Athletics team manager in hospital after accident
PUBLISHED ONMay 15, 2015 9:10 PMByAli Kasim
The 42-strong track and field contingent were about to leave Singapore for the Taiwan Open yesterday morning when they received the shock news that their team manager, Lawrenz Sim, was involved in a car accident.
Sim (right) was driving home from the National University of Singapore (NUS) campus around 3am yesterday morning when the accident occurred near Alexandra Hospital.
He was alone in the car and, according to Singapore Athletics (SA) president Tang Weng Fei, was in a coma upon admission to the hospital.
CONSCIOUSNESS
Sim regained consciousness around 5.30pm yesterday.
Tang told The New Paper that Sim was working late before driving home.
"I saw him in the hospital and the doctors say he's recovering well," Tang said.
"He looked alright, no visible injuries, and his MRI (scan) was okay.
"It's too soon to say if he will be alright for the SEA (South-east Asia) Games (next month). Let's monitor his situation first."
The 28th SEA Games will be held from June 5 to 16.
SA will field 74 athletes for the track and field event, which will be held at the National Stadium from June 6 to 12.
It is the biggest group in the history of the Games, with the hosts only absent in the men and women's hammer throw events.
In Sim's absence, assistant team manager, Morales Menon, will be in charge of the athletics team.
Menon is currently in Taiwan, along with SA vice president (competitions organising) Loh Chan Pew, as the Republic's track and field athletes compete in their final warm-up event before the SEA Games.
The Taiwan Open will be held over two days, starting tomorrow, at the Taipei Municipal Stadium.
The men's 4x100 relay team, who hope to stun hot favourites Thailand for gold, will use the meet to finalise the quartet who will start next month at the National Stadium.
The six-member team comprise Gary Yeo, Amirudin Jamal, Calvin Kang, Lee Cheng Wei, Elfi Mustapa and Naqib Asmin.
aakasim@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on MAY 14, 2015.
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