Gold-winning SEA Games athletes receive cash prizes at MAP award ceremony

SINGAPORE - Gold medallists from the biennial event in Naypyidaw and Yangon - Team Singapore athletes took home 34 golds, together with 29 silvers and 45 bronzes - were also given cash prizes totalling $400,000 for their feats.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Read the full statement from the Singapore Sports Council here:

Team Singapore athletes rewarded for breakthrough Games

Total of S$400,000 awarded for the haul of 34 Gold in Myanmar

The 27th SEA Games Myanmar 2013 will be remembered as one of many historic firsts for Team Singapore and today, the athletes who brought home the bounty of 34 Gold were rewarded with a total Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme (MAP) reward of S$400,000.

The athletes received their awards this afternoon from Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) held at the Swissotel Merchant Court.

"You not only gave us many moments to cheer and celebrate during the Games, but also made us cherish the journey you took to make our nation proud." DPM Teo, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, added "More than half of our contingent were young debutants and they contributed to almost half of our total medal haul. This is a good sign that we have a strong pipeline of sportsmen and women. We look forward to their continued progress and success in the years to come."

Team Singapore's swimmers ruled the pool in Naypyidaw and made the biggest splash at the Awards Ceremony in Swissotel Merchant Court, as they took home S$115,000 for their 11-Gold haul. Joseph Schooling was the outstanding athlete at the Games, winning five Gold and setting four Games records in the process. He was awarded S$27,500.

Sailing and Table Tennis were the other big winners as their athletes received S$60,000 (5 Gold) and S$50,000 (4 Gold) in total respectively.

SEA Games doubles pair for the Women's K2 500m and 200m events, Stephenie Chen and Suzanne Seah are also amongst the top five awarded athletes for these Games. Stephenie Chen says, "It has been quite a journey so far and it would not be possible without the support from my team mates, coach, and family, who have been there every step of the way.

Together with my doubles partner, Suzanne, we are glad to be able to not only retain our K2 200m title, but bring back another victory for the team and make Singapore proud."

309 Team Singapore athletes competed in the 27th SEA Games, Myanmar 2013. They brought home 108 medals (34 Gold, 29 Silver, 45 Bronze) to finish sixth on the final medal tally.