WORLD CHAMPIONS HEADLINE NOMINEES

Singapore Sports Awards finalists reflect momentous’ 2023 for national athletes

- David Lee

Following a bumper haul for local sports in 2023, several world champions and major Games gold medallists have earned nominations for the top gongs at the 2024 Singapore Sports Awards, which will take place on June 3.

Among the four nominees for the Sportsman of the Year award unveiled by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on April 24, there are three world champions English billiards player Peter Gilchrist, wushu exponent Jowen Lim and bowler Darren Ong.

They are joined by sailor Ryan Lo, who qualified for the Paris Olympics by striking gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Gilchrist, who is looking for his third Sportsman of the Year title after winning in 2014 and 2020, claimed his fifth World Billiards Championship title in October while Ong was the men's singles winner at the IBF World Bowling Championships that same month.

Lim landed his first world title in the gunshu event at the world meet in November.

He also won Singapore's first wushu silver medal in the daoshu and gunshu combined event at the Asian Games in September and gold in the same event at the Cambodia SEA Games in May.

Like Ong, Lim has never previously won the accolade but he felt this year's nomination meant more to him than his first in 2018 as he accomplished several firsts and personal goals.