Contributed by Patricia Yee

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore, February 17, 2011 — In a joint ceremony for both the Commonwealth Games 2010 and Asian Games 2010 contingents, 43 Team Singapore medallists were presented with cash awards totalling S$4.22 million at the Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme (MAP) dinner this evening.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean, who is also the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), along with Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan presented the awards on behalf of the Tote Board and the SNOC.

At the 19th Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi, India, Team Singapore achieved an unprecedented record of 11 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals, and the 23 athletes from the four sports received S$1.88 million in total for their medal-winning performances. S$2.34 million was awarded to 25 athletes from the 16th Asian Games contingent to Guangzhou in recognition of their haul of four gold, seven silver and six bronze medals.

The top earner of 2010 was swimmer Tao Li, who walked away with S$300,000 after successfully defending her reign as the Women’s 50m Butterfly champion in Guangzhou. She also improved her bronze finish in the Women’s 100m Butterfly event at the 2006 Asian Games with a silver medal in Guangzhou. In close second was shooter Gai Bin whose three gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games earned him a total of S$270,000 through the MAP awards.

Team Singapore sailors received a total of S$1.1 million having contributed eight medals to Team Singapore’s medal tally of 17 at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou. The paddlers with their 13 medal contribution (six gold, six silver and one bronze) across both Games, pocketed S$1.08 million for their efforts.

“Congratulations to all the MAP award recipients. You did well at the two major games, to bring a solid finale to a very busy sporting 2010. Thank you all for making 2010 a successful and memorable year,” said DPM Teo.

“Looking forward, I am certain that our athletes and every facet of support behind them – from their coaches, to their sparring partners, to their medical and support teams – are already putting together the final pieces as Singapore gears towards this year’s SEA Games and London 2012. It will take a national effort – not just for the athletes, but also for every one of us, to rally together and back our athletes as they aim to do Singapore proud and put us on the podium again. It is thus important that everyone, every agency – the NSAs, the SSC, the SNOC, our media partners and Singaporeans – rally around each other as our athletes begin their sporting journey,” he added.