Water polo: Singapore’s water polo team celebrating its 17th gold medal at the 1997 SEA Games.
water polo Water polo was introduced into Singapore in 1920, and was first played in the leading swimming clubs, including the Singapore Swimming Club and the Chinese Swimming Club. In the early 1950s, Singapore emerged as a regional water polo force. At the inaugural Asian Games in Delhi in 1951, the Singapore team won the silver medal. In 1954, the team— which included Kee Soon Bee (captain), Tan Hwee Hock, Gan Eng Teck, Tan Eng Bock, Keith Mitchell, Oh Chwee Hock, Wiebe Wolters and Oh Kian Bin— won the gold medal at the 2nd Asian Games in Manila. This was the only gold medal Singapore has ever won for a team sport at that level. Many members of this team also took part in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Singapore water polo teams have won five more medals (though no gold medals) at various Asian Games. The country’s teams have been dominant at the Southeast Asian regional level. Since the introduction of water polo at the 3rd Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games (later the SEA Games) in Bangkok in 1965, the Singapore water polo team has won 21 consecutive gold medals, a record not equalled by any other team in the region.
In 1996, the Singapore Amateur Swimming Association (SASA) was given the Excellence for Singapore Award (by the Singapore Totalisator Board) for its efforts in supporting and nurturing water polo teams.
Photo credit: Singapore Press Holdings/ Lianhe Zaobao
Water polo: Singapore’s water polo team celebrating its 17th gold medal at the 1997 SEA Games.