SOON'S MUSIC TO LIVE ON AT WORLD C'SHIPS

Late swimmer remembered with theme song for Sept 21-27 para event in Singapore

- Deepanraj Ganesan

Come September, Team Singapore will field nine swimmers in the Sept 21-27 Toyota World Para Swimming Championships at OCBC Aquatic Centre, its largest contingent to date.

But while there was a sense of celebration on Aug 31, when the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) unveiled the medal design, theme song and Singapore contingent in a ceremony at The Star Vista mall, there was also an air of sombreness as the fraternity remembered the late swimmer Colin Soon.

The event opened with the championships' theme song Calling, which was performed live by local artiste Olivia Ong and 13-year-old Nur Anisah Daaniys, a goalball athlete who is visually impaired.

As the performance ended, the emcee added that the song is "in loving memory of Colin Soon", making it the first time that SDSC publicly revealed the swimmer's death.

In a media statement sent out after the event, SDSC said the theme song was "adapted from a music assignment by Team Singapore para-swimmer Colin Soon, who passed away earlier this year".

It added: "With his family's blessing, SDSC ensured Colin's music would live on at the world championships, alongside the teammates he would have joined."

SDSC declined further comment when asked for more details.

The 19-year-old had a form of visual impairment known as cone-rod dystrophy. He was a multiple gold medallist at the Asean Para Games.