Three short track speed skaters have qualified for and will represent Singapore at the ISU World Junior Championships
Singapore athletes in Dresden ahead of the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships. PHOTO: JONAS CHUA, SINGAPORE ICE SKATING ASSOCIATION
Singapore, 25 January 2023 – This year’s ISU World Junior Short Track Championships will have a first for Singapore. In addition to a team of athletes, the competition will have for the first time a technical official from Singapore.
Ms Sonja Chong, a starter for the International Skating Union and a member of the Singapore team of short track technical officials, has been appointed to officiate at the championships to be held in Dresden, Germany, from 27 to 29 January 2023.
She will also be the first technical official from Southeast Asia to officiate at an ISU event.
Singapore's representatives at the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships. PHOTO: JONAS CHUA, SINGAPORE ICE SKATING ASSOCIATION
Said Chong: “I am looking forward to my first ISU event assignment. This experience will be invaluable not just for me but also for our technical officials. I do hope that this will lead to more opportunities for and further development of technical officials in Singapore and the region.”
Ms Alison Chan, President of Singapore Ice Skating Association (SISA), added, “Sonja has helped build a team of short track technical officials in Singapore, including starters, referees, competitor stewards and other roles. This has enabled Singapore to host international competitions such as the Tri Series and SEA Open Trophy, which are sanctioned by the International Skating Union.”
Chong was President of SISA from 2007 to 2019, after serving on the board since 2003. Over the years, Singapore has built a team of officials approved by the ISU to officiate at international competitions. On the ISU international list of technical officials under Singapore are International Starter W Ms Alicia Tan, and International Referees Mr Terence Chew, Mr Matthew Mak and Mr Lim June Liang.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE ICE SKATING ASSOCIATION
A total of three short track speed skaters have qualified for and will represent Singapore at the ISU World Junior Championships. The boys are Ryo Ong and Brandon Pok, both 16. The sole female representative is Amelia Chua, also 16. The skaters have arrived in Dresden, led by National Short Track Coach Ms Zhao Yanzhi.
The Championships is also the qualifying event for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
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