August 22, 2024
SINGAPORE – Inspired by her senior Amita Berthier, fencer Juliet Heng wants to follow in her footsteps and do the country proud at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Heng, 19, hopes to enrol in the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, which has a strong tradition in sports like fencing and counts the likes of two-time Olympic individual foil champion Lee Kiefer and Berthier among its alumnae.
But furthering her studies overseas would mean putting additional financial constraints on her family, which led to Heng having reservations.
That was until plans for a spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship for student-athletes were unveiled.
The undergrad scholarship programme was first announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in April, with details revealed by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Edwin Tong in a speech at a post-National Day Rally engagement session for over 300 people at the Singapore Sports Hub on Aug 21.
From Sept 1, student-athletes will be able to apply for the undergrad scholarship via two tracks – the dual-career path for athletes pursuing their studies while training and competing, and the new-career track for those who choose to study after retiring from competitive sport.
Applicants must be carded spexPotential and above and supported by their national sports association (NSA) at the point of application.
Active athletes who have yet to embark on their full-time undergraduate degrees or are already in the midst of it are eligible for the scholarship, which covers school expenses, such as tuition fees and course materials.
Heng, a full-time athlete under the Sports Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship), said she will be applying for the undergrad scholarship, adding: “Going overseas will be more helpful, because of the competition base and everything is a lot more advanced, and it will be a good experience.
“Before this (Undergraduate Scholarship Programme) was even in place, my family and I did talk about if I wanted to go, it would be better for me to be on some form of scholarship.”
Also among the initiatives announced were an increase in the spexScholarship stipend from April 1, 2025, and the introduction of monthly top-ups to the scholarship holders’ CPF accounts.
Heng, who bagged a silver in women’s sabre at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in February, said the initiatives will allow her to “focus more on my sport” and “give me a peace of mind”.
She added that “a lot of my seniors stopped (during university) because the support isn’t as good”.
Table tennis player Izaac Quek, 18, who will be commencing a diploma in business studies programme jointly offered by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Sports School in September, was also motivated by the Government’s plans to support athletes.
The Paris Games debutant said: “Having this support provides me with what I need in order to focus on my sport and future editions of the Olympics.”
Quek’s mother Chew Soon, 53, also felt heartened by the plans, adding: “Having the scholarship makes sure that they (the athletes) are being supported in their studies and also in sports. I think it’s really going in a good direction.”
Table tennis player Izaac Quek with his mother, Madam Chew Soon. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES
Also at the engagement session for current and former Singapore athletes, parents, NSA representatives and spex partners was Chatri Sityodtong, chief executive of mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion One Championship.
He said he was “completely blown away” by the plans, recalling how he had seen “countless” Singaporean athletes in MMA, muay thai or jiu-jitsu give up just because there was not enough support.
Said Chatri: “This is the foundation that was very much needed and I think it’s going to create a structural shift in society in Singapore, meaning that suddenly being an athlete is going to be acceptable as there’s a real career path.”
Singapore Badminton Association chief executive officer Alan Ow said the new initiatives would allow every aspiring athlete to pursue sport.
He added that the Central Provident Fund top-ups would address one of the biggest issues that athletes face in buying a house.
“They have a lot of problems in terms of purchasing a HDB flat, even to the extent of applying for credit cards, for example,” Ow said. “So this will actually help them a lot in terms of financial planning.”
- Additional reporting by Lin Tianbao