Part 6
Written by Amir Rusyaidi Osman
Edited by Emmy Kwan
SEA Games
BREAKDOWN
9 Months Out: THROWS
Discus Throw
Published 30 March 2025
In the women’s discus, the crown has been vacant—but not forgotten.
Since National U18 record holder Jasmin Phua last stepped into the circle in March 2023, Singapore has lacked a clear leader in the event. But in 2024, an unexpected name briefly returned to the top of the rankings—Wan Lay Chi, the 2011 SEA Games shot put bronze medallist and long-time stalwart of Singaporean throws.
Though she has not been a regular presence on the competition circuit in recent years, Lay Chi made a quiet comeback in early 2024, launching a 37.84m effort in her first discus competition since 2021. It was the season’s leading mark—one that no Singaporean had surpassed since Jasmin herself. While it remains to be seen whether the 36-year-old will return to SEA Games contention, her performance served as a poignant reminder of her greatness, and of the high standards she helped set for generations to come.
Now, a new wave of throwers is rising to meet that standard.
Neo Ee Nin
Leading the charge is 19-year-old Neo Ee Nin, one of Singapore’s brightest young prospects. In 2024, she stormed to victory at the National School Games A Division, then stunned the field at the Malaysian Open with a personal best of 36.54m—an improvement of nearly three metres. Already with multiple 30m+ throws under her belt this season, Ee Nin is finding rhythm, confidence, and consistency. With experience at the SEA U18 Championships, she’s looking more and more like a future flagbearer for the event.
Challenging her every step of the way is Emma Tan, just 18 years old. After narrowly missing the podium at the 2023 SEA Youth Championships, Emma bounced back with poise and purpose, throwing a lifetime best of 34.83m to win the 2025 SA Age Group Championships—a statement victory over Ee Nin in a thrilling head-to-head duel. Emma now leads the national rankings and looks primed to contend for the A Division crown next month.
With the SEA Games standard sitting at 45.08m, both athletes still have ground to cover. But their steady rise—and the fire of their growing rivalry—are exactly what this discipline needs. And with Lay Chi’s legacy shining in the background, this new generation is rising on the shoulders of giants.
On the men’s side, Eric Yee is the outright favourite. Since 2023, Eric is averaging 46.34m from 18 competitions, and has finished all 16 out of 21 competitions over 45m. His best of 49.51m from March 2024 puts him at number 3 all time. He has already represented Singapore at the SEA Games in 2019, and has gone for the Asian Throwing Championships in 2023 and 2024. Eric opened his season with a 43.97m, but will we see Eric push his way past the 50m mark this year? It’s certainly possible.
Behind him, there are some interesting challengers, with Jonathan Low being the main one having the spotlight. Jonathan has a personal best of 45.01m set in 2023, and in 2025 he’s looking like a real threat to continue that progression. He is currently the rankings leader with a season’s best of 44.41m, set en route to his maiden IVP gold earlier this year. That is his second best second-best throw ever, and his best since breaking the 45m mark in 2023.
Emma Tan
There’s also Tan Jun Jie, 2024 National School Games A Division Discus (1.50kg) champion. The Raffles Institution student is the favourite going into this year’s National School Games, and he underlined his status as the standard bearer by throwing 43.36m in the open category at the recent All Comers 2 meet. That places him as 3rd this year behind Eric Yee and Jonathan Low, both of whom are over 5 years older than Jun Jie.
The SEA Games qualification mark is 50.02m, so the bar is high. But with Eric’s proximity to the mark, Jonathan’s upward momentum, and Jun Jie’s rapid rise, the men’s discus field is stronger than it’s been in a while.
Javelin Throw
It’s been nearly a decade since Singapore last fielded a women’s javelin thrower at the SEA Games—but Feng Han Qi is making a strong case to change that.
At just 19, Han Qi is quietly becoming one of the brightest talents in Singapore’s throwing scene. With a personal best of 35.78m, set in December 2023, she joins an exclusive club of Singaporean women who have crossed the 35m mark—an impressive milestone in a technical and often overlooked event.
Feng Han Qi
But what truly sets her apart is her consistency. Since April 2023, Han Qi has thrown over 33m in every single competition she’s completed. In a discipline where fluctuations are common, that kind of reliability speaks volumes about her technique and mental composure.
Her breakout season has already seen international recognition. In 2024, she made her national team debut at the Asian Throwing Championships, gaining valuable experience against elite regional competition. Back home, she backed that up with a bronze medal at the 2024 Singapore Open, holding her own against seasoned athletes.
The SEA Games qualifying standard sits at 48.31m—a significant leap from her current best—but it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about the momentum, the growth, and the potential. Han Qi is still early in her career, and the foundation she’s laying now could very well lead to a major breakthrough.
If anyone is going to end Singapore’s javelin drought on the women’s side, it’s Feng Han Qi. And with every meet, every throw, and every centimetre gained, she’s getting closer to bringing the javelin back to the SEA Games stage.
In the world of javelin, one throw can change everything—and in 2020, Justyn Phoa did exactly that.
Breaking a 32-year-old national record, Justyn hurled the spear 61.07m, becoming the first Singaporean to breach the elusive 60m barrier. It was a landmark moment for the sport locally, signaling the start of a new era. Since then, two others have joined the 60m club, showing that the event is slowly but surely gaining traction.
Though Justyn hasn’t been active since October 2023, his legacy has already inspired the next generation. And at the forefront of that new wave is Lucas Wong.
Still only 20, Lucas has become the gold standard of consistency in Singaporean javelin. Since 2022, he has thrown over 55m in all but two competitions, a remarkable level of steadiness in such a volatile event. His landmark moment came at the 2023 Asian U20 Athletics Championships, where he launched the spear 60.82m—a national U20 record, and a throw that firmly stamped his name on the region’s radar.
He topped Singapore’s javelin rankings for three straight years—59.49m in 2022, 60.82m in 2023, and 58.63m in 2024. While he hasn’t yet returned to the 60m heights this season, Lucas remains the most promising male javelin thrower Singapore has produced in years.
The SEA Games standard stands at 66.20m, the bronze medal mark from the 2023 edition—a tall ask for any local thrower. But if anyone can make that leap, it’s Lucas. With youth on his side, consistent development, and a competitive mindset, he could very well end Singapore’s absence in men’s javelin at the Games—a void that has lasted since Koh Thong En last represented the nation in 2017.
The distance may be daunting, but Lucas Wong has already proven that the path from promise to podium begins with belief—and the next big breakthrough might just be a throw away.
Shot Put
In Singaporean women’s shot put, no name has shone brighter in recent years than Melissa Yee.
Since 2018, she has stood atop the national rankings with unwavering consistency, quietly but confidently building a legacy of dominance. Her breakthrough came at the 2022 ASEAN University Games, where she launched a towering 12.96m to claim the bronze medal—a mark that elevated her to 5th on Singapore’s all-time list.
That throw didn’t just earn her a podium finish. It signaled the arrival of a true contender.
In 2023, Melissa brought her talents to the region’s grandest stage, making her SEA Games debut in Phnom Penh. Though she was up against Southeast Asia’s finest, she held her own with the poise of a seasoned competitor.
And now, in 2025, she may be primed for another leap forward.
Melissa opened her season with a 12.02m effort—her best mark since her 2022 personal best. It’s a promising sign that she could be heading into one of her biggest seasons yet. The SEA Games qualifying standard of 14.44m remains a steep climb, but Melissa has proven she knows how to rise in championship moments.
With her experience, track record, and growing momentum, she remains Singapore’s best hope for a return to the women’s shot put circle at the 2025 SEA Games.
While his name is most often associated with the discus circle, Eric Yee has quietly become Singapore’s undisputed shot put leader in recent years.
A multi-talented thrower with a deep well of strength and rotational power, Eric has topped the national rankings in the shot put for three straight seasons—launching 13.42m in 2022, 13.38m in 2023, and 12.95m in 2024. That kind of reliability is rare, especially in an event where technical precision and brute force must work in perfect harmony.
But in the hunt for SEA Games qualification, reliability must meet reach.
The bar has been set high—17.30m, to be exact. It’s a mark not seen by any Singaporean since Dong Enxin’s prime in the early 2000s. And it’s been nearly a decade since Wong Kai Yuen last flew the flag in this event at the 2017 SEA Games.
That said, Eric is no stranger to breaking barriers. His trajectory in the discus has already seen him rise to third on Singapore’s all-time list, and it’s clear that the work ethic driving that success is just as present in his shot put development. If he ever decides to double down on the event—refining technique, sharpening explosiveness—he could inch closer to that elusive 14m and beyond.
For now, Eric remains the cornerstone of Singapore’s shot put scene, and while the SEA Games may not be in immediate reach, he continues to keep the door open. In a discipline that has seen little national movement in recent years, he stands as a reminder that progress, no matter how incremental, keeps the dream alive.
Hammer Throw
Hammer throw has long been Singapore’s most elusive field event, with few opportunities to compete and even fewer breakthroughs. But there are signs of renewed momentum.
In the women’s hammer, Melissa Yee is quietly chasing history—again. Once the national record holder, Melissa set a mark of 37.76m back in 2017, a throw that stood atop Singapore’s all-time list until Valerie Loong surpassed it in 2018 with a 38.57m effort. Now ranked second in history, Melissa is closing in once more. Her 2024 season’s best of 35.46m suggests she’s within striking distance—and if her form continues, the record may not remain untouched for much longer.
On the men’s side, Eric Yee is beginning to find his rhythm. A dominant force in the discus, Eric only made his hammer debut in October 2023, recording a strong 33.54m. Just a month later, in November 2024, he returned with a huge improvement—35.95m, launching himself to 8th on the all-time list in just his second competition.
It’s no coincidence that both Melissa and Eric are adapting so well. The rotational dynamics of hammer, though distinct, share much in common with discus and shot put. Their solid foundation of balance, timing, and explosive strength is proving transferable across disciplines.
The SEA Games standard remains high—49.61m for women, 59.76m for men—but early signs of progress are promising. And for once, there’s momentum. After years in the shadows, the hammer throw is finally gaining traction, with two competitions already held in 2024.
With increased opportunities and committed athletes like Melissa and Eric leading the way, the groundwork is being laid—not just for individual breakthroughs, but for a revival of the hammer throw in Singapore.
WRAPPING UP
Singapore’s throws scene has been playing catch-up in Southeast Asia for the better part of a decade. But now, a new generation is beginning to shift the narrative.
In the discus, Eric Yee leads the men’s field with his consistent 45m+ throws, while Jonathan Low and rising schoolboy Tan Jun Jie bring depth and promise. On the women’s side, Neo Ee Nin and Emma Tan are trading blows in the 34m range, sparking a rivalry that could define the next few years. A surprise comeback from Wan Lay Chi, who threw 37.84m in early 2024, reminded everyone of the legacy they’re chasing.
In the javelin, Lucas Wong, Singapore’s U20 record holder, has been the most consistent male thrower in recent years. On the women’s side, Feng Han Qi leads the charge, having cleared 35m and gained valuable international exposure.
In the shot put, Melissa Yee continues to top the national rankings and remains Singapore’s best hope for the women’s event, while Eric Yee holds steady as the leading man, showcasing his power across both the shot and discus.
Even in the traditionally overlooked hammer throw, there are signs of renewed life. Melissa sits second all-time and is eyeing the national record, while Eric, in just two competitions, has already broken into the all-time top 10. With more events being held in 2024, there’s finally a foundation for progress in this long-neglected event.
The SEA Games qualifying marks remain daunting—but for the first time in years, Singapore’s throws are showing structure, promise, and upward momentum. The future may not have arrived just yet—but it’s certainly on its way.
* results obtained via Singapore Athletics archives and the respective World Athletics pages
PREDICTED SEA GAMES 2025 TEAM
EVENTS | MALE | FEMALE |
|---|---|---|
Discus Throw | ERIC YEE, JONATHAN LOW | NEO EE NIN, EMMA TAN |
Javelin Throw | LUCAS WONG | FENG HAN QI |
Shotput | ERIC YEE | MELISSA YEE |
Hammer Throw | ERIC YEE | MELISSA YEE |