Commentary: Looking beyond Singapore’s medal count at the 19th Asian Games

Thailand ranked first among the Southeast Asian countries except for the 2018 Asian Games held in Indonesia. The enormous difference in the medal count between the three top-ranked countries and those of the top six Southeast Asian countries clearly shows the wide gulf in elite sports performance between these countries.

Over the span of 17 years, Singapore hovered between third and, more recently, fifth position among the Southeast Asian countries and has moved from 12th to 20th position overall, indicating that other countries have advanced ahead of Singapore. We can also see that from 2010 onwards, Hong Kong has outperformed Singapore.

The medal count by sport also provides an understanding of how various Team Singapore sports have contributed to the medal tally at the Games. Over the five most recent Asian Games, gold medals came from sailing (13; at least one in every Asian Game), swimming (five; at least one in every Asian Game except 2023), bowling (three; in 2014, 2010 and 2006 ), athletics (one; in 2023), contract bridge (one; in 2018) and bodybuilding (one; in 2006).

The top five sports that contributed to the silver and bronze medal counts are: Sailing (nine silver, 12 bronze), bowling (seven silver, six bronze), swimming (five silver, seven bronze), table tennis (two silver, six bronze) and pencak silat (two silver, three bronze).

So, we see that sailing, swimming and bowling have been top contributors to Singapore’s medal count. Understandably, more podium finishes are expected from these three sports.

In the recently concluded 19th Asian Games, bowling was not part of the competition programme. While sailing won two gold, two silver and three bronze medals, swimming won only one silver medal and attracted unwanted public attention and queries.

Perhaps it is about accountability that the spotlight was on swimming. Swimming and sailing, under the purview of their respective National Sports Associations (NSA), are funded much more than other sports such as gymnastics, taekwondo or fencing.

Sport Singapore assesses NSAs on critical factors that are deemed to provide the conditions for achieving success at the major games – Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Summer Olympic Games – and funds them accordingly based on the outcomes that they mutually agree on. These factors include leadership, governance, technical expertise, coaching system, and the use of sports science and medicine that enhance and improve sport performance.