SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) on Tuesday afternoon, dropping in on some national athletes who were training at the facility.

This is Mr Lee's first visit to the SSI after it was established in 2011. The SSI plays a critical role in supporting athletes on the high performance pathway, providing support in areas like sports science and sports medicine and nutrition.

He was introduced to the full range of facilities there, interacted with sports scientists as well as Team Singapore athletes who were there to showcase some of the technologies available within the SSI.

Among athletes Mr Lee spoke to were kayaker Syaheenul Aiman, who shared his dietary regimen on a typical day with Mr Lee. Sarah Chen, another kayaker, demonstrated how athletes use technology on the iPad and other equipment to work on their mental conditioning.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, Mr Lee thanked Team Singapore athletes and staff at the SSI for their hard work and efforts.

He said: "Team Singapore athletes did us proud at last year's Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics. They continue to work hard, as they strive to excel in their respective sports.

"But our athletes do not do it alone. They are strongly supported by the staff and coaches at the SSI who help them to improve their performance, and recover from sports-related injuries.

"With the upcoming SEA Games and Asean Para Games, athletes are using the facilities to maximise their performance, and hopefully win more medals for us. Let's support our athletes as they fly our flag at the Games. We are stronger together . Go Team Singapore!"