Singaporean of the Year finalist: Maeder, 18, wants to make Max impact through kitefoiling
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Max Maeder, who won a bronze medal in kitefoiling at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finds purpose in bringing joy to others and being part of something bigger than himself. He is a finalist for The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2024 award.
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SINGAPORE – Some time after the 2024 Paris Olympics, a young boy was spotted running along the beach at East Coast Park, holding a string with a plastic bag attached to it.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong asked the boy what he was doing, to which he replied, “I’m kitefoiling”.
While Singaporean kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder did not witness this, the story, told to him by Mr Tong, struck a chord.
It demonstrated to Maeder the impact he has had on others since winning a historic bronze at the Paris Games.
The 18-year-old said: “It’s something that’s out in the wild, it’s something that is surprising because of what it takes to capture a boy’s imagination...
“First the information has to reach him, then he has to like it, and then he has to feel inspired by it.
“Having something like that captured on the beach touches me because it means there is a surprising amount of reach that I didn’t know I had.”
It has been a stellar season for the teenager, who won nearly all the events on the international kitefoiling circuit
In August, he became Singapore’s youngest Olympic medallist when he claimed bronze at the Marseille Marina.
For his inspiring feats, Maeder – whose mother Teng Hwee Keng is Singaporean and father Valentin Maeder is Swiss – is a finalist for the Singaporean of the Year award, organised by The Straits Times.
The award is given to a Singaporean, or a group of citizens, who has made a significant contribution to society. This can be through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community, among other ways.
The award, now in its 10th year, is presented by UBS Singapore.
Winning a medal at the Olympics has been life-changing for Maeder in many ways.
But the biggest difference for the two-time world champion is that it has given him a bigger platform to bring joy to others.
He said: “It’s the ability to have things that I do, have potential to make a positive impact more so than before.
“When I say I want to contribute, I want to share, I want to uplift, I can actually do something about it.
“I can make a donation, or talk and inspire other people, or simply have a little bit more of a positive effect.”
Using this platform for good is a responsibility Maeder understands well.
Even though the 2024 season was not over, during his month-long break after the Olympics, his schedule was packed with engagements ranging from talks to meet-and-greet sessions.
He spoke at pre-schools, tertiary institutions and corporate events – always with a smile on his face.
How many of such events has he done in 2024?
“Thirty to 40, it’s a rough guess,” said Maeder.
How many did he do in previous years? “None,” he added. “Not of the same type.”
Kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder became Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist when he clinched bronze at the Paris Games in August.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
But Maeder, who was named World Sailing’s male Young World Sailor of the Year in November,
“It’s not something that I actively look to be, and I don’t feel like I’m qualified to be because I’m 18, and I’m still figuring things out,” said Maeder, who views his parents and the people around him as his role models.
“But if you feel like I’m a role model for you, I will definitely try and live up to that.”
After an eventful year, Maeder will be taking a break in December before he resumes training in January.
The plan remains the same for the ambitious teenager – training and competing as much as possible to maintain consistency.
At 18, Maeder has displayed a maturity beyond his years to handle the demands and rigours of being an elite athlete.
But he considers himself lucky, adding: “These types of things are a privilege to experience, it’s not a burden, it’s not a chore.
“I’m not going to call it easy, but there are much more challenging things to experience and much more difficult situations to be in.
“I’ve never had to worry about the livelihood of someone else, I’ve never had something greatly affect the future of my life depending on the outcome.
“I’ve just simply had the privilege to experience challenges that are stimulating, which are a pleasure to go through.”
The Straits Times
The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year (SOTY) is an award that is given to a Singaporean or group of citizens who have made a significant contribution to society. This can be through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community, among other ways.
Organised by The Straits Times and presented by UBS Singapore, the annual award is now in its 10th year. The official airline partner is Singapore Airlines and the global hotel partner is Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
How to nominate:
- Go to str.sg/soty24nominate
- Submit your nomination by Dec 31, 2024
- For more info on SOTY, go to
Prizes for award recipient and finalists
Award recipient receives:
- $20,000 cash
- One pair of Singapore Airlines business class tickets for each individual/group, up to three pairs of tickets for the winning group
- A five-night stay in any of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for the winning group
Finalist receives:
- $5,000 cash for each individual/group
- One pair of Singapore Airlines economy class tickets for each individual/group, up to a maximum of three pairs for each group of finalists
- A three-night stay in one of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for each finalist.
