‘Welcome home Max!’: S’pore’s Olympic bronze medallist Max Maeder returns to hero’s welcome

SINGAPORE – Despite having just been on a 13-hour flight from Paris, Maximilian Maeder’s smile never wavered in the one hour or so that it took him to leave Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 after touching down at 6am on Aug 13.

Walking through a busier than usual arrival hall, the 17-year-old made sure that every request from the waiting crowd was met as Singapore welcomed home its

youngest Olympic medallist.

With his bronze medal slung around the neck, the kitefoiler was first greeted by Minister for Community, Culture and Youth Edwin Tong, who welcomed Maximilian with an orchid garland before family members shared a warm embrace with the teenager.

Sailor Ryan Lo, who competed in the men’s dinghy event in Paris, was the next to emerge. He, too, received a garland and a hug from Mr Tong.

Max held court with over 60 people including fans, officials from Singapore Sailing Federation and Sport Singapore and about 20 members of the media, who all wanted a piece of him.

A wefie, an autograph, a soundbite, a photo. Maximilian graciously obliged every request wearing that boyish smile across his face. When fans asked for wefies, he went above and beyond, encouraging them to hold his medal while posing and even lifting young children onto his shoulders for a priceless moment.

Maximilian became Singapore’s sixth Olympic medallist after he finished third in the men’s kite on Aug 9, as the nation celebrated its 59th birthday. In doing so, he also ended an eight-year wait for a Singaporean to step onto an Olympic podium since

swimmer Joseph Schooling won gold in Rio de Janeiro.

As the fans, some of whom had arrived as early as 5.30am, shouted, “Welcome home, Max”, he puffed his cheeks, saying: “I am completely overwhelmed.”

In a doorstop interview, he added: “I cannot express to you what it means to have a journey like this… and to see that my efforts have made a positive impact on anyone’s day is a very fulfilling thing.

“The amount of positive impact that such an event can deliver means that I am very much looking forward to repeat it any way I can.”

On the warm welcome from his supporters, he said: “So heartwarming, really. It means a lot. I can only imagine them getting out of bed early to come here... it really puts a smile on my face.”

“I hope I was able to make them smile, happy and have a positive impact on their day,” he added, in an interview with The Straits Times. “And I am very grateful that they came here to shake hands and say hello.” On what he plans to do next, Maximilian said: “My mother has forced me to take a break and take it easy. I will listen to her. Afterwards I’ll continue to compete and train and business as usual. The fun continues.”

Fans here had been eager to express their gratitude for the timely birthday gift he had given the nation on Aug 9.

Caleb Tan, six, was one of the young supporters who turned up at the airport. He carried a self-made poster that read, “I skipped school to see Max Maeder”, adding that he had worked on it with his mum.

He had wanted Maximilian’s autograph on the poster, but got more than what he wished for as he was also hoisted onto the Olympic medallist’s shoulders for photos.

“I was so happy when he won a bronze medal because he tried his best,” said Caleb.

Caleb’s mother Wendy Tan, a 35-year-old financial consultant, said: “Max is an inspiration. He speaks so well on TV and I really like how he thanks his parents. The respect he has for people is great too and that is important to teach the young kids. I want Caleb to understand that so I brought him here to see the man himself.”

A 39-year-old researcher who wanted to be known only as Jean, brought her three kids, Serena, 10, Ashton, seven, and Elijah, five, to welcome Maximilian. 

Jean said: “We watched most of Team Singapore in action as a family, sometimes from highlights if the events started late. We are very excited to be here and it was actually the kids who saw on Instagram and told me Max is arriving at this hour today.

“One of the reasons I agreed is because it is such a historic moment to be here and to thank him in person. He has helped kids realise that as a Singaporean, they can make it on the world stage... we may be from a little red dot, but we can make a big impact too.” 

Maximilian is set for another grand reception on Aug 14 during an open-top bus celebratory parade which will feature him and nine other athletes from Singapore’s Paris 2024 Olympics contingent. The bus will travel through Bayfront Avenue, Chinatown, Orchard Road, Serangoon Road and Victoria Street from 11.30am to 1pm.