AYG ...Closing Ceremony part 3

Photo: The presentations were over. Soon the the VIPs of SAYGOC and OCA took to the stage to deliver their 'thank you' and closing address. They were joined on the stage by each country represented by a flag bearer.



Photo:
Due to a lack of flash power, my digital camera could not capture this scene any brighter.


Photo:
Ng Ser Miang of Singapore addressing the assembly.




Photo:
The VIPs on stage

Photo:

The VP of OCA holding the flag .

Photo:

Mr Masagos congratulating Ng Ser Miang for his contribution to the AYG.

Photo:

The AYG flag is slowly lowered in a short but touching ceremony and the flag will be kept till the

next AYG in 2013.

Photo:

The white AYG flag was carefully folded after it was lowered and handed over to OCA for safekeeping

until the next Games.

AYG ...Closing Ceremony part 2

While the programme continued inside the ballroom, there was much activity going on outside. I noticed a large pool of student helpers carrying the colourful flags of the different NOCs and realised they were preparing for the signal to march in. Walking around I spotted my long-time pal and very close friend Gurmit who happened to be i/c of the student flag bearers. They were from his JC ( NYJC).

Many will not know this. But Gurmit was my Best man and Chauffuer at my wedding a long, long time ago! We used to hang out together and he was one of my earliest followers in the great outdoors of the early days of the late 60's and early 70's.

He became a great outdoor man himself later, even till this day.

Photo:

The NYJC girls smiling away for the TV camera and the press.

Photo:

A TV camera crew capturing the exciting scene outside the Ballroom.

Photo:

As I moved around the Ballroom to capture some snapshots, I noticed a young girl reporter with a red note pad that said " Red Sports ".

Well, what do you know?

I stood next to her and asked her, " Hi ..you're from

Red Sports? "

She replied affirmatively.

Me: " Do you know who I am? "

She: " Ar...yes, you are uncle Dick right? "

Haha...that's why she's smiling. She sort of knew I was connected to Red Sports when it first started out in January 2007.

Red Sports has since come a very long way becoming the # 1 sports website in Singapore today.

1st AYG...The Closing Ceremony

The Closing Ceremony of the 1st Asian Youth Games was held on Tuesday, 7 July 2009 at the Raffles Ballroom, Swissotel. In attendance were the athletes and officials from most of the participating countries as well as a host of invited guests and sponsors.
The programme for the night included cultural, song and dance items, official speeches, presentations of awards, march-in of flag bearers on stage and the lowering of the Games flag. Dinner followed later.

Photo:
The backdrop of the main stage with the Banner.


Photo:
The emcee for the occasion was none other than our local top DJ " the Flying Dutchman".
Do you know his real name?
Clue: He is really of Dutch origins.


Photo:
Can you guess who won Best Female athlete of the Games award?
Yes, she's our top swimmer and Golden girl at the pool.




Photo:
The VIP table...Ms Sum Chee Wah smiling in the foreground while Mr Masagos was seated 2 seats away to her right.

The other VIP table had Mr Teo Ser Luck and others.