Singapore (VNA) - Singapore has confirmed 427 athletes taking part in 33 sports at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) to be held in Vietnam from May 12 - 23.

More than half of the Singaporean athletes (243) will make their debut at the regional event, which was postponed from December 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

At a press conference organised by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on April 27, Singapore Sports Institute chief Su Chun Wei declined to declare a medal target for the team. Instead, he said that it is reasonable to expect they do their personal best. 

Singapore's best performance remains at the 2015 Games at home with a haul of 84 gold, 73 silver and 102 bronze medals. Its best overseas (58 gold, 58 silver and 72 bronze medals) came two years later in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

At the last edition in the Philippines in 2019, the island country earned 53 gold, 46 silver and 68 bronze medals.

With regard to COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, Singapore’s chief medical officer Dr Kelvin Chew said the virus management plan will centre around prevention and early detection. Medical personnel will be assigned to every sport for daily monitoring of the athletes and officials.

Meanwhile, the athletes will operate in a bubble with their movements restricted to their respective hotels and training/competition venues. They will arrive two days before their competitions commence, and depart within 24 hours after their competitions end.

All athletes must take COVID-19 rapid tests 24 hours before each competition and every three days./.
VNA