Asian Games 2026: Ang Overcomes Injury Scare to Sail to Silver, Teenagers Nigel and Sean Emerge with Skiff Silver

Ang finished strong in the women's dinghy to clinch silver. Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew

National ILCA6 sailor Jania Ang wasn’t sure she would stand at the start line of the Asian Games women’s dinghy event, after suffering a heavy fall just less than a month ago.

Slated to take part in her second ILCA 6 Women's World Championships in Ireland in September, Ang ran into trouble when she was thrown off her bike on the way to the competition venue.

“I was looking out to sea to check the conditions… I was distracted and didn’t see a set of steps coming up and my bike ran into it. I flew forward, and my head hit the steps,” said the 22-year-old who sustained a concussion and torn tendons and ligaments in her wrist.

She was forced to retire from the championships but recovered in style less than a month later as she clinched silver in the women’s dinghy event on her debut Games at the Kaiyoh Yacht Harbour on Friday (Oct 2) with a 3-2 in the two-race final to finish on 13 points.

“It's really a blessing because three or four weeks ago I wasn't sure if I would be standing on the start line, and to come out with a silver, I'm really grateful for it.”

“I really have the medical team to thank for the way that they've helped me to manage the injuries and advised me on what other steps to take for rehabilitation. I'm really glad to say that coming into this event, I really didn't have to worry about the injuries at all. I felt pretty close to 100%, and I didn't need to spend extra mind space to think about how I'm going to manage my injuries. “

Thailand’s Sophia Montgomery was first (five points), and India’s Nethra Kumanan was third (14 points).

Ang sat in fourth after the first nine qualification races, notching three race wins across three days of racing, but did especially well when it mattered to charge up to second.

“Very happy that I managed to pull it together in the last race. It was really very close, nail-biting moments, but the whole regatta, I haven't been looking at the results, so I was just trusting my coach to tell me whatever I needed to know about the points.

“Going into the first race, I just approached it the way I've done the previous few races, just trying to execute my process the best way that I could, and then going into the second one, I was more aware of the points, and I'm glad that I managed to execute my process as well, and in the end the results were good,” Ang explained.

Ang was emotional after her two-race final on Friday (Oct 2). Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew

The result has also reaffirmed the SEA Games gold medallist that she belongs on the continental stage.

“I think the regatta has shown me that I definitely have the calibre to be out there, and what I would be focusing on from here on is how to put things together a little bit better,” Ang said, having taken a three-year hiatus from the sport back in her teens.

Next for the Sport Science & Management undergraduate is a shot at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with plans to take a gap year next January to fully focus on her bid.

Teenagers Sean Kum and Nigel Tan also capped off a remarkable debut campaign in the boys’ skiff (29er) event, coming back from dead last after the opening day of races to clinch silver with 35 nett points, behind eventual champions Hong Kong.

Coached by 2014 silver medallist Priscilla Low, the pair thanked Low for her steady guidance despite a less-than-ideal start to their campaign.

“During this event, I felt quite stressed, especially after the first few days coming in last. I wasn't really sure, and I didn't want to let down our family and supporters. She really helped us calm down and focus our minds on what's within our control and not worry too much about what could go wrong,” Nigel said.

Sean (left) and Nigel (right) "pushed through their limits" to secure a podium place. Photo: SNOC/ Kong Chong Yew

Sean added that Low had been with them “from day one”, after trying out the 29er having made the switch from the Optimist class.

“She helped with making sure we were in the right headspace and reassured us not to put too much pressure on ourselves as it is our first event,” said Nigel.

Meanwhile, national sailor Ryan Lo’s Asian Games title defence was far from plain sailing.

He endured a difficult start, with some larger scores in his opening races, challenging conditions and an unfortunate early-start disqualification in his sixth race on Thursday morning (Oct 1).

“The whole week was actually very tough. Couldn't really predict the conditions. One race would be on the left, one race would be on the right. There wasn't really a clear pattern, so definitely very hard racing to try to piece together a good regatta,” Lo said.

“I just wasn't able to capitalise on those days, especially the second day. I had quite a few big scores, which definitely cost me a lot.”

The 29-year-old drew on his experience and resolve to bounce back in the remaining three races of the qualification series with a 3-2-3 finish to stay in striking distance of a podium spot.

“It was a big day on the water. Four races, strong winds. All to play for yesterday, so I was going in with an attacking mindset, trying to get as low points as possible. Unfortunately, in the first race I was a bit eager, so I was over the line, and that cost me a bit. I tried to bounce back from that and got three decent scores, which kept me in the game coming into today,” Lo said.

“I think I can be quite proud of how I handled every day. I always tried fighting back, and just happy to have done my best. “

Lo's biggest takeaway from the campaign was his ability to "come back from tough experiences". Photo: SpexSG/ Damrongsak Angsuworapruek

Before Friday’s (Oct 2) two-race final, Lo was fourth in the standings, five points behind fellow 2026 ILCA7 World Championships finalist Nicholas Halliday of Hong Kong.

But sixth- and seventh-placed finishes in the final caused him to slip down to fifth (25 points), behind Vishnu Saravanan (21 points).

Veteran Ha Jee-min (nine points) took his fourth Asiad gold, while Halliday (11 points) clinched silver. Malaysia’s Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy (14 points) rounded off the podium.

Reflecting on his fourth Asian campaign, Lo added: “I don’t think any athlete’s sailing career has been a bed of roses… After all these experiences, setbacks and victories, I think the setbacks are the ones that really shape who I am. I think I can be proud of how I’ve dealt with these situations and come back from tough experiences.”

The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.