A small yet significant ceremony to mark the embarkation on their journey to the 24th Deaflympics in Malaysia. Come 18th October 2022, SGDEAFSPORT will be flying two (2) deaf bowlers to the venue for the highest accolade of achievement in Deaf sports competition.
Guest of Honour, Mr Eric Chua speaking to bowling athletes.
Kimberly was talent-scouted by Singapore Sports School (SSP) bowling coaches at the Primary 6 inter-school tournament, where she won gold for the team event and bronzes from all-events and doubles from her first competitive outing.
Adelia Naomi joined bowling as a CCA at the age of 9 and became passionate about bowling ever since. She became an athlete in bowling in 2015 with Deaf Sports Association (DSA) and represented Singapore for the first time with DSA in 2017 at the Deaflympics.
Two SGDeafSports’ bowlers from the DSA’s Performance Programme team, Adelia Naomi Yokoyama and Kimberly Quek, will pit their skills against world class opponents again. Five years ago, the duo made their historic breakthrough at the 23rd Deaflympics in Samsun, Turkey, where they won Singapore’s first Deaflympics Gold and Bronze medals respectively at the Women’s Masters event. Let us cheer them on for this upcoming 24th Deaflympics on the 20-30th October ‘22!
Our deep appreciation goes to UOL Group Ltd for sponsoring our athletes and officials attending this edition of the Deaflympics, and their hospitality provided at the Flag Presentation Ceremony. The Guest-of-Honour Mr Eric Chua, currently serving as Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Social and Family Development, as well as the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, who came to grace the ceremony, lifted the spirits higher, garnering more support from everyone. He could not have been prouder to see our flag held high at the Deaflympics, imprinted on the international sporting map. He wished our athletes, officials, and the team, a safe and successful outing in the competitions.
The bowlers and officials will be departing for Malaysia on Tuesday, 18 October 2022. They will be taking Firefly flight (FY3131), departing at 4.45pm at Seletar Airport.
The Deaflympics has always been one of the longest running multi-sport event in history after the Olympics. However, the awareness of this ultimate sporting event for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community finds lacking in our society, despite the prestige and reputation it has harnessed. SGDeafSport will be the brand that takes the Deaf games not only to greater heights but into the hearts of everyone. Since the lifting of more restrictions due to the pandemic, the Deaf Sports Association (Singapore) will gradually reveal programmes that have been placed on hold. Shout out to everyone for support, participation and contribution that would keep championing inclusivity.
Deaflympics or formerly known as International Silent Games; existed even before the Paralympics got its name. It began in 1924 as the first games for people with disabilities which was in Paris. Deaflympics take place every four years like the Olympics and Paralympics. The Summer Deaflympics and the Winter Deaflympics are held, in turn, each second year. These Deaflympics receive official patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Deaf Sports Association (Singapore), DSA, is the National Deaf Sports Federation recognised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) who is the main governing body responsible for the organisation of Deaflympics and other World Deaf Championships.
Photos: UOL Group Ltd
