Max Maeder hugs his mother after race 3 of the Paris Olympics men’s kite final at the Marseille Marina on Aug 9. - Photo: ST
SINGAPORE: On National Day, Singaporeans gathered to celebrate the country’s 59th birthday with a special gift from kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, who clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
From politicians and national athletes to members of the public and netizens, the Republic basked in the 17-year-old’s success.
The last time Singapore clinched a medal at the Summer Games was at Rio 2016 when swimmer Joseph Schooling made history by winning the men’s 100m butterfly final.
When asked about Maximilian’s achievement, the 29-year-old Schooling, who retired in April, told The Straits Times: “Congratulations Max. I know how hard you’ve worked for it and how much you want this.
“We are so proud and happy for you and your family. Enjoy the moment.”
In a Facebook post, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said: “Max is mature beyond his years – his teenage smile and traces of puppy fat are deceptive. There is a new wind in Singapore sports.
“Just imagine – we had no Olympic medal for almost half a century after Tan Howe Liang’s silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
“Yet from 2008, (Singapore) has now brought home three Olympic bronzes (including Max’s), a silver, and Joseph Schooling’s historic gold.”
Noting the achievements of other Singaporean athletes like badminton player Loh Kean Yew and sprinter Shanti Pereira, President Tharman added: “A generation of young Singaporeans is taking their sports seriously, getting stronger support, and reaching higher...
“International medals and awards will never come easily. But nothing beats the journey, the friends you make along the way, and the pain and joy of striving to achieve the goals you set for yourself.”
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on social media: “Just as we completed our celebrations at the (National Day) Parade, Max Maeder overcame the tough wind conditions and became the youngest Singaporean to win an Olympic medal.
“Congratulations Max on the bronze medal in kitefoiling! Thank you for your beautiful birthday gift to Singapore! Wishing Team Singapore all the best in the rest of your sporting events.”
Maximilian’s medal in Marseille also sparked celebrations among supporters back home.
Several Singaporeans told ST they were initially unfamiliar with the teenage athlete and kitefoiling, but started to follow him as more media reports were published in the lead-up to the final series on Thursday (Aug 8) and Friday (Aug 9).
They were at home with their families to watch both race days live on TV.
They included undergraduate Alyssa Lim, who missed Schooling’s final on the morning of Aug 13, 2016, as she was in school then.
The 22-year-old said: “I decided to watch Max’s final series (this time) as I was quite excited to see his performance during the race leading up to his medal.
“It was quite nerve-racking watching the final series as he had so much on the line. I was ecstatic and relieved when he won bronze.”
Insurance analyst Ciaran Chia is on holiday in Indonesia with a group of friends, but they still managed to catch the live broadcast of Maximilian’s races.
The 38-year-old said: “It’s definitely a great National Day gift to Singapore.
“This is the moment where we can enjoy winning a medal at the Olympics as a Singaporean, because all sporting moments unite Singaporeans.”
Pointing to the fact that Maximilian had begun the medal races in second place after a start-stop opening series that had numerous delays due to wind conditions, Mr Chia said: “Despite the result, it shows his resilience, confidence and positivity, which certainly inspires other athletes and Singaporeans in general.
“I really hope he can continue to progress and continue his phenomenal feats. He’s only 17, and really the best is yet to come.”
Secondary 3 student Ian Chan caught Schooling’s race live eight years ago, but was too young to understand what the victory meant then.
The 15-year-old said: “No words, man... Seeing your country win a medal on the biggest stage in the world is an unreal feeling and really (stirs up the) patriotism, especially on National Day.” - The Straits Times/ANN
