Olympic medal a 'beautiful birthday gift' to S'pore: PM Wong

On National Day, Singaporeans gathered to celebrate the country's 59th birthday with a special gift from kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, who clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

- Lin Tianbao

From politicians and national athletes to members of the public and netizens, the Republic basked in the 17-year-old's success.

The last time Singapore clinched a medal at the Summer Games was at Rio 2016 when swimmer Joseph Schooling made history by winning the men's 100m butterfly final.

When asked about Maximilian's achievement, the 29-year-old Schooling, who retired in April, told The Straits Times: "Congratulations Max. I know how hard you've worked for it and how much you want this.

"We are so proud and happy for you and your family. Enjoy the moment."

In a Facebook post, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said: "Max is mature beyond his years his teenage smile and traces of puppy fat are deceptive. There is a new wind in Singapore sports.

"Just imagine we had no Olympic medal for almost half a century after Tan Howe Liang's silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics.