Local Curlers' Dreams on Ice

But association chief Sio sees hope in world body membership, talk of a new ice rink

- Kimberly Kwek

Lionel Loh belongs to a rare tribe of Singaporeans who play a sport that few from tropical climes participate in – curling.

It is an unlikely path for someone who competed in table tennis, from primary school through to university.

But, after watching curling on TV during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Loh was hooked and today he is among 29 registered curlers in Singapore.

When he competes abroad, his fellow competitors are often intrigued to find out that Singapore has a curling team and want to know where the players train.

The answer is not an easy one.

While they previously trained at Singapore's only Olympic-sized ice rink in JCube, things have become more challenging for Loh and his teammates since the mall's closure in August 2023.

The sole ice rink remaining at Leisure Park Kallang is not suited for curling.

Despite the scarce ice time and training opportunities, the 30-year-old remains committed to the sport.

On what keeps him going, Loh said: "It's just pure love and passion for curling. Even though I don't have a lot of opportunities to curl and practise, I still watch games quite regularly and keep up with curling news."

Pointing to the diversity and inclusivity in the sport, Loh cited an example at a competition in Poland in 2024, when they played against a team of deaf players.