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Sailor Trevor Ng during a practice session at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: OIS/Nic Bothma
Singapore’s sailors concluded their Youth Olympic Games outing in good spirits on 12 Nov, with Kate Teo finishing 11th in the women’s windsurfing event and Trevor Ng placing 12th in the men’s after scoring 103 and 110 points respectively.
On the final day of the sailing competition at Saly Beach, the last of the three scheduled races was cancelled due to wind conditions causing the race limit to be expired.
The Singaporeans have much to be proud of, having had to adapted to unfamiliar conditions while racing at their biggest international regatta to date.
Singapore sailor Trevor Ng is proud of how he has grown over the five days of windsurfing races at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: OIS/Felix Diemer
Ng, who had found the first two days of racing particularly challenging, said: “Over the five days of racing, I’ve grown a lot since the start of the Youth Olympic Games. I’m just really proud to be here to represent Singapore, so I’m feeling very complete and I feel like I’ve made my mark.
“I’ve learnt to recover faster, and not to give up so easily because anything can happen in these conditions. I also learnt to be more mentally fit and to be more aware of other people and what they are doing in their races. Improvement in skills, definitely, but mentally (I hope) it has strengthened me as well.
“I look forward to getting started on my next games already, moving up to the 8.5m (sail) now. I think I’ve gathered a lot from this experience and I’m ready to move on to the next step.”
Teo takes with her similar lessons in resilience, having battled illness over the last two days.
Kate Teo picked up windsurfing just 1 1/2 years ago, and finished 11th at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: OIS/Nic Bothma
Describing how she exhorted herself to keep going, the 15-year-old said: “It was just more of me getting through the day, like ‘Come on Kate, you can do it, don’t retire, you can push through.’
“It did teach me that even when you’re sick and you have a fat headache, you can still race. As long as you have the mentality, I still think that you can do well to a certain degree.”
The former school swimmer picked up windsurfing just 1 ½ years ago, and has been captivated by the speed and exhilaration of gliding across the water. Her first experience of a major international competition has left her wanting more.
“After this, I’m trying my luck to qualify for the SEA Games in Malaysia next year,” said Teo, a student at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School.
“We also have the Asian Championships in January so I will see everybody here again. It’s exciting to see my friends in Singapore this time, and it’ll be my first time racing such a big competition locally.”
Kate Teo is looking forward to reconnecting with familiar faces from the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games at the 2027 Asian Championships in Singapore. Photo: OIS/Nic Bothma
A highlight of both athletes’ Dakar 2026 experience has been getting to spend time in the village, as well as getting to know their international counterparts and fellow Team Singapore athletes.
Ng, 16, said of his roommates (gymnast Xavier Pang, hurdler Daryen Ko and fencer Ashton Auw): “They are a big part of my support team as I race. They are always there for me and they comfort me if I had a bad day, and they always accompany me to go and eat. It has made my experience much more enjoyable. I didn’t expect to have such a good time at the village.”
Teo hopes the new friendships formed with her compatriots and international athletes remain strong after the Games.
She added: “The friends here you make are also global; you can go home and open your Instagram app, and be like, ‘Wah, I have friends from all over the world.’
“Even though some of them don’t really speak English, it’s ok especially if you do the same sport. You guys can always find common ground. I always feel that making friends through sports is a really great thing because you understand each other.”
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games takes place from 31 October to 13 November 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.
