The Asian Games in Hangzhou, China ended on Oct. 8, 2023 after a 16-day run.

Singapore took home 16 medals in total: Three golds, six silvers, and seven bronzes.

However, the Games was not just a time to celebrate the winners.

Celebrate all athletes

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam took to Facebook on Sunday evening to celebrate the accomplishments of all the athletes who had trained hard for the competition to showcase what Singapore had to offer.

"Let’s celebrate the Singaporeans who did not win golds, but came close. And who fought well under pressure in Asia’s pinnacle competition, often against much larger countries," he wrote.

"And celebrate all our sportspersons, who go through the mental and emotional rollercoaster of competitive sports."

He added: "Training day in, day out, just to do better and fly the Singapore flag."

They contributed to seven medals.

Support those who stood behind athletes

Tharman also paid tribute to the people who supported the athletes, chief among whom deserve the most praise are the parents of the competitors who have been making personal sacrifices for their children to shine.

Tharman highlighted Michael Chen, the father of Stephenie Chen, who won Singapore's first-ever silver in canoeing.

The elder Chen drove a taxi for 20 years so he could drive his daughters daily to their early morning training sessions, Tharman wrote.

"They each have that fire in them. They each add to the Singapore spirit."

Stephenie ended up with the silver medal after losing only by just a second to Li Dongyin from China, which dominates canoeing in Asia, after the Singaporean led for much of the gruelling 500m kayak race.

Tharman, who used to be a high jumper, also praised Marc Brian Louis, who made it to the semi-finals and broke Singapore's 22-year-old national men’s 100m record in athletics, as well as swimmer Teong Tzen Wei, who won the silver medal in the men’s 50m butterfly after a year of ups and downs.

The president also named Jowen Lim (wushu), Nge Joon Jie and Johann Prajogo (badminton), Yeo Jia Min (badminton), and Noah Lim (ju-jitsu), who tried their best for the country.

Tharman wrote, "So let’s cheer for all our athletes, who have won our hearts by playing against the best, and doing their best for Singapore."

Top photos via Tharman Shanmugaratnam Facebook & Singapore Athletics Facebook