Chitchat Schooling NS deferred till Tokyo 2020

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http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...olympicsJoseph

Schooling's NS deferred till after 2020 Olympics

PUBLISHED1 HOUR AGO

Royston SimAssistant News Editor
SINGAPORE - Singapore's star swimmer Joseph Schooling will have his national service deferred till after the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

In a statement on Monday (Aug 15), the Defence Ministry said the Armed Forces Council has approved Schooling's request to extend his deferment.

The 21-year-old clinched Singapore's first-ever Olympic gold medal in the 100m Butterfly on Saturday, clocking an Olympic record time of 50.39 seconds.


In a Facebook post, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said Schooling fulfils all the necessary conditions for deferment.

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Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen told reporters that Joseph Schooling's deferment from National Service should be able to continue as long as he continues to meet conditions.
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"Joseph can now set his sights on 2020 to defend his Olympic title and win more national glory for Singapore. Let us all wish him many more achievements and success," Dr Ng wrote.

In 2013, Dr Ng had told Parliament that NS deferment “may be granted in exceptional circumstances to individual sportsmen, who are assessed to be potential medal winners at international competitions like the Olympic Games and bring national pride for the country”.

Individuals will have to show why deferment is necessary for them to train full-time and compete successfully at international competitions, and each case will be assessed individually in consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

In its statement, the Defence Ministry said Schooling has been exemplary in fulfilling the “raison d’etre” for his deferment from 2013 to the 2016 Olympics.

“He trained hard and met all performance milestones on his way to Olympic glory. The rest of his achievements are, as they say, now the stuff of Olympic and Singapore legend,” it said.

His record breaking feat in Rio has “brought national glory to Singapore and filled our entire nation with pride,” the ministry added, in announcing the extended deferment.

Many people, including the local swimming fraternity, had called for an extension of Schooling’s NS deferment so he could continue his quest for further Olympic glory without any disruptions.

Schooling touched down at Changi Airport on Monday morning to a rapturous reception from hundreds of fans.

He and his family will attend Parliament in the afternoon, where the House plans to move a motion to congratulate him on his victory and express support for Team Singapore athletes.

The motion is a formal recognition of Schooling's achievement in the 100m butterfly final, when he defeated three star swimmers - defending champion Michael Phelps, South African Chad le Clos and Hungarian Lazlo Cseh.


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