About 1,750 student-athletes and officials from all 10 Asean member countries will feature at this year's Asean Schools Games (ASG) here. Held from July 14-20, it is the second time Singapore will host the Games, now in their ninth edition.
The Republic last hosted the Games in 2011, when about 1,400 competitors and officials from seven countries attended.
Singapore will be represented by 205 athletes from 45 schools across 10 sports - athletics, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and tenpin bowling.
All competitors are aged between 12 and 18 years old.
The updates were announced at a media briefing at the Singapore Sports Hub Library on Thursday (June 22).
Tan Chen Kee, chairman of this year's ASG organising committee, said: "The ASG has always been an important sporting platform for Asean students to come together and compete on a regional level.
She said: "Through competing with the region's best, I hope our student-athletes - like past athletes - will hone their sporting abilities and also attain important life skills such as sportsmanship, resilience and teamwork."
Adding that last year's hosts Thailand were "excellent hosts", Tan, who is also the divisional director of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) Student Development Curriculum Division, said: "I am confident that our students will be good hosts as they forge deep and enduring friendships with their Asean friends."
The Singapore contingent will be led by chef de mission Tan Teck Hock, who is principal of the Singapore Sports School.
"I am proud of our ASG 2017 contingent. They are training hard as ONE Singapore schools team, and are committed to (doing) their best," said Tan, who will be assisted by deputy chef de mission Koh Yiak Kheng, principal of Seng Kang Secondary School.
The opening ceremony of this year's ASG will take place on July 14, when Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng will officiate at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Competition will commence on July 15 and end on July 19.
All ASG student-athletes will be housed at the Games Village at the National University of Singapore's University Town. The Village will also offer a social interaction zone featuring games like carom and congkak to promote friendship and cultural exchange among the participants.
