions.

In the 12-team men's tourney, Singapore are drawn into Pool A in the opening stage, alongside Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Pool B will feature Oman, Chinese Taipei, China, Hong Kong China and Iran and Kazakhstan.

The seven-team women’s tourney will see Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, and Bangladesh lining up in a single pool competition.

The top five teams in the men’s and women’s events will qualify for the respective AHF’s Junior Asia Cup tourneys, where they will face the continent’s top teams the likes of Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia.

School holiday activities at Singapore Sports Hub

The Singapore Sports Hub is organising community-wide sporting events for the upcoming school break:

• Multi-Activity Camp: Organised in collaboration with ProActiv Sports, this five-day camp offers kids the opportunity to develop fundamental sports and social skills. Led by experienced coaches, campers will dive into the world of sports and have the chance to try out sports like football, karate, cricket, swimming and rugby. They will also get to enjoy camp activities like treasure hunts and team challenges. The five-day camp costs $495, or parents can opt for single-day sessions at $120 each.

• Skechers Friendship Walk 2024: Take a leisurely walk or run with your loved ones or your pets against the backdrop of the Sports Hub and City skyline on 8 June. Choose from a few different race categories – a 10km competitive run, or a 4km fun walk with your family or friends. There is also a village-themed carnival after the run, where participants can enjoy performances by buskers, as well as games and activities suitable for the whole family.

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