Hard Tackle The Straits Times

Did Singapore let its golden boy down in any way?

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 

In this episode of Hard Tackle, we delve into the lessons from the recent retirement of Singaporean swimming sensation Joseph Schooling on April 2, 2024, at just 28 years of age.

Join ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath as they host two guests - Singapore Aquatics president and former national swimmer Mark Chay and two-time Olympian David Lim.

They explore the implications of Schooling's decision and discuss how Singapore can draw valuable lessons from his meteoric rise to the 100m butterfly gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and his struggle after that historic win. 

Could the Singapore sports ecosystem have done more for Schooling?

Is there a conversation about national service and high performance athletes and crucially, who will be Singapore swimming’s next superstar after Schooling? 

We ask the hard questions, the guests respond, and now it is time for you to listen in on our debate.

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:00 Rohit Brijnath on how he felt after speaking to Schooling about his retirement 

12:10 Why retirement was the better option for Schooling rather than going for success at regional competitions?  

14:05 Could there have been better support for Schooling?

22:30 On how Singapore can do better in drawing on the knowledge, experience and ups and downs of our successful athletes 

28:40 Why we need to have a closer look at how Schooling became a success 

34:00 Will stakeholders have a conversation about NS and its impact on athletes?

Listen to our earlier episode with Joseph Schooling himself: https://str.sg/LFUG

Read: https://str.sg/JJJQF

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg) & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow Hard Tackle every month here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on X: https://str.sg/wtra

Read his articles: https://str.sg/ip4G

Catch visual snippets of the podcast from ST's sports Instagram page: https://str.sg/vn2F

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#hardtackle
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear the tough questions posed to our sports stars or authorities in our studio, and how they react.

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 

The Straits Times' sports podcast has been around for the past few years, in different formats - from Game Of Two Halves, to Sports Talk, and now...the Hard Tackle.

We've found that this format has worked the best for us, and the harder the tackle, the more our listeners come back for more.

Host Deepanraj Ganesan's boyhood Manchester United hero Roy Keane would be so proud to hear this.

He will engage guests from the local or foreign sports community as ST looks at the biggest talking points in sport.

Catch back episodes of Hard Tackle:

Olympic champ Joseph Schooling in his own words as he retires

The Lions’ Tsutomu Ogura era is underway

New Lions head coach Tsutomu Ogura talks his vision for SG football

Catch visual snippets of the podcast from ST's sports Instagram page: https://str.sg/vn2F

Connect with Deepan on X to give him your ideas/feedback: https://str.sg/wtra

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg) & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow Hard Tackle every month here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Deepan's articles: https://str.sg/ip4G

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#hardtackle
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eight years after his stunning success at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Singapore’s greatest athlete has called time on his career.

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 

In this special episode, we bring you an excerpt of assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath’s interview with Singapore’s Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling. 

The swimmer who won the 100m butterfly gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics called time on his career on April 2. 

Listen to Schooling as he looks back on his career with honesty and relives the moment he stunned the world and put Singapore on the sporting map.  

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:13 Schooling on how life changed after the 2016 Olympic gold 

7:20 What was it like to deal with the cannabis saga that put Schooling in the headlines again? 

8:00 Is it fair to have expectations on sportsmen to have a certain level of responsibility in how they conduct themselves? 

11:04 How Schooling felt on the day he made history 

15:11 When did Schooling realise he had won that historic race? 

What Singapore can learn from Schooling's retirement: https://str.sg/Mor8

Read: https://str.sg/JJJQF

Produced by: Rohit Brijnath (rohitb@sph.com.sg) & ST Video

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow ST Sports Talk every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Rohit Brijnath's articles: https://str.sg/wFu2

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#hardtackle
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can the Lions roar under Ogura?

Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.

In this episode of Hard Tackle, Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by former Singapore international Noor Ali and Singapore Premier League commentator and Lions fan Zia-ul Raushan to dissect the Singapore national football team’s first two matches under new coach Tsutomu Ogura.

The Lions played out a hard-fought 2-2 draw against China on March 21 in front of the 28,414 crowd at the National Stadium. Five days later in chilly Tianjin, the Lions fell to a 4-1 loss, although there were signs of progress once again as the Republic showed grit and bravery in their play before being undone by a controversial penalty and two late goals.

So what do our pundits make of the start under Ogura and what is the way forward?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:30 Why is there a positive feeling amongst fans despite the Lions not posing a victory against China?  

8:30 Noor Ali on how the team has shaped up tactically under Ogura 

17:15 The need for stronger mentality amongst players and the importance of leadership 

21:00 What Ogura and the Lions can improve on 

34:00 On the new standards in the national team and why players must step up

Read: https://str.sg/8Kmc

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg) & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow ST Sports Talk every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on X: https://str.sg/wtra

Read his articles: https://str.sg/ip4G

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#hardtackle
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History-making sisters making waves with Olympic relay qualification

Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.

On Feb 18, Quah Ting Wen, Quah Jing Wen, Letitia Sim and Levenia Sim clocked 4 minutes and 2.88 seconds at the World Aquatics Championships to not just set a new women's 4x100m medley relay national record, they also booked their ticket to Paris 2024.

In this episode of Sports Talk, David Lee is joined by the two sets of sisters who became the first Singaporeans to qualify for an Olympic swimming relay event.

They share what it is like to train and compete as sisters, and what they need to do to create more history and make it to an Olympic final.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:08 Realisation of the accomplishment

3:39 The beginning of a strong combination

5:52 Strengths and weaknesses

6:30 Perks of competing as sisters

8:59 Swimming as an a-Quah-tic family

11:41 Not so Sim-ple decision to choose to swim for Singapore

14:26 Redemption for Asian Games disqualification

16:36 Going under four minutes and fighting for a final

18:00 Get to know the sisters

Read: https://str.sg/JursU

Produced by: David Lee (davidlee@sph.com.sg) & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow ST Sports Talk every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow David Lee on X: https://str.sg/G8sb

Read his articles: https://str.sg/35bBw

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#sportstalk
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So why do the Lions have yet another Japanese coach?

Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle.

In this episode of Hard Tackle, Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by Football Association of Singapore president, Bernard Tan and the newly appointed head coach of the Singapore national football team, Tsutomu Ogura.

For the first time since Ogura’s appointment on Feb 1, Tan describes the process undertaken by the FAS in terminating former head coach Takayuki Nishigaya’s contract and then selecting Ogura to lead the Lions. 

Ogura also shares his journey to becoming the Lions’ head coach, his vision for the team and his plans ahead of his first match in charge of the Lions, when they take on China in a World Cup qualifier on Mar 21. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:49 When and how did the process to fire Takayuki Nishigaya and hire Tsutomu Ogura began?  

8:30 Ogura’s initial thoughts when he was offered the Singapore national team head coach job 

14:19 What gave Ogura the edge over the other candidates?  

24:07 Ogura on the importance of working with a local coach  

35:38 Does FAS president Bernard take sole responsibility for the hire of Ogura? 

Read: https://str.sg/q8ro

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg) & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow ST Sports Talk every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on X: https://str.sg/wtra

Read his articles: https://str.sg/ip4G

Follow ST Sports on Instagram: https://str.sg/vn2F

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#sportstalk
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.