SEA GAMES FILLIP FOR MULTI-GOLD CHAMPS

Team S'pore winners collectively pocket $610k at MAP Awards for Thailand showing

- Melvyn Teoh

Team Singapore members cheering for award recipients at the Major Games Award Programme presentation and appreciation dinner for the 33rd SEA Games on Jan 21 at The Kallang.

(ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI)

After a successful campaign at the Thailand SEA Games in December 2025, Team Singapore had even more reason to celebrate on Jan 21, when the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) announced the doubling of cash rewards for the second and third gold medals at the biennial event.

Under the Major Games Award Programme (MAP) - which is sponsored by the Tote Board Group - previously, athletes who won multiple gold medals received $10,000 for the first gold, followed by $5,000 each for the second and third. For this edition, the award for the latter two has been doubled to $10,000 each. The cap remains at three individual golds.

As a result, a total of $610,000 was disbursed to 100 athletes - who won 52 golds at the Games - at the MAP Awards presentation and appreciation dinner at The Kallang on Jan 21.

Swimmer Letitia Sim was the biggest earner among them, pocketing $33,750 for her exploits in Bangkok, where she won four individual titles in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley and the women's 4x100m medley relay.

The 22-year-old was not at the ceremony as she is based in the United States, where she is pursuing a degree in applied exercise science at the University of Michigan.