Singapore’s Asian Games performance goes beyond medals but ‘hard’ to judge without knowing targets: Observers

Singapore's athletes met their internal medal projections at the recent Asian Games, bringing home two golds, nine silvers, and seven bronzes. The performance should not be judged solely by the medal count, but also by personal bests, national records, and the emergence of young athletes, according to observers and members of the sporting community.

However, the decision to keep the medal targets secret has raised questions about transparency and whether the public can adequately assess Singapore's sporting development. While some believe public targets could pressure athletes, others argue that transparency is essential for accountability and understanding the athletes' goals.

Veteran sports administrator Low Teo Ping acknowledged that it is challenging to evaluate progress after the Games, suggesting that clearer communication before the event would help the public better understand the objectives and assess the athletes' performance. The sporting fraternity is divided on whether the medal targets should be made public, with some supporting transparency and others suggesting that athletes perform better under less scrutiny.