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SINGAPORE \u2013 With just over a month to the Thailand SEA Games, four members of Singapore\u2019s track and field squad received a timely boost on Nov 1, when POSB announced a multi-year partnership worth $500,000 to support the growth of athletics and inspire young people to pursue their dreams.<\/p>\n
Marc Louis, 23, who is Singapore\u2019s fastest man in the 60m, 100m and 200m, is among the quartet of promising young sprinters who will benefit from the partnership.<\/p>\n
The others are Elizabeth-Ann Tan, 22, Laavinia Jaiganth, 19, and Harry Curran, 17. <\/p>\n
POSB said in a press statement that the funds will be disbursed in yearly tranches. For 2025, $100,000 will go to the four athletes while the remaining money will be disbursed over the next four years to support \u201chigh-potential national athletes\u201d.<\/p>\n
Louis, <\/p>\n who smashed the 200m national record on Aug 11 in Japan<\/p>\n <\/a> to complete a hat-trick of sprint marks, is pencilled in for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the Dec 9-20 SEA Games. <\/p>\n He told The Sunday Times: \u201cI am super happy and grateful for this sponsorship. I am excited to work with POSB on this journey and I also want to help inspire the next generation. <\/p>\n \u201cThe money and sponsorship helps me to focus more on training. I don\u2019t have to worry about food, equipment and expenses that are incurred as part of training.\u201d<\/p>\n After a blistering 2025 season, Louis is aiming to emulate the achievements of teammate Shanti Pereira \u2013 <\/p>\n who claimed the women\u2019s 100m and 200m golds in Cambodia in 2023<\/p>\n <\/a> \u2013 with a special sprint double in Bangkok.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cMy preparation for the SEA Games is going well, it\u2019s been one of the best so far. I am just excited to be back at the Games and I can\u2019t wait to race and do my best in Thailand.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m especially excited for the rest of my teammates. One of my teammates, Harry, he\u2019s young and this is very good exposure and will help him to be even more motivated.\u201d <\/p>\n One of Singapore\u2019s rising young runners, Harry bettered his own U-18 and U-20 200m marks en route to the bronze at the Asian U-18 Athletics Championships in Saudi Arabia in April. <\/p>\n \u201cPOSB\u2019s sponsorship helps me fund various recovery resources, allowing my body to cope with the intensity of training,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is especially important in my preparation to win upcoming competitions and to qualify for world U-20 championships next year.\u201d<\/p>\n All four athletes are headed to the SEA Games, with Tan scheduled to compete in the women\u2019s 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, Jaiganth in the women\u2019s 100m and 4x100m relay, while Harry is pencilled in for the 200m.<\/p>\n The final list for the Singapore contingent will be announced by the Singapore National Olympic Council closer to the Games.<\/p>\n Under the partnership, the foursome will also serve as community ambassadors at initiatives such as POSB\u2019s financial literacy programmes and community events including its annual Run for Kids charity race.<\/p>\n POSB\u2019s investment also comes as Singapore Athletics (SA) prepares to field its \u201clargest and most competitive squad yet for the 2029 SEA Games on home soil\u201d, said the statement.<\/p>\n SA president Lien Choong Luen said: \u201cThis partnership is more than financial support \u2013 it\u2019s about building pathways for our athletes to grow, excel and inspire.<\/p>\n \u201cPOSB\u2019s belief in resilience and community deeply aligns with ours, and together we look forward to empowering our athletes as we prepare for the 2029 SEA Games and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n Nelson Neo, head of POSB, added in the statement: \u201cPOSB has always stood for supporting Singapore\u2019s children and youth at an early age, whether learning to save, to persevere or to dream. <\/p>\n \u201cWe believe that sports help children discover the value of focus, effort and teamwork. By supporting young athletes who embody these qualities, we hope to inspire children, parents and families to believe that excellence can be achieved with courage and determination.\u201d<\/p>\n POSB and its parent company DBS Group have supported local sports through the years. In 2024, DBS inked <\/p>\n a partnership with kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder<\/p>\n <\/a>, who won a bronze at the Paris Olympics. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n