[Media Release] New NextGen Para Talent Programme to Develop Future National Para Athletes for High Performance Sporting Excellence
Pilot in partnership with Temasek Foundation aims to provide structured, more inclusive pathways to equip young para athletes with skills, resources and environment needed to progress towards success in competitions.
Credit: SDSC/Calvin Teoh
11 April 2026 – The Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) launched the NextGen Para Talent Programme (NextGen) at the Opening Ceremony of the Singapore Para Sports Championships 2026, held at Our Tampines Hub.
In partnership with Temasek Foundation, the pilot programme marks a significant milestone in strengthening Singapore’s para sport ecosystem by providing young persons with disabilities structured and individualised support, beyond existing community-level participation – from early identification through to competitive sport and national/international representation. The programme aligns with Singapore’s Disability Sports Master Plan 2024, which aims to grow sports participation among persons with disabilities to 70 per cent by 2030.
Building the Next Generation of Para Athletes
NextGen aims to identify, support, and develop aspiring athletes with disabilities aged 9 to 35, nurturing those with the potential and drive to represent Singapore on the regional and international stage. Over four years, the programme targets enrolling around 80 athletes, with the goal of at least half becoming eligible to be carded and receiving specialised support (under Sport Singapore’s (SportSG) Sport Excellence Carding framework), or improving their carding levels, and three-quarters competing regionally/internationally.
SDSC will work closely with mainstream schools, special education schools, social service agencies and inclusive workplaces to proactively identify and support emerging para sport talent. Through these partnerships, the programme ensures that promising athletes are not only supported through a national framework, but also enabled within their everyday environments.
Key sports under the programme include para athletics, para swimming, boccia, para table tennis, shooting para sport, para badminton, goalball, para archery, para cycling and para tenpin bowling – selected in alignment with SportSG. Athletes in other para sports may also be considered for inclusion in the programme.
Selected athletes will receive holistic, individualised support aligned with their development plans. This includes coaching, strength and conditioning, sports physiotherapy, mental skills training, transport subsidies, specialised equipment, as well as access to national and international classification and competition opportunities. Participants will also benefit from training alongside national teams and mentorship from national coaches and athletes.
Beyond athlete development, NextGen will strengthen collaboration with mainstream schools to create more inclusive sporting pathways. This includes supporting students with disabilities to participate in adapted sports during Physical Education, facilitating Direct School Admission applications based on sporting merit, as well as working with schools to recognise external para sport participation as part of co-curricular and extracurricular achievements.
Catalysing Support for NextGen
Temasek Foundation announced its commitment over four years to support the NextGen programme through the E W Barker Endowment, which was established to nurture sporting talent in Singapore.
To further amplify the programme’s impact, Temasek Foundation encourages like-minded partners to come forward to empower para athletes to realise their potential and thrive through sport. At the launch, the Xu Family Charity Foundation, a donor-advised fund administered by the Community Foundation of Singapore, also announced its commitment over three years to support the NextGen programme and para swimming development.
For more information, please visit: https://sdsc.org.sg/nextgen-para-talent/
Singapore Para Sports Championships 2026
The launch coincides with the start of the Singapore Para Sports Championships 2026 — SDSC’s annual national platform for talent identification and competition.
Graced by Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Opening Ceremony brought together approximately 600 para athletes, partners and supporters.
The Championships also saw active seniors competing in the open community category of the Tiger Balm National Boccia Championships 2026, demonstrating how the nature and adaptations of para sport can lead the way in improving accessibility to sports and physical activity for the larger community. Many of the participating seniors were first introduced to boccia through SDSC’s Tiger Balm WeHeartBoccia Programme, which empowers social service agencies such as St Luke’s Hospital to bring the sport directly into their communities — extending its physical, social, and emotional benefits while fostering a more inclusive society.
This year’s Championships will feature six sports — para athletics, para swimming, boccia, para tenpin bowling, para table tennis, and para lawn bowls — and will run from 11 April to 10 May 2026. All events are non-ticketed and open to the public.
For more information, please visit: https://sdsc.org.sg/calendar-of-events/
Quotes
Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, President, Singapore Disability Sports Council:
“The NextGen Para Talent Programme is the missing piece of our puzzle. By bridging the gap between early interest and elite performance, we aren’t just dreaming of future medals; we are actively investing in the courage and potential of our youth.”
Ng Boon Heong, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation:
“Promising young para athletes in Singapore face various challenges. Through the NextGen Programme supported through the E W Barker Endowment, Temasek Foundation seeks to inspire a more inclusive culture for generations of para athletes and enable them to perform at the highest levels. By partnering with like-minded organisations, we hope to catalyse lasting impact in our para sport ecosystem.”
Mr Xu Wen You, SDSC Ambassador, Founder of the Xu Family Charity Foundation:
“By investing in NextGen and para swimming, we seek to unlock potential early, build enduring pathways, and affirm that true inclusion creates meaningful opportunities for every athlete to fully excel.”
Moza Baihakki, National Para Swimmer:
“The Next Gen programme is a great stepping stone towards the success of current and future para athletes, to have a well-rounded experience training and representing Singapore honourably.
Nurulasyiqah Binte Mohammad Taha, Paralympian, Boccia:
“Reflecting on my journey over the past two decades, I think a programme like Next Gen would have provided me with much needed support in identifying and remunerating a regular ramp operator to assist me during weekly boccia training and serve as my athlete competition partner at national competitions. Knowing that there will always be a person to assist me when I turn up for training sessions would have eased a lot of the mental load for me. With the right support system in place from the start, young athletes can focus more effectively on developing their skills.”
Shanthi Sivasamy, Parent of Bhramarueban Premakumar (Para athlete, Age 14):
“I believe a structured and dedicated sports programme provides the foundation and benefit for children with disabilities to achieve physical mastery, social cohesion, holistic and long-term growth. This is clearly seen in Rueban, who seamlessly continued his boccia training through his transition to secondary school while finding a sense of belonging through power-soccer. Now, he enthusiastically shares the joy of both sports with his peers. Ultimately, a structured framework provides the support where a para athlete’s drive becomes their defining trait, moving the focus beyond their disability.”