Member of HDB dragon boat team dies after race at Water Sports Centre in Kallang​

A member of HDB dragon boat team has died after a race at the Singapore Sports Hub’s Water Sports Centre in Kallang on Sunday (Nov 16) morning.

The 49-year-old was participating in the Singapore Regatta Waterfest as a member of a 30-strong team comprising staff from HDB.

Responding to AsiaOne’s queries, the Housing Board said that it is "deeply saddened" by his death. 

He had collapsed while resting after the race, the statement said.

"He was transported to the hospital for medical attention, where he later passed on after unsuccessful resuscitation attempts by the emergency crew," said HDB. 

“Our thoughts are with his family, friends and our own colleagues who are grieving this sudden loss. We are in close contact with the family and are providing them our fullest support and assistance during this difficult time."

An eyewitness, who declined to be named, told AsiaOne that he saw the man lying near the railings outside the toilet in the Water Sports Centre at around 10am.

"Another passerby immediately called for the medic’s assistance and we helped to carry him onto the stretcher before he was wheeled away," he said.

Another participant said organisers announced the man’s death at around noon, after which a minute of silence was observed.

Speaking to AsiaOne, the captain of “Team HDB” said the team was "still a bit shaken" by the death of one of its members.

"We have one more race in the afternoon, and we are going to continue to race for him," she said in the morning.

The event continued in the afternoon before it was cancelled due to bad weather.

The police told AsiaOne that they were alerted to a case of unnatural death at Tan Tock Seng Hospital at 12.20pm. 

The man, who was admitted to the hospital unconscious, was subsequently pronounced dead. 

Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play. 

Singapore Regatta Waterfest’s organisers Kallang Alive Sports Management and the Singapore Dragon Boat Association (SDBA) said in a joint statement that the man was given immediate medical assistance and was taken to hospital.

“We are deeply saddened by the incident, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time,” they added. 

Held from Nov 14 to 16, the annual event saw nearly 4,000 participants in what organisers described as one of the biggest dragon boat races in the country.

Hundreds of competitors, from educational institutions, business organisations and other entities, vied to be the quickest over a 200m distance in the Kallang Basin.

An SDBA official said the HDB staff member who died on Sunday had taken part in a race on Day 2 of the event the day before (Nov 15) “without any issue.”

https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/member-hdb-dragon-boat-team-dies-during-race-water-sports-centre-kallang