On Singapore’s 59th birthday, kite foiler Max Maeder clinched the bronze medal in the men’s kite at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This is Singapore’s third bronze Olympic medal.

On Aug. 8, Maeder sailed in the first final race and came in second.

The rest of the races were delayed till Aug. 9 due to poor weather conditions.

Maeder secured the bronze medal after the races.

His win brings up Singapore’s total Olympic medal tally to six.

Maeder is Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist to date.

Maeder’s journey

After the first day of racing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maeder finished third, placing fifth, first, and second in races one to three.

On the second day of racing, Maeder finished at the top of the board with a combined score of 11 points.

After seven races, Maeder finished second overall and secured his spot in the finals.

Typically, kitefoilers compete in 16 races in the opening series, giving them points each round. A lower total score means a better overall placement.

However, the majority of the races were cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Since Maeder first entered the kitefoiling scene at 14, he has won numerous competitions:

• 2021 Formula Kite Youth (Under-19) World Championships
• 2021 Formula Kite European Championships
• 2023 Formula Kite Youth (Under-19) World Championships
• 2024 Formula Kite European Championships

Singapore’s medal tally

Singapore won its first silver medal in the 1960s Olympics in lightweight lifting by Tan Howe Liang.

The second silver medal was won during the 2008 Beijing Olympics by the Singapore women’s table tennis team that consisted of Li Jiawei, Feng Tianwei and Wang Yuegu.

During the 2012 London Olympics, Feng won bronze in the women’s singles medal match, and the women’s team also won bronze.

Joseph Schooling won Singapore’s first gold medal in the men’s 100m butterfly at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Top photos via SNOC/Facebook & Singapore Sailing/Facebook