Singapore speed skaters look to improve

Team Singapore's Short Track Speed Skaters gear up for a training session ahead of the ISU World Development Trophy last year. From left: Matthew Mak, Deanna See, Lucas Ng (photo by John Yeong/SportSG).

Team Singapore's Speed Skaters are looking to improve and make up ground on other nations more established in the international skating arena.

Speaking at a skating clinic by Team Singapore athletes for Pertapis Children’s Home in April 2013, Junior Speed Skater Matthew Mak said, “I think the goal of all athletes is to always improve, to beat your personal best and to strive for improvement. Even when you are good, there is always room for improvement.”

While Singapore has made some inroads toward becoming a regional powerhouse on the ice skating front in recent years, most notably bringing home four golds and three bronzes at the recent Special Olympic Winter Games, the Singapore Ice Skating Association believe there is more that can be achieved and the athletes are working incredibly hard to get there.

“Our athletes have trained tirelessly and the results are starting to show. Even on days when we don’t get the ice (at JCube), we are training,” said Helen Chai, Director of Short Track. 

Singapore played host to the first Short Track Speed Skating competition of ISU’s new brainchild the ISU World Development Trophy in 2013, with the JCube event being the second of a three-legged series and drawing over 1,000 spectators.