Singapore Athletics, young sprinters get $500,000 boost from POSB
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Marc Louis, 23, is among the quartet of promising young sprinters who will benefit from the partnership.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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- POSB announced a $500,000 multi-year partnership to support athletics and inspire young people, disbursing funds in yearly tranches to promising athletes.
- Marc Louis, Elizabeth-Ann Tan, Laavinia Jaiganth, and Harry Irfan Curran will benefit, focusing on training for upcoming competitions like the SEA Games.
- The athletes will also serve as community ambassadors for POSB's initiatives as Singapore Athletics prepares for the 2029 SEA Games on home soil.
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SINGAPORE – With just over a month to the Thailand SEA Games, four members of Singapore’s track and field squad received a timely boost on Nov 1, when POSB announced a multi-year partnership worth $500,000 to support the growth of athletics and inspire young people to pursue their dreams.
Marc Louis, 23, who is Singapore’s fastest man in the 60m, 100m and 200m, is among the quartet of promising young sprinters who will benefit from the partnership.
The others are Elizabeth-Ann Tan, 22, Laavinia Jaiganth, 19, and Harry Curran, 17.
POSB said in a press statement that the funds will be disbursed in yearly tranches. For 2025, $100,000 will go to the four athletes while the remaining money will be disbursed over the next four years to support “high-potential national athletes”.
Louis, who smashed the 200m national record on Aug 11 in Japan
He told The Sunday Times: “I am super happy and grateful for this sponsorship. I am excited to work with POSB on this journey and I also want to help inspire the next generation.
“The money and sponsorship helps me to focus more on training. I don’t have to worry about food, equipment and expenses that are incurred as part of training.”
After a blistering 2025 season, Louis is aiming to emulate the achievements of teammate Shanti Pereira – who claimed the women’s 100m and 200m golds in Cambodia in 2023
He added: “My preparation for the SEA Games is going well, it’s been one of the best so far. I am just excited to be back at the Games and I can’t wait to race and do my best in Thailand.
“I’m especially excited for the rest of my teammates. One of my teammates, Harry, he’s young and this is very good exposure and will help him to be even more motivated.”
One of Singapore’s rising young runners, Harry bettered his own U-18 and U-20 200m marks en route to the bronze at the Asian U-18 Athletics Championships in Saudi Arabia in April.
“POSB’s sponsorship helps me fund various recovery resources, allowing my body to cope with the intensity of training,” he said.
“This is especially important in my preparation to win upcoming competitions and to qualify for world U-20 championships next year.”
All four athletes are headed to the SEA Games, with Tan scheduled to compete in the women’s 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, Jaiganth in the women’s 100m and 4x100m relay, while Harry is pencilled in for the 200m.
The final list for the Singapore contingent will be announced by the Singapore National Olympic Council closer to the Games.
Under the partnership, the foursome will also serve as community ambassadors at initiatives such as POSB’s financial literacy programmes and community events including its annual Run for Kids charity race.
POSB’s investment also comes as Singapore Athletics (SA) prepares to field its “largest and most competitive squad yet for the 2029 SEA Games on home soil”, said the statement.
SA president Lien Choong Luen said: “This partnership is more than financial support – it’s about building pathways for our athletes to grow, excel and inspire.
“POSB’s belief in resilience and community deeply aligns with ours, and together we look forward to empowering our athletes as we prepare for the 2029 SEA Games and beyond.”
Nelson Neo, head of POSB, added in the statement: “POSB has always stood for supporting Singapore’s children and youth at an early age, whether learning to save, to persevere or to dream.
“We believe that sports help children discover the value of focus, effort and teamwork. By supporting young athletes who embody these qualities, we hope to inspire children, parents and families to believe that excellence can be achieved with courage and determination.”
POSB and its parent company DBS Group have supported local sports through the years. In 2024, DBS inked a partnership with kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder
