Singapore's Max Maeder wins kitefoiling bronze medal on Olympic debut

Singaporean kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder has delivered a birthday present to the nation as he clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics on Friday (Aug 9).

At the Marseille Marina today (Aug 9), four riders — Maeder, Slovenia's Toni Vodisek, Austria's Valentin Bontus and Italy's Riccardo Pianosi — raced for podium finishes.

The final, which started on Thursday, was postponed due to wind conditions. In race 1, the only race that took place that day, Maeder came in second place after Bontus.

In race 2 today (Aug 9), Bontus took first place, Maeder in third.

In race 3, Bontus took first place again. Pianosi finishes second followed by Max Maeder in third.

This means that Bontus wins the Olympic gold medal, with Vodisek bagging the silver medal while Maeder took home the bronze medal.

He is Singapore's youngest Olympic medalist, at 17 years old.

Speaking to the media after the race, Maeder thanked everyone back home, reported CNA.

"This medal is for you (Singapore)," he told reporters.

"A momentous day, a medal for Singapore on its National Day. I don't think I have time to express the gratitude for how much positivity has been thrown my way."

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in a Facebook post minutes after Maeder won his medal, congratulated the Olympian and thanked him for the "birthday gift".

"Just as we completed our celebrations at the parade, Max Maeder overcame the tough conditions at sea and became the youngest Singaporean to win an Olympic medal," said Wong.

"Congratulations Max on the bronze medal in kite foiling! Thank you for our beautiful birthday gift to Singapore!"

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also congratulated Maeder on his win, posting on Facebook (Aug 9) about how there is a "new wind in Singapore sports". 

"Max is mature beyond his years - his teenage smile and traces of puppy fat are deceptive," he said.

He added how Singapore had no Olympic medal for almost half a century after Tan Howe Liang's silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

But TeamSG, from 2008, has since brought home three Olympic bronzes (including Max's), a silver, and Joseph Schooling's historic gold.

"A generation of young Singaporeans is taking their sports seriously, getting stronger support, and reaching higher. They all show what we can achieve when we - parents especially - make room for our kids to develop themselves through sports," he wrote.

"Let them find their own game in life, and support the choices they make."

Earlier in a Facebook post on Thursday (Aug 8), Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, who is in Paris for the Olympics, posted Maeder had already done so much for Singapore.  

"Just get out there and enjoy the final and do your best. Whatever happens, you have already taken us on a wild journey and we are so grateful for all that you have done for Singapore!" Tong wrote.

This is Maeder's Olympic debut.

"I managed to go well (in the medal series of the 2021 event), so it's kind of setting up to be that again. And let's hope we have a repeat and we have a beautiful birthday present for Singapore," Maeder told CNA on Thursday.

"The story sets up to be great, so I'll take it ... I kind of had a feeling it had to be lined up in this dramatic manner."

Sixth Singaporean to win an Olympic medal

Maeder, who has a Swiss father and Singaporean mother, is the sixth Singaporean to win an Olympic medal.

The first was weightlifter Tan Howe Liang who won silver in Rome in 1960, while Singapore's table tennis players bagged silver and two bronzes in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics.

Swimmer Joseph Schooling is the only Singaporean to bag a gold medal for our country.

A Singaporean athlete who claims an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games will be rewarded with a $1 million payout, according to the Singapore National Olympic Council's (SNOC) website. 

Athletes who win silver and bronze medals will receive $500,000 and $250,000, respectively.

Prior to the finals, Maeder said: “I would be lying if I would say [competing at the Olympics] was not different at all.

However, the procedure that I follow, the routine that I will do is most likely identical to what I’ve done before, if not a little bit more meticulous.”

Maeder is the reigning Formula Kite World champion and European champion, and also the 2022 Asian Games gold medallist.

At 17, Maeder is also the youngest winner of any Olympic-level sailing competition, having achieved that as a 16-year-old, CNA reported in July. 

In July, he received a deferment from full-time National Service from the Ministry of Defence until Aug 31, 2028 to focus on training for the Olympics.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com