Gan Ching Hwee, Mawjit Singh named S’pore’s flag bearers for 2026 Commonwealth Games

SINGAPORE – Facing the world’s best swimmers at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships did not daunt Singapore’s Gan Ching Hwee.

Instead, racing against the likes of American icon Katie Ledecky, Canadian starlet Summer McIntosh and Australian trailblazer Lani Pallister only brought out the best in the distance swimmer.

Competing in home waters, Gan produced a memorable performance, setting three national records and being the hosts’ only finalist in the swimming meet.

The experience transformed her mindset, instilling in her the confidence that she can compete among the world’s best, a belief she will carry with her as she prepares for her Commonwealth Games debut later in July.

Pallister and New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather are among those she could face at the July 23-Aug 2 Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 22-year-old is embracing the challenge.

She said: “The biggest takeaway for me (from the world championships) is that I’m capable of being among the very best, because I used to put all these swimmers on a pedestal and subconsciously, it limited my view of what I could achieve.

“So being able to have achieved that at that level really gave me a lot of confidence moving forward, so that’s something I’m very excited about – to continue to pitch myself with the very best and see what I can do from there.”

Gan was speaking on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Games flag presentation ceremony on July 6, which was held at the British High Commission in Singapore at Eden Hall, the official residence of British High Commissioner Nik Mehta.

At the ceremony, she was unveiled as one of Singapore’s two flag bearers alongside para-lawn bowler Mawjit Singh, with both calling it a great honour.

In Glasgow, Singapore will be represented by 53 athletes, who are competing across seven sports and nine disciplines – athletics, basketball, cycling (track), artistic gymnastics, bowls, para-bowls, swimming, para-swimming and weightlifting.

They include swimmers Toh Wei Soong and Teong Tzen Wei, who claimed silver in the men’s 50m freestyle S7 and men’s 50m butterfly respectively at the 2022 edition in Birmingham.

This edition of the quadrennial event will feature just 10 sports as compared to 20 in 2022, after Australian state Victoria withdrew as host in 2023 due to rising costs.

On being flag bearer, Gan said: “I was really nervous, I don’t really know what to expect and it’s almost that there are more expectations now that I’m a flag bearer.

“But changing the narrative from that to being able to represent a country with so much pride, and being able to be selected as one of two flag bearers is a great honour and I hope to continue that mindset.”

Gan has continued to build on her breakthrough year.

At the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, she claimed a historic triple-triple after sweeping the women’s 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle crowns for three consecutive editions.

In the 2026 season, her timing of 16min 8.83sec at the Australian Open championships in April ranks as the fifth-fastest women’s 1,500m freestyle timing among swimmers from Commonwealth nations, with only Pallister (twice), Fairweather and Australian Moesha Johnson clocking faster times.

But Gan is not focusing too much on the result, saying: “It would be really nice to get a medal but I always tell myself not to focus on the outcome so much and not get ahead of myself.”

Also looking forward to making his Commonwealth Games debut is Mawjit, who picked up lawn bowls in 2014, after previously competing in para-athletics as a thrower.

He was 20 when he met with an accident that fractured his left leg and the injury developed into gangrene, which eventually required him to have his leg amputated at the middle of his thigh.

In 1995, he met a group of athletes with disabilities who introduced him to shot put, discus and javelin. He went on to win a silver medal in discus and shot put during the 1999 Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled.

He switched to lawn bowls in 2014 and while he did not immediately fall in love with the sport, the camaraderie of the community kept him coming back.

The 62-year-old said: “Everybody is encouraging, the friends you build there, people come from all walks of life.

“During a game, everyone plays and everyone is equal, so you have a community who comes together and you get a lot of friends.”

He has since enjoyed success in the sport, winning bronze in the para men’s pairs at the 2023 World Bowls Championship.

Mawjit said: “I’m very honoured and given the task to carry a Singapore flag is something that I’m very proud, but with this, I also want to win something and I want to do my utmost best.”

Addressing the athletes at the ceremony, Mehta said: “The dedication required to compete at this level is inspirational. We wish them the very best as they head to Scotland.

“I hope they can enjoy not only Scotland’s world-famous hospitality, but also the friendships and memories that make the Commonwealth Games so special.”