More seniors in Singapore taking up competitive sports, as Seniors National Games participation jumps over 30%
More than 6,000 seniors took part in the second edition of the Games, which concluded in August.
Mdm Tan Bee Tuan (left) and her mother Mdm Yeo Ah Choo (right) playing disc golf. The pair have now competed in the Seniors National Games for two consecutive years. (Image: CNA)
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SINGAPORE: After experiencing two falls while living alone, Madam Yeo Ah Choo, 85, was persuaded by her daughter to join a nearby Active Ageing Centre (AAC) in March 2025 to improve her strength and mobility.
Her daughter, Madam Tan Bee Tuan, said her mother was initially reluctant to take part in the activities.
“I encouraged her … to come down to do some exercise. In the beginning, she refused to do that. She said that no, too many people (as) she doesn’t like to mingle,” said Mdm Tan, 61.
“But now, she’s hooked on it. She loves the neighbourhood, all the seniors here.”
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What first began as a way for Mdm Yeo to increase her physical activity eventually led the mother-daughter pair to compete in a national sporting competition.
The pair have now competed in the Seniors National Games for two consecutive years, taking part together in disc golf, a sport Mdm Yeo has grown to enjoy.
The sport combines frisbee throwing and golf-style scoring, where players toss discs into metal baskets in the fewest throws. For both years, they managed to qualify into the finals after competing in the heats.
“I now really like to watch and play disc golf and other ball games, activities that are easier for me,” said Mdm Yeo.
PARTICIPATION JUMPS 30 PER CENT
Organised by Sport Singapore (SportSG) as part of the annual GetActive! Singapore programme, the Seniors National Games is open to those aged 60 and above.
The competition features five adaptive sports: boccia, disc golf, ladder toss, seated floorball and sport stacking, catering to seniors of varying abilities.
Zonal heats for this year were held from Jun 2 to 11, with the top-performing teams advancing to the finals on Aug 4. Both the heats and the finals were held at OCBC Arena Hall.
More than 6,000 seniors from close to 130 Active Ageing Centres and grassroots organisations took part this year, up more than 30 per cent from over 4,500 at the inaugural edition in 2025.
The Games aim to encourage seniors to stay active through adaptive sports, while providing competition opportunities to sustain their interest in physical activity.
“Beyond physical health benefits or sports participation, it is about fostering strong community connections and improving the overall well-being of our seniors,” said SportSG’s active health director Genevieve Goh.
Ms Goh said last year’s National Sport and Exercise Participation Survey showed that fewer seniors were citing old age as a barrier to participating in sports.
Their motivations have also shifted from a purely health focus to wanting to look and feel good, she added.
MORE SPORTS COULD BE ADDED
With participation growing, organisers are now looking at developing a third edition of the Games next year.
SportSG is also exploring partnerships with the public and private sectors to increase the scale of the competition.
The range of sports could also be expanded.
“Based on feedback, we are exploring potential new sports that are well suited to seniors’ interests and abilities,” said Ms Goh.
SportSG also hopes to see seniors compete and connect with their counterparts overseas.
“Based on what we see in the competitions in the last two editions, the seniors definitely take this seriously,” she said.
“We are trying to build a certain community and spirit locally before we explore maybe taking them out regionally to compete.”
Source: CNA/oc(mp)
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