A line-up of 14 athletes will represent Singapore at the Olympic Esports Series (OES) 2023 in virtual Taekwondo, Shooting, Motorsport, Dance, Archery and Chess. The players were announced on Saturday (May 27) at Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Square.
The Singaporean athletes will compete alongside more than 100 international players in six out of 10 virtual sports.
Taekwondo will be represented by Kenzie Li, Nigel Tan, Daycia Low, Jadon Yu, Natalie Tor, Alexander Tang, Amelia Yap and Regan Chin.
Winston Ho, Muhammad Aleef, Siti Zhywee and Tin Jingyao will compete in Shooting, Motorsport, Dance and Chess respectively.
Archery will be represented by Aidan Wong and Jyan Seow.
The OES is a virtual and simulated sports competition organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in collaboration with International Sports Federations and game publishers.
Its in-person finals will be held as part of the inaugural Olympic Esports Week hosted by Singapore. The Olympic Esports Week is organised by the IOC, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Sport Singapore and the Singapore National Olympic Committee.
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Kenzie Li, 17, shared that she is “grateful for the opportunity” to represent Singapore even though she is not part of the Taekwondo national team.
“It’s something very new for Taekwondo. You’ve never really thought of it as a virtual sport, and the fact that I can participate in this… I’m very honoured that I was given the chance,” said Kenzie.
For 18-year-old archery representative Aidan Wong, he believes that the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Esports Series will help develop skills in a different area.
“Participating in Esports is another way to train our mental space because it’s a kind of competition where we don’t have to rely on our physical strength anymore. It’s a mental game,” he said.
The finals of the Olympic Esports Series will be held from Jun 22 to 25 at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Tickets for the finals are priced from $5 to $15 for single day passes. Three-day passes are available at $30 for adults and $20 for students. They can now be purchased via SISTIC.
