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SINGAPORE'S contingent to the Beijing Olympics will not only be the biggest but also the best-prepared to bring back an Olympic medal since 1960. That assurance was given by Project 0812 chairman Ng Ser Miang yesterday. Over 20 athletes have qualified for the Aug 8-24 Games, pending final approval by the Singapore National Olympic Council next month. But, more importantly, almost all would have qualified on their own merit. Updating the media on the progress of Project 0812, which was started in 2006 to help Singapore win an Olympic medal, Ng said: 'I'm pleased with the progress of the project. It shows that we have the talent and that the system is in place. 'An unprecedented number of athletes have qualified and that achievement is quite remarkable, given that we've done it in two years while most Olympic campaigns take 10 years.' The Beijing Olympics team will surpass the 16-member Singapore contingent that competed at Athens 2004 - the previous record after Singapore gained independence in 1965. The SNOC sent a 52-strong team to the 1956 Melbourne Games, but that was when Singapore was still under Malaya. The Republic will be represented in athletics, badminton, sailing, shooting, swimming and table tennis in Beijing. But the focus will be on badminton, sailing, shooting and table tennis. They carry the best hopes of Singapore repeating weightlifter Tan Howe Liang's medal feat 48 years ago. The four sports were identified as having the best potential to deliver an Olympic medal when Project 0812 was launched. A total of about $5 million has since been invested in the sports to help provide, among others, top-level coaching and more overseas training and competition stints. The extra funds are over and above those the Singapore Sports Council disburses annually to national sports associations. Through additional funding, Singapore's table tennis teams managed to compete in a total of 15 overseas competitions, instead of five. The women's team are now ranked second in the world and are Singapore's best medal bet. In badminton, the hiring of quality coaches has helped the Republic qualify for the men's singles and the women's and mixed doubles. In shooting, trap specialist Lee Wung Yew became the first Singaporean to make it to the Olympics on merit. Likewise, the sailors qualifying for three classes is unprecedented. Badminton, shooting and sailing have an outside chance for a medal. The athletes have also been supported by the SSC's team of doctors, psychologists and staff. Still, despite the improvement in performances and the encouraging signs, the real measure of Project 0812's success can be gauged only after the August Games. As Ng said: 'Ultimately, it's how the athletes perform at the Games that matters.' Since its start in 2006, $5 million has been spent on helping athletes in badminton, sailing, shooting and table tennis. The money has gone into:
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