As I sat down on the bleachers of the Marina Bay platform, I felt excited and sad, all at the same time.

I was excited because I couldn't believe that I was actually going to witness the Closing Ceremony of the the world's first Youth Olympic Games but my mood was slightly dampened when it hit me that the ceremony also marked the end of YOG.

However, the magnificent performances displayed set me into a party mood immediately as everyone stood up to celebrate the glory and effort of the athletes. As I saw the hundreds of athletes walk in from all sides of the huge stage, I attained a greater sense of admiration of them.

I guess, at the end of it all, the ceremony is indeed to celebrate their achievements, not only in  the sense of tangible winnings but also intangible ones. For instance, I bet the acquisition of willpower to overcome their personal setbacks and challenges must be overwhelmingly liberating. It is genuinely a dynamic event.

My personal favourite moment of the YOG would have to be walking along the lanes of the Youth Olympic Village. To see a blend of different people from all around the globe being in one specific location is certainly a rare one. The laughter,smiles and zest from evryone there allowed me to believe that world peace is actually attainable. It was certainly a very picturesque moment.

Looking back at the two weeks of the Youth Olympic Games, I honestly can say that as an SME, I only have great memories. From the precious moments captured during the sporting events to the friendships forged forever, I can now personally relate to the spirit of the YOG and more importantly, to the values of the Olympics- Friendship, Excellence and Respect.

P.S Please check in soon for the pictures captured at the Cosing Ceremony.

Table Tennis Match- 25^th August

I remember the last time I sat down to watch a table tennis match at a school competition. Yes, it was dynamic but it is nothing compared to the table tennis match that I watched this morning at the Singapore Indoors Stadium. The atmosphere was set, the paddlers were ready and the crowd was cheering wildly. I got ushered into the mood and spirit of the sport immediately as I entered the stadium.

Although there were various table tennis tournaments going on simultaneously, I was immediately mesmerized by the Singaporean paddlers. As I tried putting myself in the shoes of the Singaporean paddlers, I realized that I had mixed feelings. On one hand, if I were a Singaporean paddler, I would be so touched to receive the overwhelming support from my fellow Singaporeans but on the other hand, I would feel so pressurized since I would not want to let my country down.

The crowd mainly comprised of primary school students who seemed genuinely and sincerely enthusiastic about attending the event. They were screaming and shouting their lungs out every time Isabelle Li and Clarence Chew (both Singaporean paddlers) gained a point. It was pretty cool to witness that locals really care about the sport scene in Singapore.

However, I was personally impressed by Singaporean paddler, Isabelle Li. Throughout the entire first match; she displayed a stoic expression which did not reveal any signs of nerves nor confidence. Her technique was impeccable as she managed to fend off her opponent’s strong attacks which eventually led her to victory.

Mary Lou Retton (American gymnast, 1984 Summer Olympics)
-    For athletes, the Olympics are the ultimate test of their worth.

Bopping along with thirty-five other SMEs everyday, there is no doubt that I will bump into various interesting personalities! One of them includes Ma Yun Fei,Mary, an SME from the China team. I decided to interview her( by the way, she is a doll!) so here it is!

1)How did you get chosen to be an SME?

Ans: I signed up on the Internet where my first task was to complete four missions which revolved around Samsung, the Youth Olympic Games, photography and try to invite ten friends to join along in this competition.

2)What are your hobbies?

Ans: I love modern drama and taking photographs.

3) Who are your favourite actors and actresses?

Ans: My favourite actor is Daniel Radcliffe  while my favourite actress is Emma Watson.

4) What are your aspirations?

Ans: I once wanted to be an interpreter but now, I think that I will do something related to law since I am majoring in it.

5) What devices can you not live without?

Ans: I cannot live without the cellphone because I would feel separated from the world.

6) What do you like most about Singapore?

Ans: I love the environment in Singapore because I think it is like a beautiful garden.

Hey guys,

I am so SORRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYY for not being able to post the pics for a lot of events but there have been some technical defaults. So sad right? But please stay tune cause I'm still not giving up. Haha,okay, please continue to check out my blog for there are a lot of surprising and chic posts to come!

Hello everyone! Today’s post is an exclusive one because we are getting up close and personal with some of the adorable Singaporean SMEs! To make it easier to show everyone how fun and cool they are, I have adopted a very simple approach to illustrate their colourful personalities( not necessarily good traits though).  

In the Singapore Team, we have some of the brightest personalities. There are athletes, musicians and even self-professed technological geeks amongst us. However, we share a common trait in which all of us were chosen to be Samsung Mobile Explorers. So far, it has been an exciting journey. Though some days can be tough with us having to meet deadlines and all, we never fail to have fun together as a team !

So, here are some of us!

Ng Jian Yang

(download)

Click here to download:

gettin-up-close-and-personal-with-the-singaporean-smes-vtiqjpeiFqkDpmnstzre.zip (563 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

gettin-up-close-and-personal-with-the-singaporean-smes-wxIavzcpoAipFBnsHFzn.zip (91 KB)

Sophie Hong

(download)

Click here to download:

gettin-up-close-and-personal-with-the-singaporean-smes-lkdhDfEvhryGkyisqEsA.zip (323 KB)

To know more about us, continue following us on the Samsung Singapore Facebook Page! Cheers!

I have never been a fan of water sports, especially swimming. When I knew that I was assigned to cover the preliminary rounds of swimming at the Singapore Sports School, I was not exactly thrilled. However, after witnessing first-hand the hype of the swimming competition on 15 August 2010, I can proudly say that my perspective of swimming has taken a 360 degree turn.  

The atmosphere was intense both at the bleachers and the swimming lanes. Spectators present (there was a surprising number of people present by the way) spared no mercy as they cheered on the swimmers of their respective home countries. The athletes, on the other hand, displayed menacing expressions as they tried to calm themselves down before the competition.  

The most interesting part of the entire competition was to be able to witness the different rituals each swimmer had before the start of every swimming event. Some of them would splash water all over themselves before the competition for good luck while some of them had crazy warm-up routines like smacking their chests repeatedly to get rid of their nerves.  Although there were hundreds of people cheering them on, the athletes looked as if they were in solitude.

However, the actions of a particular athlete that day exhibited the Olympic value of Excellence. An African swimmer stood out from the rest immediately. His frail body was incomparable to the buff and well-developed bodies of the other athletes and thus, it was not surprising that he did not possess the same level of stamina and speed as the other athletes . Though it was obvious from the first leg of the swim that he would inevitably place last, he did not give up but continued to finish the last leg of the swim. I personally felt that it was commendable because in challenging times, the African athlete thrived. He did not falter and never gave up.

The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

-       Pierre de Coubertin (founder of modern Olympic Games)