Commentary: Looking beyond Singapore’s medal count at the 19th Asian Games

16.10.2023 - 00:23 channelnewsasia.com

SINGAPORE: The deafening cheers in the stadium, the fluttering of national flags and the glittering medals. At elite sports events such as the recently concluded Asian Games in Hangzhou, when an athlete wins a medal, it’s not just their victory; it’s the triumph of a nation as a whole.

Recall how Joseph Schooling was feted like a king after he won Singapore’s first gold medal at the Olympics in 2016. Recall too how Shanti Pereira was celebrated earlier this month after ending Singapore’s 49-year wait for an Asian Games gold medal in athletics.

It would not be a stretch to say that medals dominate the thoughts of many: After all, the numerical scorecard is a vivid indicator of a nation's success on the sports world stage.

Each country’s rank or position on the medal tally table is determined first by the number of gold medals, followed by silver medals and then bronze medals.

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