HOMECOMING: SEA Games athletes being welcomed home yesterday. About 200 officials, family and friends turned up at Changi Airport. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

THERE is more to the South-east Asia Games than winning medals.

Low Teo Ping, Singapore's chef de mission at the just-concluded 24th edition in Thailand, feels that the biennial sporting event is also a good platform for promoting a sporting culture.

'The SEA Games will be one of my recommendations for evolving a sporting culture here in Singapore,' said Low, who also chairs the sporting culture sub-committee of the Committee on Sporting Singapore.

'Sporting culture is not just about participating. It is also about the support and involvement from people.

'The SEA Games presents a great opportunity to breed and spread this culture.'

He was speaking at the official Team Singapore welcome at Changi Airport's Terminal two yesterday.

A crowd of about 200 gathered to welcome home almost 100 athletes from, among others, the sailing and softball teams.

Low, who had experienced first-hand the spirit of the Games at nearly every event, is convinced that the SEA Games is indeed a platform for greater things.

'The level of competition would be just right for the youths to gain exposure and use it as a launch pad for other competitions,' the SingaporeSailing president explained.

Also, relatives and supporters are able to make their presence felt and can motivate the athletes, owing to the Games' proximity to Singapore.

He noted: 'Compared to the Asian Games or the Olympics, the venues for the SEA Games are reachable.'

He also hailed the support from spectators in Thailand as 'tremendous'. It is something that the Singapore Sports Council is looking to build on.

Said SSC chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik: 'We're looking at building up the support structure, which includes the parents, friends and even the media.

'With such support, the athletes will be better motivated to excel.'

Another element that will help sportsmen and women shine is better planning.

As Low noted: 'I'm urging the team managers to sit their teams down for a post-mortem, because the things that happened in Thailand are still fresh in their minds.

'From the preparations to the competition proper, things will have to be analysed.

'There is an immediacy to plan well, because 2013 is an excellent chance for us to do well.'

That is when Singapore will host the multi-sport event.

Stanley Lee, father of 14-year-old sailing champion Rachel, knows what the two officials are talking about, saying: 'My daughter has her own dreams. I am just a supporter.'

Just the support needed to boost Singapore sport.

Read more stories on the 24th SEA Games here.