Opinion

Better organised: Singapore’s sports chiefs reveal how city overtook Hong Kong – and how they're planning for more Olympic glory

The Lion City also already have Formula One, the English Premier League’s Asia Trophy, the flagship Women’s Tennis Association Finals as well as a brand new stadium to host a growing list of events

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Joseph Schooling arrived back in Singapore to a heroes welcome. Photo: EPA

James Porteous has been a sports journalist for more than 15 years, covering events all over the world, from Olympics and Champions League finals right down to local amateur action.

Published: 6:45pm, 20 Aug 2016Updated: 9:17am, 21 Aug 2016

Hong Kong’s medal-less Olympics was disappointing, but understandable, even if Sarah Lee Wai-sze was desperately unlucky.

We’ve only ever won three medals and there were plenty of highlights from a young squad and there is optimism for Tokyo 2020.

Except for one thing: Singapore won a gold.

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Hong Kong has always had bragging rights over our rivals thanks to Lee Lai-shan 20 years ago.

Singapore got on the board first, with a weightlifting medal in 1960, but we had the gold.

And their next medals – silver and two bronzes in table tennis in 2008 and 2012 – we could try to dismiss by telling ourselves they were won by China-born imports.

Sarah Lee Wai-sze crashed out of the women's keirin. Photo: AP

But Joseph Schooling’s sensational 100 metres butterfly win in the pool, setting a new Olympic Games record and beating Michael Phelps, has the Lion City “galvanised”, say their sports chiefs.