Kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, wushu exponent Zeanne Law win top honours at Singapore Sports Awards

Maximilian Maeder and Zeanne Law were named Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the Singapore Sports Awards. PHOTOS: ST FILE, CHEAH CHENG POH

Kimberly Kwek

UPDATED Jun 21, 2025, 01:27 AM

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SINGAPORE – Standout performances in 2024 saw Maximilian Maeder and Zeanne Law named Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for the first time at the Singapore Sports Awards on June 20.

In doing so, they also achieved a rare accomplishment, as they became the first athletes in two decades to claim both junior and senior honours in consecutive years.

Kitefoiler Maeder had previously won the Sportsboy of the Year award for three consecutive years, while wushu exponent Law picked up the Sportsgirl of the Year accolade in 2024.

Swimmer Mark Chay was the last male athlete to be crowned the 2001 Sportsboy and 2002 Sportsman, while sailor Joan Huang claimed the 1998 Sportsgirl and 1999 Sportswoman gongs.

Both Maeder and Law were not present at the annual awards ceremony at Swissotel The Stamford Singapore, as they are overseas preparing for upcoming competitions.

Though he was unable to attend the ceremony as he is training in France, Maeder conveyed his appreciation and shared a few reflections through his parents Valentin and Teng Hwee Keng, who spoke to the media after the ceremony.

Valentin noted that Maeder also highlighted how meaningful it has been to see the impact of his journey, particularly after the Paris Olympics.

“He would like to say how happy he was to see how, in many interactions, especially after the Olympics, with his ways and influence, he could change the way young people started to look at sport and also the parents who then dare to let their kids pursue athletics,” said Valentin.

Maximilian Maeder’s parents Valentin and Hwee Keng collect his Sportsman of the year award from (from left) Tan Choon Shian, Chief Executive of Tote Board, Grace Fu, the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, and David Neo, the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth of Singapore, during the Singapore Sports Awards held at Swissotel The Stamford on June 20, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Maeder edged out strong contenders – silat exponent Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin, pool player Aloysius Yapp, badminton’s Loh Kean Yew and wushu exponent Jowen Lim – to clinch the Sportsman gong.

The 18-year-old is the first sailor to win the top men’s award since 1999, when Siew Shaw Her, who won gold in the men’s 420 class at the 1998 Asian Games, received the accolade.

Maeder dominated the international kitefoiling circuit in 2024, winning nearly every event, including the European and World Championships.

In August, he became Singapore’s sixth and youngest Olympic medallist after securing thebronze at the Marseille Marina.

After the Olympics, Maeder continued his fine form by clinching the overall title at the Kitefoil World Series, before capping off a stellar season with victory at the Formula Kite Youth European Championships.

His achievements were further recognised in November, when he was named World Sailing’s Male Young Sailor of the Year.

Meanwhile, Law also became the first wushu exponent to pick up the Sportswoman of the Year gong.

The other nominees for the award were Daphne Tan (bowling), Valencia Yip (kickboxing), Teh Xiu Hong (shooting), Nurdianna Sidek (silat) and Gan Ching Hwee (swimming).

In 2024, Law won the women’s taijiquan and optional taijishan events at the World Taijiquan Championships in Singapore, in addition to a women’s optional taijiquan gold at the Asian Wushu Championships.

Reflecting on the past year, Law, who is in Yunnan, China, preparing for the Taolu Asian Cup Championships, said: “In wushu taiji, I used to focus on how appealing my movements looked.

“But now I focus more on the significance and intention behind them – and that has taught me to make every step count, both in sport and in life.

“For that, I’d like to thank SNOC (the Singapore National Olympic Council), wuzong (wushu federation), my coaches, teammates and, most importantly, my family who have supported me along this journey.”

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Organised by the SNOC and Sport Singapore (SportSG), the annual ceremony honours outstanding sporting achievements of those who have done well at the national and international levels.

The event, which is supported by the Tote Board, was attended by SNOC president and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo.

It was also a big night for Singapore netball. The Vandas bagged the Team of the Year (event) accolade, with Yeo Mee Hong, who led them to their first Asian triumph in 10 years, named Coach of the Year.

Netball Singapore president Trina Liang said: “We didn’t expect it, but to win a double has been the icing on top of the cake.

“The team is going to be overjoyed when they hear about it, more so Mee Hong – she really deserves this.

“She’s been coaching for 20 over years, this is a culmination of all her effort over all these years.”

Singaporean netballers celebrate after the Vandas were named Team of the Year (Team Sport) at the Singapore Sports Awards ceremony at Swissotel The Stamford on June 20, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

The Straits Times senior correspondent David Lee picked up the Most Inspiring Sports Story of the Year award for his story Old Is Gold For Singapore’s 70-year-old Darts Legend Paul Lim.

Assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath and journalist Deepanraj Ganesan were also nominated for the award for their stories Joseph Schooling Took Us To Brilliant Places We’d Never Been To Before and From Despair To Delight: Jeralyn Tan’s Journey To Boccia Silver At The Paralympics respectively.

Singapore Sports Awards winners (selected)

Sportsman of the Year: Maximilian Maeder (Sailing)

Sportswoman of the Year: Zeanne Law (Wushu)

Sportsboy of the Year: Kai Minejima-Lee (Indoor Skydiving)

Sportsgirl of the Year: Charlotte Ng (Wushu)

Coach of the Year: Yeo Mee Hong (Netball)

Team of the Year (event): Bowling Men’s Team (2024 Asian Bowling Championships)

Team of the Year (sport): Netball team

Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing.

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