SINGAPORE – Ju-jitsu star Jedd Tan, a 19-year-old full-time national serviceman who clinched gold in the men’s 77kg category at his SEA Games debut in December 2025, no longer needs to scrape by on a tight self-funded budget for overseas competitions. On April 29, he received the Sport Excellence (spex) Scholarship, one of 22 first-time awards that pushed the total to a record 107 athletes across 30 sports, the largest cohort yet, surpassing the 105 from 24 sports in 2023.
“This will ease my financial burden,” Tan said, echoing encouragement from his teammates. Previously, he meticulously planned events for cost-efficiency, but now he can “focus fully on training without limiting myself based on savings.”
The announcement came at the Singapore Sport Excellence Athletes Investiture at the Singapore Sports School, where 87 athletes joined the spexPotential programme, swelling its ranks to 140 across 31 sports. These initiatives back high-performance athletes: spexPotential grooms promising talents for SEA Games success, while spexScholarship propels them toward Asian and world-level excellence. Benefits include monthly stipends, funding for local and international training/competitions, sports science, medicine, education, and personal development.
The expanded support aligns with Singapore’s hosting of the 2029 SEA Games and Asean Para Games, key milestones ahead. Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo highlighted investments via the new SpexSG entity, launched April 1, which merges the High Performance Sport Institute, Singapore Sports School, and the Unleash the Roar! football project. National sports associations will gain aid for hiring coaches, boosting expertise, and enabling full-time training for athletes outside the core programmes.
Pistol shooter Teh Xiu Yi, 30, transitioned from spexPotential to spexScholarship among nine such athletes this year. A coach at the sports school, she noted the upgrade provides “a higher budget to travel overseas for training,” adding that she needed more results to qualify.
Five athletes also snagged spexEducation scholarships for university studies, including cyclist Valencia Tan, 20, who eyes a business degree. spexPotential funding let her train abroad—crucial without a local velodrome—fueling her progress. “University isn’t affordable for my family,” she said gratefully.
SportSG chairman Kon Yin Tong, who chaired selection committees, praised the pipeline: “More spexPotential athletes advancing shows sport as a viable career, proving the programmes’ effectiveness. With SpexSG’s integrated support, our athletes are set for world-stage heights.”