SINGAPORE - For performing above and beyond what was expected of them, Team Singapore's 747-strong contingent was given a glowing report card by team officials at a post-Games media conference.
The team had garnered 83 golds, 73 silvers and 102 bronzes as of Tuesday morning, putting Singapore second on the overall medal standings, behind regional kingpins Thailand. It is a showing that surpasses Singapore's previous best haul of 50 golds, 40 silvers and 74 bronzes when the Games were last held on home soil in 1993.
In a joint statement by chefs de mission Dr Tan Eng Liang and Mr Nicholas Fang, they said: "Team Singapore has put in fantastic efforts to make this a successful SEA Games. They have inspired the entire nation repeatedly over the past 18 days, what a great way to mark Singapore's jubilee."
The team also posted 25 Games records, 29 new national marks, and 74 personal bests across the contingent.
Swimmers were the top performers, accounting for 23 golds, 12 silvers and 7 bronzes. Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen were the most bemedalled athletes with nine golds and 12 medals respectively, winning one in every event they took part in.
Breakthroughs were also celebrated, with the synchronised swimmers winning their first SEA Games gold, Shanti Pereira winning Singapore's first women's sprint gold in 42 years and windsurfer Audrey Yong winning the Republic's first women's windsurfing gold.
The Games will conclude on Tuesday night with the closing ceremony, as the baton is passed to Malaysia, which will host the biennial Games in 2017.
