related: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
TOKYO 2020 PARALYMPIC MEDALS
The official Paralympic medals, medal ribbon and medals case were revealed to the public on 25 August 2019, exactly one year before the start of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. The medal design is centred around the motif of a traditional Japanese fan, depicting the Paralympic Games as the source of a fresh new wind blowing through the world as well as a shared experience connecting diverse hearts and minds. As well as the official Paralympic medals, the medal ribbon and medals case were also revealed on Sunday.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Torch
The Paralympic Torch will be lit for the first time in Tokyo in August 2020, based on the “Share Your Light” concept of the Paralympic Games. Uniting tradition and modern technology, the shape of the torch resembles that of a Japanese traditional “Sakuramon” cherry blossom emblem. The name of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games mascot SOMEITY and its design also come from this flower. It was shaped into this form using the same aluminium extrusion technology used in the manufacture of Shinkansen bullet trains. It forms a seamless, single piece in a form that symbolises the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Torch Relay, created by fusing Japanese tradition and modern technology
THE TOKYO 2020 PARALYMPIC MASCOT
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic mascot's name is Someity, (pronounced soh-may-tee) which comes from someiyoshino, a popular cherry blossom variety, and additionally echoes the English phrase “so mighty”. Someity has tactile cherry blossom sensors and exhibits enormous mental and physical strength. It represents Paralympic athletes who overcome obstacles and redefine the boundaries of what is possible.
Singapore at the Olympics
Singapore's first Olympic medal was won by Tan Howe Liang, who won silver in lightweight weightlifting in 1960 Summer Olympics. The first and to date only Olympic gold medal was won by Joseph Schooling in the men's 100 metre butterfly at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In table tennis, Jing Junhong, Li Jiawei and Yu Mengyu came close to winning medals by finishing in fourth place for the women's singles events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2004 Athens Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics respectively.
In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Olympic swimmer Joseph Schooling won a gold medal in the Men's 100 metre butterfly in an Olympics record of 50.39 seconds, becoming the first gold Olympic medallist of Singapore. This was also the first gold medal by a Southeast Asian male swimmer and the first Olympic gold that Singapore achieved. During the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, Singapore sent 23 athletes to the Games but did not manage to win any medals
Singapore in the Olympics
Singapore’s past Olympic medallists
Singapore made its Olympic debut as a British colony at London 1948 with its sole representative, fireman Lloyd Valberg, who was the late grand uncle of Olympic champion Joseph Schooling. He finished joint-14th out of 27 high jumpers with a 1.8m leap.
Since then, the Republic’s athletes have competed in every edition of the Games, except in Moscow 1980 when Singapore joined a United States-led boycott.
The Straits Times looks at the medallists through the years:
- Tan Howe Liang, weightlifting (1960)
- Feng Tianwei, Li Jiawei, and Wang Yuegu, table tennis (2008, 2012)
- Feng Tianwei, table tennis (2012)
- Joseph Schooling, swimming (2016)
- Max Maeder, kitefoiling (2024)
Paralympic Games Medals
related:
