Sonja Chong to become Singapore’s first ice skating official at Asian Winter Games

SINGAPORE – When Sonja Chong dons her officials’ uniform for the Asian Winter Games on Feb 7, her role in Harbin will go beyond ensuring that the short track speed skating competition runs smoothly.

A starter for the sport at the Feb 7-14 event, Chong is the first skating official from South-east Asia at the Games, and she hopes her involvement will encourage more to follow in her footsteps.

Also joining her in China’s north-eastern Heilongjiang province are Team Singapore’s 23-strong contingent, who will compete in short track speed skating, alpine skiing and ice hockey.

The 59-year-old said: “This moment is proof that winter sports are no longer confined to traditional strongholds; we belong on this stage too.

“I hope my journey paves the way for more officials from developing skating nations to step forward and take their place at the highest levels of the sport.”

Chong, who was Singapore Ice Skating Association (Sisa) president from 2007 to 2019, will be at the quadrennial Games as one of two starters, which involves her pulling the trigger of the gun that kicks off a race.

They also ensure fair starts and are responsible for what happens between the start and first corner of the race. They have the authority to restart a race if there is a false start, click of blades or an incident before the first corner.

There are four levels of officials under world body International Skating Union (ISU): National (which falls under the national governing body of each country), international, international W and ISU – the highest level for officiating at the Olympics and world championships.

Chong is among 20 ISU-level starters, of which four are from Asia.

She has officiated at events such as the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea, which she counts as her most memorable event so far.

The Asian Skating Union (ASU) vice-president said: “It stands out because of the incredible energy and the presence of athletes from developing nations – it’s where you really see the future of the sport taking shape.”

She was also Singapore’s first technical official at the 2023 World Junior Short Track Championships in Dresden – a special experience as her late mum was German.

While she was there, her relatives living in the city came to support her at the competition.

The Asian Winter Games will also be significant as her husband David is making the trip to watch her officiate.

After years of travelling alone for competitions, Chong is planning to explore the Harbin Ice Festival with her husband after the eight-day Games end.

On the officiating front, Chong hopes to mentor officials from developing skating nations, just as Xu Xun, an ISU starter for China, did for her when she was starting out.

She said: “I want this to send a clear message: if you’re passionate about winter sports – whether as an athlete, coach or official – there is space for you to grow, even in a tropical country like Singapore.

“Having more trained officials in the region is critical. It allows us to host international competitions, which in turn raises the standard of both athletes and officials.”

It is a busy schedule for Chong after the Asian Winter Games as she heads to Canada for the ISU Junior World Cup Short Track Speed Skating and ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships, held in Quebec and Calgary respectively.

In April, she will travel to Indonesia for the national championships and four months later, she will officiate at the Asian Trophy in India.

Sisa president Alison Chan hailed Chong’s achievements on the international stage, adding: “To have a Singapore technical official for the first time at the Asian Winter Games is a milestone indeed for Singapore short track.

“As an ISU starter, Sonja has also helped develop officiating capabilities in Singapore and the region, and we now have a team of international referees and starters on the ISU list.”

Singapore currently has four international technical officials: Alicia Tan (international starter W), Terence Chew and Matthew Mak (international referee W), and Lim June Liang (international referee).

ASU president Chang Myong-hi added: “Her years of dedication to developing winter sports have led to this achievement, and I hope it inspires more officials from emerging nations to follow in her footsteps.”