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Olympians Lee Wung Yew and Mark Chay appointed as deputy chefs de mission

By 03/06/2017No Comments


Olympians Lee Wung Yew (51) and Mark Chay (35) will join the Team Singapore contingent as deputy chefs de mission for the upcoming 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) announced today that Lee and Chay will both assist chef de mission Milan Kwee (71) in leading Team Singapore this August as they cross the Causeway to compete in the 29th SEA Games.

Said Kwee, “The combination of both Wung Yew and Mark’s experience as athletes, coaches and chefs de mission will bring tremendous value to Team Singapore. They are both excellent role models and have approachable personalities. More importantly, they have experienced first-hand what athletes go through at major Games. This is experience that will come in handy when helping athletes, especially debutants, to set the right stage to perform at the Games.”

A three-time Olympian and Team Singapore’s chef de mission for the 2009 Asian Youth Games, Lee is a two-time Sportsman of the Year. With 12 SEA Games, six Asian Games, five Commonwealth Games and three Olympic Games under his belt, the retired trap shooter and physical education teacher at Innova Junior College shared his excitement in co-leading the contingent with Kwee and Chay. 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 enjoyed being chef de mission to Team Singapore at the 2009 Asian Youth Games and I am privileged to reprise a similar role again. I hope to help our athletes realise their full potential at the SEA Games.”

Chay, who competed in Kuala Lumpur at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 2001 SEA Games, has no shortage of accolades and experience. The two-time Olympian and Sportsman and Sportsboy of the year has competed in five editions of the SEA Games, two Asian Games, two Commonwealth Games and two Olympic Games.

The former swimmer was making his debut as chef de mission when Team Singapore won two historic gold medals at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. He 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.” Chay runs the International Sports Academy and was the CEO of the Singapore Hockey Federation from 2011 to 2012.

The 29th SEA Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia from 19 to 30 August 2017. There will be 405 events competed in 38 sports. A total number of 840 Team Singapore athletes from 34 sports have been given provisional approval to participate in the SEA Games. The contingent size will decrease once selection trials are conducted by the National Sports Associations and the SNOC then completes the entry-by-name process.

Athletes who have yet to meet the qualifying mark have till mid-June to meet the selection criteria of a third-place finish at the Southeast Asia level. Appeals will be considered by the SNOC on 27 June 2017.