In light of the Olympic postponement to July 2021, Singaporean swimmers Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen have both applied to further extend their full-time national service (NS) deferment. The nation’s Ministry of Defense (Mindef) is currently evaluating the requests, per The Straits Times.
Both swimmers had previously been granted long-term deferment from NS to compete at the Games originally scheduled to begin this year. But, with the one-year Olympic delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, they are seeking an extension to the city-state requirement that all male citizens aged 18 serve 2 years in the military.
Mindef noted in its statement: “In assessing the applications, the Ministry of Defence, together with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, will be engaging them (Schooling and Quah) for details of their training plans and milestones in order to compete in the Olympic Games.” (The Straits Times)
Singapore Swimming Association president Lee Kok Choy told ST the national body had worked together with national sports agency Sport Singapore and Singapore Sport Institute to put up the two swimmers’ applications to Mindef. This included compiling results and data, and coming up with long-term plans for the two swimmers to be at their optimal form in 2021.
Schooling is the reigning 100m fly Olympic champion, having beaten the trio of American Michael Phelps, Hungarian Laszlo Cseh and South African Chad Le Clos, all of whom tied for silver, in Rio. He is back training in the United States under former coach Sergio Lopez, following a stint in Singapore under National Team Head Coach Stephan Widmer.
Quah finished in 27th place in the men’s 200m fly at last year’s World Championships.
They need to man up and fight with their countrymen!!!
Grow a brain
Offtopic from the article, but isn’t Schooling sponsored by Speedo and signed by them in 2018? Then why is he wearing a Mizuno in his 2019 SEA Games?
Maybe something recently changed in their contract? I’m not sure anyways I’m just having a guess.
I suspect that it has something to do with the Singapore Swimming Association and their sponsorships, like how the US National Team wears Arena apparel. Or, the Speedo contract referred to Speedo USA/North America and only referred to international meets that were broadcast to US Audiences or US domestic meets (clearly a non-issue now that he’s no longer training at Texas).
Actually ignore me please. I’m dumb, I thought you were referring to the cover photo, which is from 2017 Worlds (http://www.petersukenik.com/8-2/published-pictures-2/published-pictures-2017/ and https://staging2.swimswam.com/singapore-swimmers-schooling-goh-enter-sports-hall-fame/).
In the 100 fly at the SEA Games, it looks like he is wearing Speedo cap/goggles, so maybe he ripped too many suits before that one event and had to throw on an older Mizuno that was his backup (the logo looks like it’s been blacked out hastily). Or, another possibility is that Speedo didn’t provide him with enough fresh suits that he could justify using Speedo suits for every swim (he used Mizunos only, after all, for a solid 5 years).
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