SINGAPORE – After picking up a cheque for $250,000 at Swissotel The Stamford’s Skai Suites on the 69th floor, surrounded by his family and fellow Team Singapore athletes, local kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder understandably feels like he is on top of the world.
And he hopes to fly higher, as the money will come in handy in boosting his career.
On the sidelines of the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) Major Games Award Programme (MAP) presentation and appreciation dinner on Oct 23, when he received his cash award for his Olympics bronze medal, Maeder said: “The smart choice is to save and invest, it will definitely be put to good use.
“I can now buy more kitefoiling gear without worrying too much, and I can also help my younger brother (Karl) with gear as well. I’ve taken my family to a meal already, but I will invite them again.”
“A night like this is special because we get to celebrate together. It motivates me to continue in sport and appreciate how worthwhile it is to pursue sport,” said the teenager.
It was clearly a jovial occasion for Maeder, who at one point lifted his youngest brother Valentin Jr on his back as his grandparents, parents, younger brother and cousin looked on during a playful moment after receiving the mock cheque from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong and SNOC president Grace Fu.
Launched in the 1990s, the MAP Awards is a programme designed to reward Singaporean athletes who bring home medals from major events like the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games. Recipients are required to contribute a minimum of 20 per cent of their prize money to their respective national sports associations for the development of youth athletes.
Maeder is only the fifth Singaporean athlete to cash in at the Tote Board sponsored MAP Awards for winning an Olympic medal.
Table tennis players Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Li Jiawei collected $500,000 for their team bronze at Beijing 2008, and followed up with another $375,000 award for their team bronze at London 2012, where Feng also won a women’s singles bronze that was worth $250,000.
Swimmer Joseph Schooling, the Republic’s only Olympic champion, received $1 million for his Rio 2016 men’s 100m butterfly gold.
Ms Fu, who also handed out Olympic participation pins to the 14 out of 23 Paris 2024 athletes present at the ceremony, said in her speech: “As we celebrate this evening, let us also look to the future.
“The journey to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is already underway, and the experiences gained in Paris will drive our ambition to further support our athletes on their path ahead.”
Even though he ended his 2024 season with nine wins and an Olympic bronze from 10 events, there is no easing up in Maeder’s competitive fire. When asked about the start of the new Olympic cycle and the 2025 season, he said simply: “Train, compete, and improve.”
There is, however, another mission before he heads to Perth for a training camp in mid-November.
Maeder is volunteering to work at a curry puff stall for a day if he wins World Sailing’s Young Male Sailor of the Year award, which will be handed out at a ceremony on Nov 5 at Chijmes Hall in Singapore.
Public votes at https://4wbapryf7or.typeform.com/WSAwards2024 make up 50 per cent of the overall score with the rest given by a World Sailing panel.
He said of the chance to be the first Singaporean winner of the award: “It would be an inspiration (for me) to say that sailing is something great to pursue, and that Singapore is a sailing nation.
“And who doesn’t like to be around curry puffs for a whole day? We will sort out the details like which brand, where and when, that’s meant to be a surprise.”