SINGAPORE – On the sparring mats, he is coolness personified. On the stage, silat fighter Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin displayed the same ice-cool composure even as he picked up his first Sportsman of the Year gong at the Singapore Sports Awards at Orchard Hotel on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old had earned the top accolade after winning a SEA Games gold medal and bagging his fourth world title in 2022.
A smiling Farhan said: “I feel good that I am recognised for my achievements, but I think it is important because it has also (showed recognition) to my sport.”
While he was happy to have won the award, he was also philosophical, saying that if the voters “think you deserve it, then you deserve it”.
“So just try to focus on continuing to win gold for Singapore and then everything else that comes will come,” added the Sportsboy of the Year 2017, whose father Sheik Alau’ddin Yacoob Marican, the Singapore Silat Federation chief, was Coach of the Year in 2019.
While it was Farhan’s first time winning the accolade, table tennis legend Feng Tianwei claimed the Sportswoman of the Year award for the fourth time, calling it her “most meaningful one yet”. She had also won in 2010, 2013 and 2018.
The 36-year-old said: “Each award means different things, as I had my ups and downs, but this is the most meaningful one yet...
“It has come at a tough time when I had to combat illness and injury, and I was not at my best in terms of physical condition, technical ability and form.”
It was a sweet swansong for Feng at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she claimed three gold medals to cap an illustrious career.
Her highlights include earning a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a singles and team bronze at London 2012 to become the Republic’s most bemedalled Olympian.
“When I saw the highlight reel, I was overcome with emotions and I felt like crying,” added Feng.
“I do miss the feeling of being in the competitive arena, but this award feels like a beautiful ending to my playing career.”
She is now doing a master’s in sport industry management at the Physical Education Teaching and Research Department of Peking University and will graduate in 2024.
Young bowler Colleen Pee, 18, was named Sportsgirl of the Year for the first time while kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, 16, won the Sportsboy of the Year award for the second straight year.
The annual event, which was organised by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) and Sport Singapore and supported by the Tote Board, honours national athletes and coaches for their performances and achievements.
The eight main awards were presented by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, SNOC’s acting president Jessie Phua and Tote Board chief executive Tan Choon Shian.
The Straits Times’ assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath claimed the Most Inspiring Sports Story of the Year for the fifth time with his story, In Channel Crosser’s Feat Lies A Lesson In Limits, on Li Ling Yung-Hryniewiecki becoming the first Singaporean woman to swim across the English Channel.
Singapore Sports Awards winners
Sportsman of the Year: Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin (silat)
Sportswoman of the Year: Feng Tianwei (table tennis)
Sportsboy of the Year: Maximilian Maeder (sailing)
Sportsgirl of the Year: Colleen Pee (bowling)
Coach of the Year: Gary Tan (swimming)
Team of the Year (Team Sport): Women’s tchoukball team
Team of the Year (Event): badminton mixed doubles team – Terry Hee, Jessica Tan
Most Inspiring Story of the Year: In Channel Crosser’s Feat Lies A Lesson In Limits (Rohit Brijnath, The Straits Times)
*Selected categories.
