HANOI - The young team of eight included five debutants but they were still able to record Singapore wushu’s best-ever away haul at the SEA Games with two golds, three silvers and a bronze.

It was, said their beaming team manager Lukas Cheng on Sunday (May 15), a performance they can be proud of.

The team’s previous best away performance came at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, where they bagged two golds, one silver and five bronzes.

Cheng praised the spirit of the team, noting that preparations for the Games had not been easy given how the pandemic disrupted training and limited competition opportunities.

Besides having to battle against more experienced opponents, they also had to cope with the cauldron that was the Cau Giay Gymnasium, where home fans were vociferous in their support of home athletes.

He said: “The young ones did very well and have exceeded expectations. Their mentality was great and they really gave it their all.

“The goal that I had set for them was simple – just focus and do their best. They should be very proud of themselves.”

It seemed fitting that Jowen Lim, who won also a silver in the men's changquan on Friday, which was wushu’s first medal at this year’s Games, wrapped up Singapore’s involvement in the competition with a silver in the daoshu and gunshu combined event on Sunday. 

The Hanoi Games were a different experience for Lim, 23, who was tasked to lead the team together with Vera Tan, 24. It was Lim and Tan’s fourth and fifth appearance in the competition respectively.

Lim said: “The two of us leading this young team was a first for us, which we were initially a bit nervous about but we were also very excited. The team did surprise all of us, they managed to complete their routines very well.

“For most of them it’s their first time at a major Games. The whole process for major Games and junior competitions are quite different, but they managed it very well.”

Now that Kimberly Ong, who won the women’s daoshu and gunshu combined on Saturday, has had her first taste of the Games, she is looking forward to more.

The 20-year-old said: “Each competition is a confidence boost for me because it’s been three years since my last international competition so it was quite nerve-wracking coming here in front of such a huge crowd. It was quite scary on the first day, but overall it was a fun and nice experience to have.”