Singapore Press : Deaf participants to be included in the newly named SPH Foundation National Inclusive Swimming Championships

Singapore 27 June 2017-The 'National Para Swimming Championships' has been renamed 'National Inclusive Swimming Championships' to reflect the shift towards promoting inclusivity in sports and the community as a whole. The event aims to show how swimming can be adapted to people with different abilities.

The name change sees to the inclusion of the deaf community in the event, in addition to persons with physical, intellectual and visual impairment. This will also be the first time that SDSC will be using the signaling system known as SwimSight to assist deaf swimmers. Developed in Singapore by Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), SwimSight uses two colours (orange and green) to alert deaf swimmers to race starts.

This will be the 36th iteration of the annual swimming championship event and the seventh year that SPH Foundation would be adopting the event as title sponsor.

The Championships serves as a platform not only to identify talented Persons with Disabilities for regional and international competitions, such as the upcoming 9 ASEAN Para Games, but also an opportunity for athletes to gain competitive exposure before challenging the regional and international arenas. Tan Jian Hao, a deaf athlete who represented Singapore in Asia-Pac Deaf Games in 2015, will be competing as part of his preparations for the 1 ASEAN Deaf Games 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Another familiar name at the event will be Theresa Goh - the only athlete to have participated in all editions of the ASEAN Para Games and a Paralympic medalist. Theresa aims to convey that such platforms are no less important in an athlete's journey to build up to greater achievements.

Ms Kelly Fan, Executive Director of Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), similarly stressed the same: 'Over the years, we have been grateful to see increasing support for equal recognition of athletes with disability in Singapore. However, besides applauding the end results, what is more important is to have more realisation that athletes with disability also need to go through a long and arduous journey of training and development before they can reach these achievements. We are therefore extremely thankful for SPH Foundation to have continued their steadfast support for SDSC and its initiatives. The Foundation has recognised potential in the truest sense. '

Ms Chin Soo Fang, Head of Corporate Communications & CSR and Deputy General Manager of SPH Foundation, said: 'SPH Foundation is proud to once again be the title sponsor of an event that is a key stepping stone for athletes. Paralympians Theresa Goh and Yip Pin Xiu made their mark in this competition before stepping up to an international arena. Their exemplary showing at the 2016 Paralympics is inspiring and reinforces our belief that our support made an impact. It is heartening to know that whilst this event has helped to mould elite athletes, it is also motivating many others to discover and realise their fullest potential.'

Event: SPH Foundation National Inclusive Swimming Championships
Date: 1 July 2017(Saturday)
Time: 9am - 4pm
Venue: Toa Payoh Swimming Complex

Stefanie Pitchian
Corporate Communications Executive, SDSC
DID: (65) 6342 3509
Email: stefanie.pitchian@sdsc.org.sg

Sarah See
Communications Manager, SDSC
DID: (65) 6342 3508
Email: Sarah.See@sdsc.org.sg

Deror Wong
Corporate Communications & CSR
Singapore Press Holdings Limited
DID: 6319 1226
Email: derorw@sph.com.sg

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Foundation Ltd
Co. Regn No. 200300910M

About the Singapore Press Holdings Foundation

The Singapore Press Holdings Foundation, a registered charity and an Institution of Public Character, was first set up as the Press Foundation of Singapore in January 2003 to help build a lifelong learning community that embraces language enrichment, creativity, diversity, healthy living and sports. The seed contribution of $20 million to the Foundation came from media group Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. It was renamed Singapore Press Holdings Foundation in May 2005.

For more information, please visit the Foundation's website at www.sphfoundation.org.sg

About Singapore Disability Sports Council
Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) is the only organisation in Singapore that caters to sports for persons across all kinds of disabilities. It aims to help persons with disability lead full and independent lives through sports. Besides providing sporting opportunities for them to realise their potential, SDSC trains talents to represent Singapore and pursue excellence at regional and international competitions. Find out more at www.sdsc.org.sg