Cambodia 2023 : TeamSG's Traditional Boat Racing crews are focused on ending an 8-year medal drought!

Team Singapore's Traditional Boat Race squad to compete in Cambodia 2023. Photo Credit : Singapore Dragon Boat Association

It's been 8 years since Singapore last won a Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) medal in Traditional Boat Racing and that was back in 2015. And the last gold medal won was at the 1993 SEA Games, also held in Singapore. For the ongoing biennial Games in Cambodia, Singapore's Dragon Boat Association has assembled an 18-member squad to compete. Both the national men and women's teams have been hard at work over the last 3 years. And they've been prepping for 2023, knowing that they'll be featuring in not 1 but 2 Major Games campaigns, namely the SEA Games and Asian Games proper. 

Ahead of Cambodia 2023, ActiveSG Circle caught up with the President of the S'pore Dragon Boat Association, plus the Men and Women's captains, to discover more about their passion, sacrifices, and hopes for the SEA Games and beyond. 

Dr Chia Shi-Lu (President, Singapore Dragon Boat Association). 

Dr Chia Shi-Lu (President, Singapore Dragon Boat Association)

Q : Can you describe your Team's preparations for Cambodia 2023?
Dr Chia : I am touched by the passion and commitment that the team has shown initially in their preparations since 2019 for the postponed Asian Games 2023. With the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions that we faced in Singapore, each athlete’s resilience brought the team much closer together. And this resulted in the camaraderie of both the men and women's team that we have 4 years later, whom I strongly believe, will be ready to take on all the challenges to come in Cambodia.

Q : Could you select 2 squad members which Singaporeans should be keeping their eye on and why?
Dr Chia : As our 2023 SEA Games squad consists of a number of debutants in the Major Games level, we look forward to the experience and wisdom of our more senior members of the squad to lead the team. Particularly Mr Ch’ng Khai Hung and Mr Lim Wen Kai from the men’s team, as they've had first-hand experience and will be able to mentally prepare the team.

Q : What are you hoping from our TBR team in Cambodia?
Dr Chia : We look forward to a stellar performance from both national teams, to enjoy the fruits of their labour, from their hard work and preparations to this Games in Cambodia!

4)What’s next for TBR’s national teams for the rest of 2023?
Dr Chia : Both the Men and Women’s teams will be travelling in June for the Macau International Regatta event, which serves as our preparation towards the upcoming Asian Games 2023.

Team Singapore's Nico Lim at an indoor training session. Photo Credit : Singapore Dragon Boat Association

Nico Lim (Captain, Men's Traditional Boat Race : 12-Crew)
Age : 28
Years in Rowing : 8 
Years in Team Singapore : 5 

Q : This will be your 2nd SEA Games campaign. How are you feeling ahead of the Cambodia Games?
Nico : I am feeling excited as it’s been quite some time since we had our last SEA Games back in 2019. I feel that the team has worked hard since then and we are better conditioned to take on the competition that arises upon us this coming SEA Games in Cambodia.

Q : Take us through your training preparations for Cambodia 2023?
Nico : We have been training since 2020 during the Covid period and the team has grown very much since then. The crew has been together for a few years and we have been sharpening up our drills during our training sessions. Currently, we have increased our training volume in these few months towards Cambodia 2023, and we are training 10 times a week.

Q : Can you describe the chemistry of the team which is competing in the TBR 12-crew event?
Nico : The team chemistry is very strong and bonded as we have been together since the start of 2020. And we have been working towards a common goal to represent Singapore in Cambodia 2023. We are very closely knitted and we know all about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and we embrace them together to reach our destination for this upcoming season.

Q : How important is this SEA Games campaign and which countries will pose a serious medal-challenge for you?
Nico : It is extremely important as we have been training for a number of years together through the tough times during Covid and till now. We are looking at attaining a medal and taking our flag onto the podium. We are very much looking forward to this upcoming SEAG, as we feel we will have a strong chance against our competitors.

Q : Having competed at the Asian and World Dragonboat Championships, what are you hoping to achieve in Cambodia?
Nico : I hope that we can attain a medal in this coming SEA Games. More importantly, I hope that we can bring a new Personal Record timing for Singapore and also achieve the best standing in this games.

Q : What’s next for you in Traditional Boat Racing for the rest of 2023?
Nico : Well the next stop would be Macau 2023 and Asian Games 2023 at China. We have quite a packed season, but I am sure our team would be ready when these challenges come to us.

Singapore's Men's Team at the SEA Games Flag Presentation Ceremony in April 2023. Photo Credit : Singapore Dragon Boat Association

Q : What is your Pre-race ritual (if any)?
Nico : I tend to watch some of my sports idols and their motivation videos to bring my focus in for the race. And to also sit down quietly to think about the journey we went through so far, just to get to the race. GOOD VIBES ONLY.

Q : Do you have a favourite go-to song before the start of a race?
Nico : GDFR - Flo Rida

Q : Do you have a pre-race meal, snack or drink before an actual race?
Nico : Just a Banana

Nico's 1st medal for TeamSG in 2018. Photo Credit : Nico Lim

Q : Your favourite Athlete in this sport and why?
Nico : I do not really have a favourite athlete in this sport, but I do admire Michael Jordan 

Q : Do you have a favourite personal momento/souvenir from your 8 years in TBR?
Nico : My first medal for the country at the ASEAN University Games 2018 

Team Singapore's Evette Neo at an indoor training session. Photo Credit : Singapore Dragon Boat Association

Evette Neo (Captain, Women's Traditional Boat Race : 3-Crew)
Age : 22
Years in Team Singapore : 3 

Q : This will be your SEA Games debut. How are you feeling ahead of the Cambodia Games?
Evette : I  feel excited, but with a slight tinge of nervousness.

Q : Take us through your training preparations for Cambodia 2023?
Evette : We have been stepping up the frequency of training and also training with a prototype boat that was produced back in 2018. This is meant for smaller crew of 4, to deal with the uncertainty of the make and model of the 3-Crew event.

Q : Can you describe the team chemistry which is competing in the TBR 3-crew event?
Evette : The chemistry is awesome at the moment, with all of us having a common goal of stepping up to the podium together!

Team Singapore's Evette Neo at the helm of a Dragonboat. Photo Credit : Singapore Dragon Boat Association

Q : How important is this SEA Games campaign and which countries will pose a serious medal-challenge for you?
Evette : This coming SEA Games campaign will be a good continual from our campaign in Asian Dragon Boat Championships last November, where we came in 4th and were slightly edged out from the podium.

The Cambodia team will pose as a medal-challenge as the host nation will have an advantage being more familiar with the water condition and first-hand experience with the 3-Crew competition boat, which is still a mystery to us.

Q : Having competed in the Asian and World Dragonboat Championships, what are you hoping to achieve in Cambodia?
Evette : Since it’s the first time that we’re partaking in this event, I’m just hoping that we would live the experience to the fullest, learn and absorb as much as we can, clock a good timing and cross the finish line with no regrets.

Q : What’s next for you in Traditional Boat Racing for the rest of 2023?
Evette : The team will be heading to Macau International Regatta in June, where it will serve as part of our preparations to our next big milestone in Asian Games 2023, China!

Team Singapore's Evette Neo at gym training. Photo Credit : Singapore Dragon Boat Association

Q : What is your Pre-race ritual (if any)?
Evette : Down a packet of Pocari sachet accompanied with some water ...hahahahaha. Do some dynamic stretches and keep myself away from external noises as much as possible and only focus on my own voice, thoughts and breathing.

Q : Do you have a favourite go-to song before the start of a race?
Evette : Anything Taylor Swift works 

Q : Do you have a pre-race meal, snack or drink before an actual race?
Evette : Something light and easy to down that provides me with sufficient energy so a banana, eggs, peanut butter sandwich etc. And lots of Pocari (before and after races)

Q : Do you have a favourite personal momento/souvenir from your 3 years in TBR?
Evette : My best takeaway are the people who lived the experience with me throughout, from Team Manager, Coaches and my dear fellow teammates! (see photo below)

TeamSG's Evette Neo with her teammates. Photo Credit : Evette Neo

The Traditional Boat Race programme begins from 13 May onwards in Cambodia.

Watch the Games LIVE on Singtel TV, Singtel TV GO, Singtel CAST and mewatch.

For the latest on our TeamSG athletes, visit https://www.teamsingapore.sg