A million-dollar makeover for Tao Li
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A million-dollar makeover for Tao Li
Tan Yo-Hinn
[email protected]EVEN as Beijing Olympic swimming finalist Tao Li (picture) worries about catching up with her school work, plans are afoot to ensure that Singapore’s raw diamond is not left behind by her international rivals in the pool. And a possible million-dollar makeover of the teenager is in the offing as she prepares for London 2012. The sum being bandied about to ensure that the 18-year-old butterfly specialist finishes on the podium at the London Games will go towards high performance coaching and support, sports medicine and sports science (SMSS), nutrition and strength and conditioning, and overseas training and competition. Singapore Sports Council (SSC) high performance chief Wayde Clews told Today that money is not to be an issue as the SSC will pull out all the stops in helping the swimmer push for Olympic glory. “Money will not be a prohibitive factor in providing the support and necessary resources for Tao Li to reach her full potential,” he said. “It’s about providing all the resources necessary to realise her full potential, with the 2012 Olympics as the target.” The Singapore Sports School student went into the on-going Beijing Games ranked 26th out of 49 in the 100m fly. But the 1.60m tall Olympic rookie, the smallest in the field, stunned everyone by winning her heat on Saturday in a then-Asian record of 57.77sec, which China’s Zhou Yafei later lowered to 57.70s. The pocket dynamite reclaimed the Asian record barely 12 hours later, clocking 57.54s in the semi-finals, becoming the first Singaporean to qualify for an Olympic swimming final. The time was also 0.18s faster than Australian Petria Thomas’ gold medal-winning effort at the 2004 Athens meet, making her one of the top 10 all-time butterfly swimmers. Tao Li returns to Singapore on Monday, and along with coach Peter Churchill, is expected to discuss her future plans with the authorities. Said Clews: “The SSC will work closely with her on how to map and implement an SMSS programme to help her stayinjury-free.” The SSC invests between $30,000 to $100,000 annually in SMSS support and services for each of the Republic’s elite athletes. Tao Li, who is currently in Secondary 3 at the sports school, is expected to continue studying there until she graduates with a diploma in sports science under a tie-up with the Auckland University of Technology. “The SSC have been very supportive, and I’m very grateful that they will continue to be,” the swimmer told Today in a telephone interview yesterday from Beijing, where she met President S R Nathan. High on her wish-list is to work with top physiotherapist Roger Fitzgerald of Australia. “He knows my condition very well, and he was with us at the 2006 Asian Games, where he helped me get conditioned for my 50m fly race,” said Tao Li, whose victory in the event at Doha propelled her into the international spotlight. “After the first two days of racing at the Beijing Olympics, my body was fatigued but he wasn’t around. So it would be great if he’s with me for the next four years. I’d also like more opportunities to train and compete overseas over the next four years.” Coach Churchill agreed. “She needs more experience competing at the highest levels and not idolising the superstars,” said the Australian.Crucially, Tao Li believes she can only get better. “There is still a lot of room for improvement. But for now, I’ve to get back to school. I’ve missed a lot of classes and need to catch up.”For those who don't already know who Tao Li is, she is a China-born Singaporean competitive swimmer specializing in the backstroke and butterfly stroke.I do not know why our governemnt is pooling money and resources for a PRC national when there is another topic on the Speaker's corner about old people collecting cans and barely making ends meet.These people do can only win medals. Can medals fill the stomach of the many who're starving under this regime?So what if these people are here to compete for Singapore? Are they not here because of the money? Do they have even the smallest measurable pint of patrioticism towards S'pore in them?It's like advertising men's apparel with a women dressed in it.I, for one, do not sense even the hint of pride when our great contry sends people from China to compete- and win- for them. Money should be put on the welfare, it should be used to develop our Nation's infrastructure so that it will be a better place for authentic Singaporeans. Money is not supposed to be spent on building the muscles of a Chinese athlete who does all but win worthless medals. -
My parents are also China born, so? they are not less of a Singaporeans than many old generation singaporean who have contributed much to the country. Tao Li and all others migrated here and they fly Singapore flag. They deserve whatever inventives the government is giving out to encourage people to venture into sport.
Did they come here for money? if there don't perform, they are worse off than many people because they have given up the normal route of making a successful life. They choose sports. If they don't make it, they are nobody.
Do you have the potential to be a great sportperson who can fly Singapore flag high? If you don't then let there be inventive and encouragement and rewards for those who can.
Mix mix up politics with sports.
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Originally posted by sgdiehard:
My parents are also China born, so? they are not less of a Singaporeans than many old generation singaporean who have contributed much to the country. Tao Li and all others migrated here and they fly Singapore flag. They deserve whatever inventives the government is giving out to encourage people to venture into sport.
Did they come here for money? if there don't perform, they are worse off than many people because they have given up the normal route of making a successful life. They choose sports. If they don't make it, they are nobody.
Do you have the potential to be a great sportperson who can fly Singapore flag high? If you don't then let there be inventive and encouragement and rewards for those who can.
Mix mix up politics with sports.
No,we might not have the potential to be great sportsmen but WE ARE TRUE SINGAPOREANS.Please don't mix politics with NATIONALISTIC PRIDE.
It is the very same PRIDE that your own motherland CHINA is showing in the olympics now.
If Singapore were to follow your mentality of importing forgeign talents,there will be no more space for local atheletes as there are many foreigners who are better than us.
We have the money but we want our own SINAGPOREAN PRIDE too please,thank you.
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suck on my 6inch penis china fuckers. even in table tennis, its china vs china. and in my opinion, tao li is super fat and ugly
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i cant disagree with the china vs china part though. i wonder how it feels like seeing your ( possibly old buddy who you used to train with back home ) face off with you while representing another country.
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well i think its kinda absurb tt we are represented by foreign talents but then again wernt we kinda all imigrants from our great grand parents time?
n i totally agree w glen ong on the morng express. hopefully the 1 mil investment will include english lessons.
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Originally posted by baikachuchu:
No,we might not have the potential to be great sportsmen but WE ARE TRUE SINGAPOREANS.Please don't mix politics with NATIONALISTIC PRIDE.
It is the very same PRIDE that your own motherland CHINA is showing in the olympics now.
If Singapore were to follow your mentality of importing forgeign talents,there will be no more space for local atheletes as there are many foreigners who are better than us.
We have the money but we want our own SINAGPOREAN PRIDE too please,thank you.
Are you descendants of Sang Nila Utama or Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles or Tengku Hussein?
You could be Mongolians for goodness sake....are present Chinese pure Han people or Mix-Mongolians?
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Originally posted by parn:
Are you descendants of Sang Nila Utama or Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles or Tengku Hussein?
You could be Mongolians for goodness sake....are present Chinese pure Han people or Mix-Mongolians?
We very well could be.You could be too.It seems that people's idea of a Singaporean is nothing more than a pink IC nowadays.
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Originally posted by parn:
Are you descendants of Sang Nila Utama or Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles or Tengku Hussein?
You could be Mongolians for goodness sake....are present Chinese pure Han people or Mix-Mongolians?
no lah... we are all african lah.... if not what.. martians ar? -
i am not against all sort of immigrants.
IMO, i'm fine with little kids, since they will get assimilated into local society, regardless of their parents' influence and their upbringing. they are the one who will find it very hard to find a identity with their birth country. they are singaporeans at heart.
it is the parents which are the crux of the loyalty problem. they are the one who still have strong ties back home, and wouldn't hesitate to leave singapore if singapore turns for the worse or if their homeland turns for the better. they are not really singaporeans at heart.
so, if we want to focus on integration of immigrants, we should focus more on the little ones, then to focus on the more unpredictable adult immigrants.
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Originally posted by deathmaster:
it is the parents which are the crux of the loyalty problem. they are the one who still have strong ties back home, and wouldn't hesitate to leave singapore if singapore turns for the worse or if their homeland turns for the better. they are not really singaporeans at heart.
that sounds more like a singaporean
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Originally posted by val.:
suck on my 6inch penis china fuckers. even in table tennis, its china vs china. and in my opinion, tao li is super fat and ugly
lol
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come on lah...ur grandparents not from china ah...dun pin point china ppl lah.....not like our grandparents from outer space...our roots still from china lah.....
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Originally posted by val.:
suck on my 6inch penis china fuckers. even in table tennis, its china vs china. and in my opinion, tao li is super fat and ugly
well, part of the million dollar make over is to transform her into a tall and supermodel look champion swimmer.well, then you will really want her to take on your 6inch....
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Originally posted by sgdiehard:
My parents are also China born, so? they are not less of a Singaporeans than many old generation singaporean who have contributed much to the country. Tao Li and all others migrated here and they fly Singapore flag. They deserve whatever inventives the government is giving out to encourage people to venture into sport.
Did they come here for money? if there don't perform, they are worse off than many people because they have given up the normal route of making a successful life. They choose sports. If they don't make it, they are nobody.
Do you have the potential to be a great sportperson who can fly Singapore flag high? If you don't then let there be inventive and encouragement and rewards for those who can.
Mix mix up politics with sports.
How old are u? Yr parent still born in China one??? My parent sixties plus all singapore born one. U must be a very old auntie or uncle in yr 50s already.My grand pa and mum who were China born all passed away long time ago.
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Originally posted by Vendettus:A million-dollar makeover for Tao LiFor those who don't already know who Tao Li is, she is a China-born Singaporean competitive swimmer specializing in the backstroke and butterfly stroke.I do not know why our governemnt is pooling money and resources for a PRC national when there is another topic on the Speaker's corner about old people collecting cans and barely making ends meet.These people do can only win medals. Can medals fill the stomach of the many who're starving under this regime?So what if these people are here to compete for Singapore? Are they not here because of the money? Do they have even the smallest measurable pint of patrioticism towards S'pore in them?It's like advertising men's apparel with a women dressed in it.I, for one, do not sense even the hint of pride when our great contry sends people from China to compete- and win- for them. Money should be put on the welfare, it should be used to develop our Nation's infrastructure so that it will be a better place for authentic Singaporeans. Money is not supposed to be spent on building the muscles of a Chinese athlete who does all but win worthless medals.
Hey.Can u also ask gavaman of the top winner country.
Some of them really get more poor people than SG!!
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singapore want to win gold today very easy... since getting silver is 75K while gold is 150K, why not just bribe china wif 75K to let sg win den share wif the prize money.
den everyone r richer while sg getting the honour for the first time.
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Originally posted by 798:
singapore want to win gold today very easy... since getting silver is 75K while gold is 150K, why not just bribe china wif 75K to let sg win den share wif the prize money.
den everyone r richer while sg getting the honour for the first time.
You think china will want to give up olympic gold for just 75k ?
If this ah tiongs lose to sg in their national sport , they are gonna get stoned
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might as well use the $$ and buy michael phelps
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Originally posted by Trump_Card:
You think china will want to give up olympic gold for just 75k ?
If this ah tiongs lose to sg in their national sport , they are gonna get stoned
i told my prc friend say sg gonna pwn their asses n he told me there's no way the rejects going to beat their table tennis no.1 player. so the match will definitely end up sg tionged 0-3 tonite.so yaya! Feng Tian Wen FTW! :x
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Originally posted by 798:
singapore want to win gold today very easy... since getting silver is 75K while gold is 150K, why not just bribe china wif 75K to let sg win den share wif the prize money.
den everyone r richer while sg getting the honour for the first time.
i thought silver is worth 750k and gold 1.5 million.