Niche sports in Singapore hope kitefoiling's Olympic glow helps buoy their communities

SINGAPORE: The only indoor skydiving spot in the nation – the iFly Singapore at Sentosa – had just two local athletes among recreational participants when it opened its doors in 2011.

But what began as a tourist spot, has now turned Singapore into a leading competitor on the international front.

In April, the nation sent 21 athletes – the largest contingent among all countries – to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) World Cup of Indoor Skydiving. They brought home two golds, a silver and a bronze.

“It's crazy that in Singapore, such a small country and we don't even have a drop zone to skydive, but we have formed so many world champions,” said Kyra Poh, who won the solo freestyle at the world championships last year.

The 22-year-old was selected for the Sports Excellence Scholarship programme two years ago. It was the first time the programme supported an athlete in a sport not included in major competitions like the Olympics, Asian or SEA Games.

“This has helped me and the team tremendously. We are able to get so many different opportunities and the best coaches, and we have seen improvement in (our results in competitions),” she said.

Indoor skydiving is one of the so-called niche sports that has reached new heights in Singapore in recent years.

Athletes from such less common sports are hoping that Max Maeder's bronze medal win at the recent Olympic Games – in the niche event of kitefoiling – will ignite participation, support and funding for their communities.

Studios offering pole and aerial sports have also seen an increase in participants over the past decade. The term includes disciplines like pole dancing, aerial hoop and aerial silks, where participants perform acrobatic moves on apparatuses.

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