“The NDL (National Disability League) 2009 is going to be a platform for people with disabilities to participate in the event on both a recreational and competitive level. We hope that through the National Disability League, we will create better awareness of disability sports amongst the able-bodied community,” said Mr Lim Puay Tiak, Organising Committee Chairman for NDL 2009.
Buoyed by a record-high participation of 687 in 2008, NDL 2009, set to commence on 12 May, is all geared up for an even more exciting time ahead. There are 18 sports offered in the three-month-long league: archery, badminton, basketball, boccia, bowling, chess, equestrian, goalball, futsal, hand-cycling, lawn bowls, power-chair football, power-lifting, sailing, shooting, table-tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.
Four new sports - power-lifting, power-chair football, hand-cycling and sailing - are added to the league this year, allowing more athletes to participate and sharpen their competitive skills in the sport they enjoy.
Going into its fourth year, NDL was first mooted by the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) in 2006 to replace the National Disability Games, which started in 2002. The new league format allows participants to compete across three months and hence, provides valuable opportunities for increased exposure and social interaction. Athletes are able to better review their performance and strive to improve in their next competition round.
Besides its emphasis on sustainable sports development, NDL focuses on spotting sports talents as well. Take for example, Tay Wei Ming, who suffers from polio and uses only his left hand to play, had never participated in a major tournament before. After coming in first in the doubles category (NDL ’07 and NDL’08) for two consecutive years, he was selected to represent Singapore at the 4th ASEAN Para Games 2008, where he bagged the silver medal in the Men’s Badminton (Singles).
Aspiring athletes will be thrilled to know that the NDL 2009 is a platform that identifies potential sports champions for the upcoming 1st Asian Youth Paralympic Games 2009 in Tokyo, Japan and the 5th ASEAN Para Games 2009 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At the same time, promising athletes can grab the change to shine at the 37th National Track & Field Championships, a platform by which track & field talents are identified. “It is through NDL that we can come together to play the sport we love and foster a stronger bond within the community,” said Tay Wei Ming, the badminton player.
Click here for more details on the 4th National Disability League and the 37th National Track & Field Championships.
And for all the swimming enthusiasts out there, the National Swimming Championship 2009 has just ended with overwhelming success. Click here to see your water heroes and heroines!