SIMPA Exco members complete Ironman Western Australia!

SIMPA Coach Harn Wei and Treasurer Kenneth Lim completed the Ironman Western Australia in Busselton over the weekend.
Some may say it's just a walk in the park for deca-ironman finisher Harn Wei, but he still maintains that it's still mind over matter for him to complete the Ironman distance of 3.8km swim, 180km cycle, and 42km run.
For first-timer Kenneth who managed to complete the gruelling distance in slightly over 16 hours, his thoughts were.... well.... exhilarating. :)
So who says our exco members just sit around and do nothing?

SIMPA shooting coach strikes Gold in SEA Games

Coach Gai Bin, also part of the national shooting team, fires his way to top honours in the Men's 10m Air Pistol Team event. Well done Coach Gai!

Sneak Preview of the official SIMPA website

What's an NSA without an official website? SIMPA isn't gonna lose out on this!

Here's a sneak preview: www.singaporepentathlon.org.sg

Watch out for the official launch... akan datang!

Youth Olympic Games Selection Policy for SIMPA

The Selection Policy attached within spells out the criteria and the process leading to the selection of our Singapore representatives for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in August 2010. This selection policy applies to the Modern Pentathlon squad only.

SIMPA Exco member receives national award

Our man in charge of all volunteers and logistics for SIMPA, Derrick Loh, was recently awarded the Public Service Medal for rendering commendable public service in Singapore.

Derrick was accorded the national award after being nominated by the People's Association for his unselfish and hardworking efforts with the grassroots.

SIMPA is very happy to have a man of integrity and responsibility in our committee. On behalf of everyone in SIMPA, let me congratulate Derrick on his achievements!

So you wanna be a volunteer?

We've been getting quite a lot of enquiries about volunteering with SIMPA. Most of the questions were mainly on how volunteers may help at the YOG.

First of all, let me take the opportunity to thank the many people who have stepped up to volunteer with us. Are we looking for more volunteers? Of course we are!

Let's take a look at your questions:

Q1. How can I help as a volunteer?

A1. You may help us as Technical Officials (NTO), Sports Specialists Volunteers (SSV), or general volunteers. Each classification of volunteers requires a different set of responsibilities and a different set of training.

Q2. Can I only help out at the YOG?

A2. You are welcome to join us as a volunteer for the YOG and in any of our upcoming events. The YOG is not a means to an end. Volunteering with us or in any NSA allows you to expand your volunteering horizons. If you choose to be a Technical Official, you might even have a chance to be a world-class referee. The YOG is only a stepping stone to more official volunteering opportunities.

Q3. I want to know more about my roles as a volunteer.

A3. We are always looking for volunteers. As you may see from the above Q&A, there are plenty of opportunities for you. It is difficult to explain everything here. I suggest that you contact us at singaporepentathlon@gmail.com to tell us what you think your commitment levels are, or let us know if you are interested to be an NTO (eg. technical referees), SSV (eg. timekeepers), or general volunteer (eg. ushers).

Q4. If I had signed up on the SYOGOC website and indicated that I want to be a volunteer, do I still have to register with SIMPA is I'm interested in volunteering for the modern pentathlon event?

A4. Well, it never hurts to email us directly to let us know of your interests! SYOGOC may have thousands of volunteers who go to them and they may be overwhelmed with many specific requests. We will take your inquiries if you are interested in helping SIMPA. Don't be shy to ask us!

Q5. I heard about the recent NTO Training Course that was conducted in late October. I missed it, but I would still like to volunteer as an NTO. Can I still volunteer as one?

A5. OF COURSE! Please send your email to us at singaporepentathlon@gmail.com and we will give you more details of how you can start volunteering for us!

More News from the 2009 UIPM Congress

Here's the gist of the key decisions made during the recently held congress in Copenhagen. President of SIMPA, Nicholas Fang and Assistant Secretary General, Anthony Tsang represented SIMPA at the Congress. Full news report may be found here.

• Laser pistols will be introduced in 2010, making their first test and transition appearances at international competitions such as the 2010 World Cup Finals and the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games. The UIPM will make a decision in January 2011 whether or not to officially adopt laser pistols;
• Rule change not to allow full body suits for swimming competition;
• Singapore's membership with the UIPM; and
• Burundi's progress report

Hi Five to SIMPA's official recognition!

Jianghan with a Victory sign for SIMPA
On 10 October the UIPM, which is the international body for modern pentathlon, officially accepted Singapore as a federation member at the 2009 UIPM Congress held in Copenhagen. This is a significant step for Singapore and SIMPA as we gear towards the inaugural Youth Olympics in August 2010. Hopefully this, coupled with the appointment of Singapore's Ng Ser Miang as one of the 4 new IOC Vice Presidents, will help boost the sport in Singapore in terms of participation, high performance, funding/sponsorship and recognition.

The Pent Teens begin range practice

On Sunday 4 October 2009, our Pent Teen squad met at the SAFRA Yishun Indoor Weapons Range for their first go at firing the air pistols. The team met Coach Gai who gave them a pep talk and to introduce them to the basics of weapon handling and the nature of the 10m air pistol event.
The Pent Teens took to the weapons quickly, with some of them managing a decent grouping while some trying to find their proper coordination techniques.

SIMPA Wall Sits - They only get better

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!

I (heart) Fencing PT!

Training Days

Dance of the Pent Teens

SIMPA Wall Sits - The Beginning

Count On Me Singapore

This week, the Pent Teen challenge is to do the
Count on Me Singapore Wall Sit! :)

The Pent-Teens Meet Kobe Bryant and....

... learned how to do the Kobe Squats and SEVENTEEN!

The Pent Teen Girls: Jenell, Shermaine, Valerie, and Ida at the Singapore Indoor Stadium

SIMPA does her bid for charity

Come Sunday 26 July 2009, the SIMPA Pent-teens and several SIMPA committee members will do their bid for charity and be part of the record breaking attempt to swim the most laps within a 12-hour period.

The Pent-teens are raring to go for this event. Catch them in action on Sunday morning at the Sengkang Swimming Complex.

SIMPA Pent Teens Make First Public Appearance

On Sunday morning 12 July 2009, our SIMPA youth squad - aptly named the Pent Teens - made their first public appearance at the Ulu Pandan Community Club. It was also their first time donning fencing suits (courtesy of Ngee Ann Polytechnic Fencing Club) and sparring with each other. Apart from having loads of fun and showing off what they have learned in the past month, the Pent Teens also had a chance to pit against each other in swimming 200m at Buona Vista Swimming Pool and running 3km at the former RJC campus.

Starts - Forward Dive Sequence Step #4

be prepared for chest pain lessons

Starts - Forward Dive Sequence Step #3

Starts - Forward Dive Sequence Step #2

Step #2

Starts - Forward Dive Sequence Step #1

Don't laugh... some of you need to learn this, just like I do!

Freestyle - Egyptian Crawl

We will now concentrate on speedwork. This is one of the drills we'll be working on.

Fencing Footwork Part 2

World Cup #3 - Budapest; Men's Combined Evnent Final

You can be a good runner but if you can't shoot after the 1km run, you're pretty much gone!

Fencing Footwork Part 1

Blast from the (not-so-distant) past

2 minute wall-sit discount to the one who can identify the 3 dudes on the left. Bonus if can identify which Games this was played in.

Editor's note: Jenell wins the contest with the correct answers! She will be the timer for this coming Tuesday's wall-sit routine!

How to Swim : How to Swim the Freestyle Stroke

How to Swim Competitive Freestyle : Freestyle Sprinting Tips

Let the Training Begin!

With the initial youth squad chosen, our young Singapore pentathletes are raring to head on down for training this Saturday and Sunday! The squad will train for almost a total of 12 hours over the weekend mainly in swimming, running, and fencing.
Stay tuned as we highlight our coaches and individual pentathletes as we head along our Olympic journey!

Photos from the first ever SIMPA national youth squad selection trials

High Five to SIMPA!

The girls getting ready for the plunge and 200m freestyle sprint

Sumiko briefs the youths on the 3km run

Ye Olde Jolly Saint Nick gives out SIMPA freebies

Our 2 dedicated SIMPA coaches keeping an eye out on swim techniques

Singapore Modern Pentathlon Youth Squad Named

And the results of the first National Youth Squad Selection Trials are out!

A total of 8 boys and 5 girls took part in the trials that was held in the Sports School on 30 May 2009. They came, they swam, they ran, they pushed to their limits and they did their best.
Of the 13 youths who took part, 5 boys and 5 girls between the ages of 13 and 17 have been selected for the initial youth squad.

Most importantly, they will be part of the pioneer batch of youths who will train as pentathletes to represent Singapore at international level.
Now, SIMPA will await their confirmation on their acceptance to join us on the road to become part of history.

FINAL SELECTION
Male
Loh Lianhan
Ng Xuan Ru
Dexter Koh
Shawn Yong
Han Zhong Kuang

Female
Valarie Lim
Shermaine Tung
Ida Mariah De Vierno
Jenell Tan
Gao Yuemian

Congratulations to all of you who have made it! Anthony will call you really soon and he will send you an email as well. Watch out for it!
For those who have missed out on this exciting trials, fret not. SIMPA will have a 2nd Selection Trials in the 4th Quarter of 2009. So start training now, and start training hard if you wanna make it to the team. Watch out also for a talent scouting event in July....

SIMPA Youth Squad Selection Trials on 30 May 2009

Extract from UIPM Technical Newsletter April 2009

Singapore will host the First Youth Olympic Games that will take place from 15 to 26 August 2010. The competition dates for pentathlon are 22 -25 August.

1. Youth Olympic Games Competition Format:
􀂃 The Competition Schedule of Modern Pentathlon at the Youth Olympic Games will include
the following three events:
o Girls’ Individual
o Boys’ Individual
o Mixed Relay
􀂃 Each event consists of four Modern Pentathlon disciplines: fencing, swimming and
combined (running/shooting)
􀂃 The events are organised all in one-day
􀂃 Modern Pentathlon in the Youth Olympic Games will have the following Schedule:
o 22 August: Girls individual events
o 23 August: Boys individual events
o 24 August: Rest day – training Education activities
o 25 August: Mixed Relay

2. Individual Events: All Modern Pentathlon events in the Youth Olympic Games will be
implemented according the UIPM rules. The Competition Venues are all located next to each other within a school complex.
􀂃 Fencing:
o 6 pistes will be available (+ 1 reserve piste)
􀂃 Swimming:
o A 50m outdoor swimming pool with 8 lines will be used
o Athletes will be seated into one of three heats according to their personal best time
(achieved in the last 12 months)
􀂃 Combined Event (running - shooting):
􀂙 Laser pistols and electronic targets will be used in shooting.

3. Relay Event (team of 2 pentathletes):
􀂃 Relay with 2 competitors allows up to 24 relay teams to compete in a one-day format
􀂃 Athletes that will compete in the individual competition will take part also in the Relay Event.
􀂃 A relay team consists of one girl and one boy
􀂃 The teams will be set by a draw during the Relay Technical meeting. If there will be a
different number of girls and boys, the number of girls or boys will be trimmed by pre-draw.
􀂃 Specifications for the events:
􀂙 Fencing:
􀂃 Each relay team will fence against all the other relay teams. In a match a girl will fence against the other girl and boy against the other boy
􀂃 Each athlete will fence with an opponent in two separate bouts
􀂃 All relay teams will be grouped in fencing pairs (2 relay teams in a pair)
􀂃 The draw of the fencing pairs and the assignment of the pistes for Mixed Relay will be made by the Event Delegate after the Technical Meeting for the relay event
􀂃 The fencing pairs will be placed on the six (6) pistes plus the one reserve piste.
􀂙 Swimming:
􀂃 The swimming event is freestyle 2 x 100 metres relay race
􀂃 The girls start first
􀂃 Teams will be seeded into one of three heats according to the sum of their two personal best times achieved by each athlete in the last 12 months in 100m freestyle.
􀂙 Combined Event (running - shooting)
􀂃 The course for each pentathletes is:
• approx. 20m run;
• 5 Targets down (time limit seventy (70) seconds)
• 1000m run
• 5 Targets down (time limit seventy (70) seconds)
• 1000m run
􀂃 The girls start first
􀂃 Laser pistols and electronic targets will be used in the shooting event

4. Qualification System
• Athletes born between 1 January 1992 and the 31 December 1993 can participate
• 24 boys and 24 girls will take place in the individual competitions
• Maximum of one (1) male athlete and one (1) female athlete per NOC will be admitted.
• The 24 places will be distributed in this way: 17 places by Qualification Competitions:
o Continental Qualification Championships that need to be organised in 2009, will give 9 places:
The place between the Continents will be distributed as follows
Asia 2 first placed athletes coming from different NCOs
Africa 1st placed athlete
Europe 3 first placed athletes coming from different NCOs
Americas 2 first placed athletes coming from different NOCs
Oceania 1st placed athlete
o World Championships that need to be organised in 2010 (as scheduled from 22 to 25 April in Uppsala - Sweden) will give 8 Places
o NOC Universality places will give 6 Places
o Host country, 1 Place for each gender
• Important Notice on the Qualification System:
o It is obligatory for the Continental Confederations to organise within 2009, special Continental Qualification Competitions for athletes born in 92 and 93 (as stated in the IOC qualification system above). Therefore, the athletes that are in the first year of youth A and athletes in the last year of youth B, (according to our Rules) have the right to participate in the above mentioned Continental Qualification Competitions.
o The 2010 Youth A World Championships in Uppsala, Sweden will be organised for Youth A according to UIPM rules
o Continental Confederations (except Africa for which the competition is within the official calendar) need to decide on the dates and the Location of these Continental Qualification Competitions

April Newsletter

1. NSA status update
SIMPA has finally gotten official approval by SSC as the newest National Sports Association! This means we can hold our National Youth Squad selection trials very soon! In view that most of our potential youth pentathletes will be busy with their mid-year exams, we are going to hold the selection trials at the end of May. We will update everyone on the details soon. Stay tuned!

2. Specific Volunteer Roles
We are recruiting passionate volunteers to help boost up the sport of modern pentathlon in Singapore. No worries if you have no idea of what modern pentathlon is about. Everyone's gotta start somewhere... so if you have the passion and some time to help us out, then it would be awesome! Here are the following volunteer positions open:
a) Technical officials :
Modern pentathlon is a technical sport involving 5 disciplines. Technical officials will have to undergo a training course and will be involved in events leading to the YOG and beyond. Volunteers for Tech Officials will need to be committed but your involvement will reap many benefits such as being called up by the UIPM to perform official duties in local and overseas meets.

b) Logistics I/C:
We need someone to lead the logistics team, and be the liaison to handle all equipment. It's like being the quartermaster for SIMPA.

c) Medical I/C:
You'll be in charge of first aid and emergency procedures, including liaising with medical personnel, planning evacuation routes, etc. Experience as a doctor or paramedic would be preferred.

d) General volunteers:
You are an important bunch of people we need to rely on to keep everything running smoothly. You may join on a long-term basis or by event. Sign up now so we can have a database of volunteers to call upon.

e) Event coordinator:
If you have experience in running sporting events and interested in joining SIMPA as a volunteer event coordinator, raise your hands!

If you're interested in any of the above volunteer positions, please contact Anthony (tsangcy@yahoo-inc.com) or Charlotte (huang.charlotte@gmail.com).

3. Interested youth athletes
We haven't forgotten you coz we are looking for YOU! If you think you are fast in the 200m swim and 3km run, then you can join us for the trials! Knowledge of fencing and shooting is a good-to-have, but not necessary for the trials at this stage. SIMPA will conduct training sessions in fencing and shooting for any athletes selected to be on the provisional national squad. These will be held during the June holidays. Some of you might be trying out for the Triathlon try-outs... well, don't let it be a constraint coz SIMPA is also an avenue for you to be in the Youth Olympics! In other words, we welcome you in our team too! Let us know if you're interested and we'll send you first-hand news.

Triathlon Family Sprint Race

Hey hey hey... the Trifam Sprint 2009 is back!
Details
Format: 750m swim + 18km bike + 5km run
Date: 12 Apr 2009 (Sun)
Flag off time: 8am (compulsory safety briefing will start at 7:45am)
Venue: MOE Changi Coast Adventure Centre (website)9 Changi Coast Walk. Camelot Singapore (map)
Registration Fees: (to cover expense such as safety, rental of venue)$20 for sprint race
$6 for open water swim only

Registration and Payment
Registration has to be done online here
You can make payment via credit card by clicking on the "Pay Now" button at the bottom of the registration form.
Registration will be only confirmed upon receipt of payment before 10 Apr 09 (Fri)

Something's Brewing.... Updates and FAQs

Looks like we're getting some following here.... so far we've received some queries through emails and through our Facebook group. Most were asking how they can help out, while some athletes are eager to go for the Team Singapore try-outs....

WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR!

And we sincerely thank you all for being so enthusiastic and ready to jump with us. The committee is working really hard to get the ball rolling and our priority is to get the selection trials up and going. I know everyone is waiting with bated breath and here's the good news: SSC (that's the Singapore Sports Council) has given us the verbal indication that we are an 'official NSA'. We kinda saw it coming, but we didn't expect the approval to be so long and oh-so-tedious. Anyway we felt that it would be better (and safer) to conduct selection trials only when we are officially endorsed as an NSA. This would bode well for our pioneer national squad as well since - as the local saying goes - it will give us 'more license'.
I'll reproduce some queries we've received so far and I'll answer them accordingly:

SIMPA is new and I'm excited about the prospects of taking part in Modern Pentathlon. I can swim and run but I don't have any experience in fencing, shooting or horse-riding (does riding the pony at the zoo count?). Can I still join SIMPA?

Of course you can still join SIMPA! As long as you have the interest in doing all 5 sports, we welcome you! We will be conducting clinics and try-outs for the lesser-known disciplines, so you'll have a chance anyway. If you're good, we might consider you to join our national squad. You'll then undergo more intensive training to meet olympic standards.

I've never been really active in sports until about 2 years ago. I don't like to just run or swim but I would like take up Modern Pentathlon because it's varied and not so boring. I believe with my tight work schedules, the 5 disciplines give me a compact and wholesome training routine. I'm basically 26 years old and sick of going to the gym. I'm definitely not national athlete material; I just want to help out and learn the 5 disciplines at my own time (but with some coaxing of course). Is it possible?

Wah! You are the perfect candidate to help us while learning the ropes of Modern Pent! We want you! You can train with Team Singapore as well as train at your own time. The flexibility allows you to - who knows - discover yourself. You may even be good enough to represent Singapore next time!

How can I help the fledgling SIMPA?
There are many ways you can help. We are on the lookout for passionate individuals who are willing to help us in organizing the selection trials. If you have some background in sports events, development and management (Army PTI, Phys Ed teachers/trainees, former or current national swimmer/runner/triathlete/shooter/fencer/rider), you're more than welcome to give us a holler. As SIMPA and modern pentathlon is so new in Singapore, we welcome all forms of help.

Are there benefits when I join SIMPA either as an athlete or volunteer member?
Oh yes! We'll groom potential athletes for the national squad (youth and adult). We are also in discussion with other organisations and companies to provide our members with perks (eg. discount schemes on sportswear, energy drinks, etc.)

Ok ok... I'm convinced and I want to join SIMPA. How to sign up as a member?
We'll post up the membership form very soon. Membership fees are $10 per year (it'll go into defraying some admin costs and setup costs). More details will be out very soon! Stay tuned!

Us on 938Live

Catch us on 938Live this weekend!

Yep, we'll be going on air to talk talk talk about pentathlon and how it's gonna be developed in Singapore. Catch us on 938Live Sportszone between 11am and Noon. Tune in if you want to find out how you can join the team! (hint: first selection coming soon!)
If you miss us on Saturday, there'll be an encore telecast on Sunday between 11am and Noon.

What it takes

Hi all! Hope everyone is having a great start to the new year and gearing up for what promises to be a tough year financially, but an exciting one in sporting terms!

I was amazed to see the number of multi-sport endurance events that have sprung up on the local calendar this year and it really looks like Singaporeans are embracing the concept of multi-sports such as triathlons, biathlons, duathlons and adventure racing.

As pentathlon is pretty much the new kid on the multi-sport scene, I thought I'd share a little bit about what goes into making a top pentathlete.

I competed in pentathlon in Europe for three years back in my university days and got to watch some of the best athletes from around the region in action. I got to train with the British national team and three of my friends took home gold, silver and bronze in the women's event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

While it may sound like a hodge-podge of unrelated events that rewards "jack-of-all-trades", it's quite obvious that "masters-of-none" are not going to take home the gold. A look at the timings of the swim and run events at the Olympics show that the winners are clocking almost world-class times (we'll have more details of that up here soon for those statistics fans). I've known pentathletes who compete on the elite world cup fencing circuit and actually win events there. And the shooting and riding standards are also approaching the top levels in the individual sports.

So what makes a top pentathlete tick? Traditionally, coaches would look for athletes who have a strong swimming background. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, swim technique is not easy to pick up and anyone who has swum from an early age would have a distinct advantage in terms of "feel for the water" and technique compared to anyone who starts later. This takes years to develop. Furthermore, swimmers who have trained seriously for competition know what it means to put in long hours, sometimes twice a day, and have also developed superior aerobic capacities (lung and heart) without having subjected their bodies to the pounding of other sports like running. This then transfers well to the other physical sports.

The next attribute or focus for training development would be to transfer some of that swim fitness to running and improving running technique. At the same time, the skill elements of shooting and fencing will be introduced along with the excitement and challenge of horse-riding.

Certain countries are known for their tradition of excellence in certain events. The Brits are excellent riders, the Americans produce top-notch swim-runners, the French typically are brilliant fencers and so on. Maybe Singapore can become famous for being masters of ALL.

Have a great weekend and train smart!

Behind the Scenes: Vice Prez explains the SIMPA logo

The 5 disciplines of modern pentathlon

We wanted something to portray the 5 disciplines of modern pentathlon. Other countries with established pentathlon associations had very similar designs. Design-wise, they were getting kinda stale and boring . I mean, this is supposed to be a gungho sport that requires physical strength, endurance, mental focus and even the understanding of horse behaviour! If one has a chance to google images for various pentathlon groups, you'll probably discover that most, if not all, have the ubiquitous stick figurines for swimmer, runner, shooter, fencer and showjumper. Most don't seem to have form and structure. And so from the beginning we decided unanimously NOT to use stick figurines or anything that resembled 'action' or movement. We decided to use elements of the five disciplines: bulls-eye target for shooting, water waves for swimming, feet for running, horseshoe for horseriding, and the sword for fencing. (there were some initial thoughts of using shoes, pistol grips, spurs and goggles...)

The Lion, the Switch, and the Wardrobe (malfunction)

As one of the newest NSA (National Sports Association) in Singapore, we also intended give a local flavour to our logo. Red and white were natural choice colours. At first we wanted to use a star or something that would fit the five disciplines in.

5 circles arranged in a pentagon? 5 triangles arranged in a pentagon?

While the decision for the 'shape' was left hung in the air, we tried to explore if we could use other local symbols that would portray the Singaporean-ness of SIMPA.... At first we thought of using the orchid, probably inspired by the the orchid motif that someone was wearing during one of our earlier meetings.

And so I drew a prototype depicting the orchid. Great! It's got 5 petals. But the centerpiece of the orchid seemed empty.

My mind kept racing for ideas. SIMPA, Singapore, singa..... SINGA! A lion! Why not use a lion as a national symbol? Perhaps I could incorporate the lion into the centerpiece of the orchid!

A few minutes later, another prototype was produced - one with a fierce roaring lion within an orchid motif....

But hang on.. the lion looked kinda gu-niang with a 'flower hat, roaring or not... and wait! the orchid looks like a sea turtle!

So it was back to the drawing board again.

We finally settled for the roaring lion, without the orchid motif, and the 5 elements of modern pentathlon within the lion's mane... and yes, the 5 stars were intentionally added.. for that extra Singaporean flavour to it.

So there you have it: SIMPA - true Singaporean tenacity and grit. ROOOOAAARRRRR!

(Thanks to Derrick and Dennis for digitizing and refining the prototype designs)

Anchorvale CC Youth Group supports SIMPA

SIMPA received its very first official sponsorship support from the Anchorvale CC Youth Group. On Tuesday 6 January 2009, the youth group committed to sponsor the making of collaterals that will help promote SIMPA's awareness and modern pentathlon in Singapore. Chairman of the Youth Group, Mr Derrick Loh mentioned "It is our honour to collaborate with SIMPA in raising awareness of modern pentathlon in Singapore. It is relatively new here but we'll align with SIMPA's goals to eventually field our homegrown pentathletes at the inaugural Youth Olympics in 2010." The collaterals will be available at this Saturday's CAN! event at the Singapore Management University (SMU).

Meanwhile, Mr Loh added that Anchorvale CC would be organising a biathlon race called the Endurance Challenge at Sengkang West on 22 February 2009, and SIMPA officials will be there on the lookout for potential olympians.

Stay tuned for more details.

Thank you Anchorvale CC Youth Group!

Here's a sneak preview of the 'little door-gift'...

Catch SIMPA Live!

YES! We'll be featured at CAN!
This is where the official Youth Olympic Games logo will be unveiled and this is also where SIMPA's logo will be publicly launched as well.
The CAN! event will be held at the Singapore Management University (SMU) Campus Green on the 10th of January 2009.
SIMPA will be giving out some cool stuff! See you there!

Modern Pentathlon 101

Hey guys! For those who are wondering what in the world 'Modern Pentathlon' is, well look no further folks! Here's a quick and digestable definition:

" Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern pentathlon believing the event would test a man's/woman's moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, thereby producing the ideal, complete athlete. The modern pentathlon is an Olympic sport which consists of competition in five events in one gruelling day. Competitors earn points for their performances in each of the five disciplines: pistol shooting, epee fencing, swimming, riding (equestrian show jumping) and cross-country running. The total points scored in the first four events determine the starting order for the final event, turning the cross-country running into a handicap event. The leading competitor sets off first and the intervals between that competitor and those who follow is determined by the points difference between them. Because of this handicapping system, the first three competitors to cross the line at the end of the run fill the gold, silver and bronze medal positions.
Modern pentathlon is a true representation of the Olympic movement. The 5 Olympic rings are reflected in modern pentathlon's 5 events and participation from all 5 continents. It is a true sport of the Olympic Games, created by the founder of the Modern Games Pierre de Coubertin and reflecting the ideals embodied by the Olympic movement. Modern pentathlon has to remain an indefatigable part of it. "