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But sports fans are notoriously hard to please. Much has been made of the fact that the two golds secured in Nagoya were Singapore\u2019s lowest in nearly 30 years. This should be balanced against the fact that the nine silver medals was the highest in history.<\/span><\/p>\n Progression in sports is rarely a predictable straight line. In many cases, myriad factors will determine if an athlete stands on the top step of the podium \u2013 including individual preparation to achieve peak form at the right moment, conditions of the field of play on the day of the competition, and the form of competitors.<\/span><\/p>\n Thus, the two golds bagged at this year\u2019s Asian Games, compared to the three achieved at the 2022 edition in Hangzhou, do not necessarily demonstrate a lack of progress.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead, the fact that the 2026 team of mostly debutants set 10 national records and achieved 23 personal best performances should highlight that they had prepared well and delivered their very best.<\/span><\/p>\n Further context that should be considered includes the fact that bowling, a sport that Singaporeans have typically performed well in, was excluded from this year\u2019s Games.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n