Paralympic silver medallist Jeralyn Tan to start preparations for 2025 season in December

SINGAPORE – A long and fruitful season that included a historic silver medal at the Paris Paralympics and a World Boccia Cup title in Montreal will finally wrap up for Singapore’s Jeralyn Tan in two weeks’ time.

Tan, the world No. 1 in the women’s BC1 category, and her coach Yurnita Omar will conclude their 2024 schedule at the Nov 14-22 World Boccia Challenger in Bahrain.

They will then return home for a long-awaited two-week break before starting preparations for next season in December.

Overseas training camps have been lined up from January to May and Tan will resume competition in the second half of 2025.

She is down for two legs of the World Boccia Cup from July to September, before a World Boccia Challenger event in November.

This will gear her up for the Asean Para Games in January 2026 in Thailand, where they have set a modest target of a podium finish.

Yurnita said on Nov 7: “Since we returned from Paris, it has been a series of events, engagements.

“We enjoy reaching out to people and taking photos. It is a little bit (tiring), we haven’t got a good break yet, but I think of this moment as ‘enjoy while we can’, but we plan to take a break at the end of the year.”

Yurnita was speaking at the Great World shopping mall, where she and Tan took part in the launch of its Christmas celebrations.

During the season of giving, Great World and other Allgreen Properties malls – Pasir Ris Mall, Tanglin Mall and The Seletar Mall – have partnered Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS) to raise funds for individuals with cerebral palsy, with every $10 donation allowing shoppers to have a go on a gachapon machine.

The CPAS band and its teachers will be giving live performances at the malls, with CPAS beneficiary Tan also making appearances.

Despite her packed schedule and a long list of engagement activities since returning from Paris in early September, Tan said she enjoys taking part in them.

The 35-year-old said: “It’s a bit tiring but I enjoy the events. I like to dress up but seldom get the opportunity to.”

That opportunity came when she collected $300,000 at the Singapore National Paralympic Council’s Athletes Achievement Awards on Oct 15 for her Paralympic silver medal – a first in boccia at the Games for Singapore.

Yurnita added that their exploits in France had also given them more recognition, with members of the public stopping them on the streets to offer words of encouragement.

She said: “When we walk together, we have people reaching out to us and saying, ‘Congrats’ and there were also some people who reached out to us and said that they felt very touched, they felt so emotionally attached because they watched the game.

“I believe (the medal) has inspired many people, and I am most happy to know that we have actually raised awareness because people don’t just congratulate us, they also say that it was a good game that they watched and they felt that positive vibes.”

Yurnita also believes that Tan’s result has had a positive impact on the people around them.

“Her family has always been consistently supporting her. So I think everybody is happier. From her fellow athletes, I can see that there’s more fire, maybe inspired to do better.”

Sharing Yurnita’s sentiments, CPAS senior executive Susan Tan said: “On the day of her (Paralympics) final, we went to the school hall and broadcast the match on the big screen.

“We were all very excited and emotional and you can actually feel the closeness and that everyone is connected in that way.

“It’s not just that she’s an alumna, you can actually feel everyone’s genuine support; not a lot changed, but of course everyone is happy for her.”