Four years after two journalists raised a ruckus over the omission of swimmer Joscelin Yeo from the Sports Hall of Fame, she has finally been inducted into the hallowed hall.
Yes, one of Singapore’s most successful swimmers had earned 40 golds at the Southeast Asian Games from her debut in 1991 to 2005.
She also won bronze medals at the Asian Games in 1994 and 2002.
She also took part in multiple Olympic Games from 1992 to 2004.
Despite being one of Singapore’s best, she had not been included into the Hall of Fame, a glaring omission.
On 15 January 2020, TMSG founder and editor Jose Raymond, also a Vice-President of the Singapore Swimming Association from 2014 to 2018, raised the issue in a Facebook post.
Subsequently, former sports editor of the Straits Times Godfrey Robert also raised the issue in a piece written for the Business Times which was published on 29 February 2020.
Sport Singapore subsequently said that the criteria would be reviewed, even though at that point Yeo already was an obvious candidate for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Apart from swimming for Singapore, Yeo also served as Singapore Swimming Association vice-president from 2014 to 2022 and was a Nominated Member of Parliament from 2009 to 2011.
In fact, the swimming fraternity was surprised that Yeo was not in the Sports Hall of Fame.
Yeo told The Straits Times after being inducted, “It’s not something I really thought about… as athletes, our goals are sports-oriented.”
She added, “Singapore was built on the shoulders of giants and while I don’t consider myself to be one, I believe that much can be learnt from those who have gone before us, and I endeavour to do what I can in that respect.”
MAIN PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
