Commentary: Let’s not continue with the blame game, says former national sprinter UK Shyam

We must learn to appreciate the value of sports, as an end in itself and not a means to an end. In the same vein, parents and coaches must be prudent in navigating the school system and the Direct School Admission, and not overtrain our young athletes just to get into a brand name school or to win a national school games medal in the short term.

While the law of probability notes that a small population may yield a smaller talent pool, experience over the years suggests there is no shortage of gifted local athletes. Everyone, from parents and administrators to corporates, must recognise that talent development follows a non-linear path and demands patience.

In a nation that prizes speed and efficiency, sports requires us to embrace a mindset of long term-ism.

So, you see, this is a complex issue that requires many things to work in synchrony for athletics to join the party in subsequent SEA Games. Let us not take the recent conversations as a blame game, but a platform for us to see different views, examine them and take action for our athletes.

Just like how Uncle Peng Siong extended a helping hand on that fateful afternoon in December 2000. That same Singaporean spirit can, and must, continue to live on today.

U.K. Shyam is a former national athlete who held the national record for the 100m sprint for 22 years from 2001 to 2023. He retired from athletics in 2005 and is now pursuing a career in education.