Motion and Emotion: SEA Games 2025 in pictures
Beyond the action, emotions surge. Triumph manifests in clenched fists and tears of disbelief, while defeat is expressed in bowed heads, sagged shoulders and rivals’ words of comfort. These intimate expressions often surface in brief, unguarded pauses between the cheers. Together, the images tell a story of competition, resilience and unity, where motion propels the body, and emotion defines the Games.
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Singapore’s sprint queen Shanti Pereira raising her arms in ecstasy after retaining the women’s 100m title in 11.36sec at the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok on Dec 11, with Thailand’s Khanonta Jirapat (in blue, 11.54) second and Vietnam’s Ha Thi Thu (not in picture, 11.58) third. Pereira went on to secure a historic double-double by winning the 200m two days later.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Shanti Pereira celebrating with the national flag after winning the women’s 100m final. Her two gold medals are among three secured by Singapore’s track and field athletes at the Dec 9-20 SEA Games in Thailand.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore fencer Amita Berthier (left) competing during the women’s foil team final at Fashion Island Shopping Mall in Bangkok on Dec 19.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
(From left) Singapore fencers Cheung Kemei, Stephanie Lee, Amita Berthier and Maxine Wong celebrating after winning the women’s foil team final. Their victory helped Singapore’s fencing squad secure a record haul of eight gold medals at the SEA Games, surpassing their previous best from 2023.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
The ball passed by a Malaysian player obscures the head of Singapore’s Jamie Lim during the SEA Games netball final at Chanthana Yingyong Gymnasium in Bangkok on Dec 17.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore’s netball team (left) huddling after losing 52-49 to Malaysia in the final at the Chanthana Yingyong Gymnasium in Bangkok. The Malaysians celebrate a third consecutive gold while the Republic’s hunt for their first title since 2015 goes on.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore’s Maximilian Maeder gliding his way to the gold medal in the men’s Formula Kite event off the shores of Jomtien Beach in Pattaya on Dec 16. While victory in the first 12 races gave him an unassailable lead for the title on Dec 16, he won the remaining four races the following day too.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Maximilian Maeder (second from left) hugging Joseph Weston, the silver medallist from Thailand, after winning the men's Formula Kite on Dec 16.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew keeping his eyes fixed on the shuttlecock while playing against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in the men’s badminton team semi-finals at the Thammasat University Gymnasium in Bangkok. While he won this match, the others did not as Singapore lost 3-1 and settled for a joint-bronze.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew celebrating after winning a point in the men’s badminton team semi-finals against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore’s Ser Lin Qian returning a serve from Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut in the women’s table tennis team final at Central Westgate in Bangkok on Dec 14. This long-exposure panning shot keeps the fast-moving ping pong ball sharp amid a blurry background, capturing the speed and intensity of the rally.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore’s Ser Lin Qian is in tears after losing 3-2 to Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut in the table tennis women’s team final at Central Westgate in Bangkok on Dec 14. Singapore settled for silver after losing 3-2 to the Thais.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore’s Marissa Hafezan (right) landing a kick against Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly in the karate women’s kumite 55kg final at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex in Bangkok on Dec 12.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore’s Marissa Hafezan celebrates after defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly in the karate women’s kumite 55kg final at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex in Bangkok. The 19-year-old’s 5-3 victory secures Singapore’s first SEA Games karate gold since 1993.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
(From left) Siblings Quah Ting Wen and Quah Jing Wen competing in the women’s 100m butterfly final at the Huamark Aquatic Center in Bangkok on Dec 13. Ting Wen edged her younger sister by just 0.01 of a second to take the gold.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
(From left) Siblings Quah Ting Wen and Quah Jing Wen walking towards waiting reporters after the medal ceremony of the women’s 100m butterfly final. Ting Wen’s victory earned her a record 63rd SEA Games medal, making her the most bemedalled athlete of the Games on Dec 13. She won two more medals after that.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore archer Jeannice Low competing in the women’s compound team final against Indonesia at the Sports Authority of Thailand field in Bangkok. Her teammates are Madeleine Ong and Ellie Low.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Jeannice Low is emotional after losing 228-227 to Indonesia in the women’s compound team final. But Singapore’s haul of one gold and two silvers makes this their best SEA Games outing since 1983 when they won two golds, one silver and one bronze.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
(From left) Singapore’s artistic swimmers Debbie Soh and Yvette Chong competing in the women’s duet final at the Assumption University Aquatic Center in Bangkok on Dec 12.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
(From left) Singapore's artistic swimmers Yvette Chong and Debbie Soh thanking supporters after receiving their results in the women's duet finals.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore U-22s goalkeeper Aizil Yazid is unable to keep out a Thai strike during their 3-0 loss at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Dec 11.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
The Young Lions are deflated after losing 3-0 to Thailand to end their SEA Games campaign. This marked their sixth straight exit at the Games’ group stage.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Singapore’s Joshua Ong (white cap) going up against arch-rivals Indonesia in their deciding round-robin match at the Thammasat University Aquatic Center in Bangkok on Dec 19. Singapore won 19-16 to clinch their 29th SEA Games men’s water polo gold.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
The Singapore water polo team celebrating after securing their SEA Games gold medal with a victory against Indonesia at the Thammasat Water Sports Center in Bangkok on Dec 19.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
