After being dethroned as the regional water polo kingpins by Indonesia, the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) has said that it will conduct a review of what went wrong.
For context, the Singapore water polo men’s team have never lost out of a gold medal since 1965, and only managed a bronze this year in Manila.
The women’s team finished with a silver, doing better in terms of a medal.
In post-competition comments to the Straits Times (ST), SSA Vice-president (water polo) Dominic Soh said that the team will “rise again and come back stronger”.
“Indonesia, particularly, have been trying to challenge Singapore every time since winning the silver in 2013.
“Each year our record extended, the burden and pressure to maintain it was heavier.
“The important thing is whether we win or lose, we learn to manage crisis and difficulties.”
In comments made to ST, Singapore’s goalkeeper Lee Kai Yang, 25, said: “This wasn’t something that happened overnight.
For the past five SEA Games, some teams have been challenging year on year and we were the team everyone wanted to beat coming into this.”
Singapore lost 7-5 to Indonesia in the round robin tournament, which eventually led to it being dethroned as defending champions.
Photo: SSA