THEY came decked out in national colours, donned headbands that screamed 'Singapore' and cheered themselves hoarse with flags and Team Singapore clappers.

Over the last two days of the Asian Youth Games swimming competition, the five-member Koh family were out in full force at the Singapore Sports School to cheer on the Republic's representatives.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Monday, Koh Thiam Soon said: 'The atmosphere here is great, and the swimmers are doing very well too.'

The values of the Games - friendship, excellence and respect - were also something the 43-year-old manager wanted his three young children - aged 11, 10 and six - to learn.

He said: 'The AYG is a chance for the young to show what they're capable of. It's a good platform. It's not that important whether they win or lose.'

Sports enthusiast Pauljit Cheang, 47, was there to try and spot the diamonds in the rough.

Said Cheang, a private tutor: 'I'm here even though this is a youth-level Games because these are the stars of tomorrow.

'It is better to watch them and get to know them now, before they go on to the senior level.'

Like swimming, bowling also enjoyed sell-out crowds at Orchid Country Club where New Hui Fen terrorised the opposition to bag two golds.

Overall, bowling claimed three golds and swimming five, thanks to Quah Ting Wen, who brought the roof down whenever she plunged into the pool.

Ting Wen did not disappoint her army of fans, finishing the Games with four golds.

Not surprisingly Raymond Leong, 40, would have preferred to watch Singapore's keglers or swimmers in action instead of spending Monday, which was Youth Day and a designated school holiday, watching table tennis with his two daughters at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall.

He said: 'I thought of doing something different, instead of taking them to the mall.

'I would have preferred to watch bowling or swimming, but the tickets were all sold out.'

Even as Singaporeans took to the stands to watch and support the Games, the general consensus is that there is much room for improvement.

'I don't think the general public in Singapore are very interested in the AYG. I don't get the impression that there was much publicity done for the event,' said Leong.

Secondary 1 student Alison Ho, who travelled to Toa Payoh from her home in Jurong West, echoed that view.

Said the 13-year-old: 'It doesn't seem like many people are turning up at the competition venues to watch. I think it reflects badly on us.

'There's no competition atmosphere for the athletes too.'

Ticketing issues were another bugbear.

'The fact that tickets are sold by Sistic may give people the impression that they are very expensive,' added Alison.

Tickets were priced from $2 to $8 and subject to a $1 Sistic booking charge.

For Koh, it added up to a quite a sum.

'As a family of five, we paid $45 a day ($8 per ticket plus $1 surcharge) to watch swimming - that's close to a hundred dollars for two days,' he said.

'We could not come and support the team every day.'

Others felt touch-ups on the competition venues are also needed, in light of next year's Youth Olympic Games, which Singapore will also stage.

At the Toa Payoh Sports Hall, Chua Kok Hon, a 70-year-old retiree and table tennis enthusiast, said: 'Our venues are all right, but they are definitely not world-class.

'Impression and image counts for a lot when you organise events like the AYG. Being a small country is no excuse.'

maychen@sph.com.sg