Singapore's Olympians go on celebratory parade through town

The drizzle pattering down on the streets of Singapore has not stopped fans from turning out in full force on Wednesday (Aug 14) to cheer for Team Singapore athletes who represented the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Crowds armed with flags, clappers and congratulatory signs lined the city sidewalks as the open-top bus carrying 10 athletes passed through the five main cheer points of Bayfront Avenue, Chinatown, Orchard Road, Serangoon Road and Victoria Street.

Participating in the celebratory parade were Paris Games bronze medallist kitefoiler Max Maeder, sailing's Ryan Lo, sprinter Marc Brian Louis, badminton's Yeo Jia Min, Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, kayaker Stephenie Chen, swimmer Gan Ching Hwee, and table tennis players Izaac Quek and Zhou Jingyi.

Before the parade kicked off at the OCBC Square this morning, the athletes were presented with garlands by Guests of Honour Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

Supporters waiting at the Singapore Sports Hub cheered as the Olympians boarded the open-top bus, which set off for the first cheer point of Bayfront Avenue at about 11.30am.

The athletes were in high spirits, waving to enthusiastic members of the public as the bus winded around Marina Bay Sands and headed to the second cheer point.

It started raining soon after - but this did not dampen the jubilant mood of the athletes nor supporters waiting in front of the People's Park Complex in Chinatown.

At the junction of Orchard Road - the third cheer point - the Olympians were greeted by the biggest crowd thus far. The bus continued on to School of the Arts Singapore, where about 300 students cheered excitedly.

A sizeable number of people had also gathered at the fourth cheer point outside Tekka Market along Serangoon Road.

At the last cheer point of Victoria Street, Max Maeder's mum was spotted among the crowds there, waving a Singapore flag at the athletes.

lim.kewei@asiaone.com