Hard Tackle

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. On Dec 19, Loh Kean Yew stunned the badminton world by becoming the first Singaporean to win the World Championships. He talks to David Lee about his win, his feelings at almost having to withdraw through injury and what comes after winning gold. Highlights of conversation (click/tap above): 1:10 What the gold medal...

ST Sports Talk Ep 141: Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt on Man United woes 14:32 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. Manchester United legends Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt are on this episode of ST Sports Talk, to discuss the problems that have plagued their former club this season leading to the sacking of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The two former Red...

ST Sports Talk Ep 140: Hariss Harun on his first SPL title; eyeing 2nd Suzuki Cup 20:52 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In our 140th episode, national football team captain Hariss Harun added another accolade to his trophy-laden career when he lifted the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title on October 10 with the Lion City Sailors. The Sailor...

ST Sports Talk Ep 139: Singapore footballer Siti Rosnani Azman on going pro and life in Japan 20:52 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. While chasing her dream of playing football professionally, Siti Rosnani Azman herded cows and picked fruit to extend her work and holiday visa during her stint with semi-pro club South West Queensland Thund...

ST Sports Talk Ep 138 (Pt 2): Yip Pin Xiu on Olympics and Paralympics prize money disparity debate in Singapore  9:35 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu won her second gold of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, cruising to victory in the S2 50m backstroke final on Sept 2. With the victory, Yip, 29, has retained the two titles s...

ST Sports Talk Ep 137 (Pt 1): Yip Pin Xiu on staying at the top as a Paralympic gold-medal champion  21:25 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu won her second gold of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, cruising to victory in the S2 50m backstroke final on Sept 2. With the victory, Yip, 29, has retained the two titles she won at R...

ST Sports Talk Ep 136: MCCY's Edwin Tong on Joseph Schooling, fairweather sports fans, athlete accountability 16:20 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. Team Singapore has returned home from the Tokyo Olympics empty-handed but Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong insisted that there were "a lot of positives". These included the rec...

ST Sports Talk Ep 135: Road to the Olympics: The Joseph Schooling interview 18:55 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. After winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, life for swimmer Joseph Schooling is now a grind of sweat and purpose with a break only for Netflix and a rare 9 holes of golf. He shares the lessons he has learnt since then and his pr...

ST Sports Talk Ep 134: What is next for Lions after Middle East disappointment? 21:47 mins Synopsis: ST Sports Talk is The Straits Times' monthly sports podcast. In this episode, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan invite former professional player and coach Shasi Kumar - who commentated on all three of Singapore’s World Cup qualifying matches in Saud...

ST Sports Talk Ep 133: More teenage footballers in Singapore Premier League - good or bad? 19:47 mins Synopsis: ST Sports Talk is The Straits Times' monthly sports podcast. In this episode, sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan hosts Young Lions head coach Philippe Aw and former youth coach Khairul Asyraf to talk about the emergence of 15-17 year-old footballers in the Singapore Premier League. Aw and...

ST Sports Talk Ep 132: Are more S’porean parents ready to back their children’s sporting dreams? 24:39 mins Synopsis: ST Sports Talk is The Straits Times' monthly sports podcast. In this episode, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and sports reporter Laura Chia invite Vera Ong and David Chua, who are among a growing group of parents who have gone against the traditional grain and t...

ST Sports Talk Ep 131: Will Liverpool or Man United offer a stiffer challenge to City next season? 22:59 mins Synopsis: ST Sports Talk is The Straits Times' monthly sports podcast. In this episode, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz discusses with EMTM Video features editor Jonathan Roberts - a Liverpool fan - and ST sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan - a Manchester United supporter - about wha...

ST Sports Talk Ep 130: Ex-Malaysia Cup star Abbas Saad reflects on rollercoaster football journey 7:22 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, sports correspondent David Lee talks to Singapore's former Malaysia Cup star Abbas Saad, who is in town to undergo the Asian Football Confederation Pro Licence course. Abbas talks about how he...

ST Sports Talk Ep 129: Adriano Moraes on his journey from street fighter to MMA champion 8:38 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz talks to One Championship’s flyweight world champion Adriano Moraes, on the back of his highlight-reel knockout of distinguished mixed martial arts (MMA) fi...

ST Sports Talk Ep 128: A microscope over the business of the breakaway European Super League 30:07 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with James Walton, who is sports business group leader at Deloitte South East Asia, about the financial reasons behind the audacious bid for a breakawa...

ST Sports Talk Ep 127: Jose Mourinho on pressure, man-management and Singapore 12:45 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In this episode, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chats with Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho, who spoke to ST in an exclusive interview after a virtual live event organised by the club’s main sponsors AIA. T...

ST Sports Talk Ep 126: More Chinese footballers, and a SEA Games gold by 2029? 11:23 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In the final of a three-part series, ST sports editor Lee Yulin and sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chat with the two men spearheading the government’s ambitious Unleash The Roar! project to lift Singapore football...

ST Sports Talk Ep 125: Can children succeed in SG football with a good post-playing career? 13:23 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In the second of a three-part series, ST sports editor Lee Yulin and sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chat with the two men spearheading the government’s ambitious Unleash The Roar! project to lift Sing...

ST Sports Talk Ep 124: How can football build a culture of excellence needed for Unleash The Roar plan? 12:27 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points every month. In the first of a three-part series, ST sports editor Lee Yulin and sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz chat with the two men spearheading the government’s ambitious Unleash The Roar! project t...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 123: No shouting please; live tennis in the age of Covid 11:00 mins Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast. This week, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and sports reporter Laura Chia chat about the recently-concluded Singapore Tennis Open, and the new norm of covering international live sports events. They discuss: Antigen Rapid Tests...

#GameofTwoHalves Ep 122: Former US Open winner Marin Cilic talks pressure, focus and beating Federer 14:27 mins Synopsis: #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast. This week, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath chat with world No.48 tennis player Marin Cilic, who is in town for the Singapore Tennis Open that takes place at the OCBC...

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second and fourth week of the month. This week, sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz talks to Victoria Lee, the 16-year-old sister of One Championship mixed martial arts (MMA) world champions Christian and Angela. Victoria will make her professional MMA debut against Thailand’s Sunisa Srisen at One Championship’s Fists of Fury...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 120: An Australian Open like no other 14:20 mins Synopsis: #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times’ weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week, ST sports editor Lee Yulin and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath discuss tennis’ first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, which began on Monday (Feb 8). The topics: Rohit assesses the men’s...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 119: What is the impact of cancelling the Olympics? 14:28 mins Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week, sports correspondent David Lee, assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath and sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan look at the possible scenario of the Tokyo Olympics being cancelled due to the coronavir...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 118: Are profiteers targeting sports-starved Singaporeans? 14:06 mins Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan explore an ST news report that revealed bookings for public sports facilities are being resold - at a higher rate - on...