SINGAPORE – So many athletes have set this SEA Games alight with their performances.
But as the Games comes to an end, we look at 20 we wish could just stay on a little longer – after all, they are so easy on the eyes.
MALE ATHLETES
Tyler Christian Ruiz, Philippines, 23 (High jump)
This Filipino-American dreamboat doesn’t just excel in sport – he’s pretty nifty on the piano and guitar too.
Finished fifth in the men’s high jump with a 2.08m effort, well short of his personal best of 2.13m.
Irfan Fandi, Singapore, 17 (Football)
The eldest son of Singapore legend Fandi Ahmad appears to have inherited the best of both worlds – his famous father’s footballing talent, and his mother’s (former model Wendy Jacobs) good looks.
With his strapping 1.87m frame and smouldering stare, small wonder then that the Young Lions striker already has a rabid following of young female fans on social media.
Kenny Bun, Cambodia, 25 (Tennis)
Born in France, the tanned and wiry Bun is coolness personified on the tennis court. Won a bronze in the men’s singles.
Brandon Ooi, Singapore, 20 (Canoeing)
A ripped physique has seen Ooi appearing in The Straits Times’ Hot Bods section, on the cover (shirtless) of weekly magazine 8 Days and receiving several modelling offers.
Won gold and silver medals in the men’s K2 1,000m and K4 200m events respectively.
Sarach Yooyen, Thailand, 23 (Football)
On the football pitch, the skipper orchestrates his team’s play from the heart of midfield.
Off it, Yooyen, who plays for Muangthong United in the Thai Premier League, has got female fans swooning over his ruggedly handsome face.
Pham Phuoc Hung, Vietnam, 26 (Gymnastics)
Lithe, flexible and sporting an eye-catching crop of dyed-gold hair, the artistic gymnast has turned heads at the Bishan Sports Hall.
Pham concluded his campaign with a gold, two silvers and two bronzes.
Harry Morris, Philippines, 30 (Rugby)
The British-Filipino marine biologist and TV host combines brawn and brains in one hunky package. Has also endorsed several products back in the Philippines.
Mark Leong, Singapore, 17 (Waterski)
Leong, who has German blood, has been making waves at the Bedok Reservoir alongside golden girl Sasha Christian. Set a new national record on his way to clinching the men’s slalom title.
FEMALE ATHLETES
Lindswell Kwok, Indonesia, 23 (Wushu)
This taijiquan and tajijian world champion packs a lethal punch, winning gold in both optional events at these Games.
Kwok is a fan of singer Bruno Mars and has a unique ritual of trimming her locks before or after a competition, which she says helps her alleviate the tension.
Rachel Daquis, Philippines, 27 (Volleyball)
With her model-like looks, this leggy beauty is, quite rightly, the poster girl for the sport in her country.
Daquis, who made the cover of FHM Philippines’ October 2014 issue, emerged seventh in a recent poll of the magazine’s top 10 sexiest women.
Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Malaysia, 21 (Gymnastics)
Despite doing her country proud with six golds, the artistic gymnast found herself at the centre of a controversy when netizens accused her of wearing revealing attire to compete.
Her sister Katarina Abdul Hadi is in Malaysia’s synchronised swimming squad.
Thidasavanh Sotthachit, Laos, 17 (Taekwondo)
The Vientiane native, who made her Games debut in Singapore, is still in high school and is a fan of rock band Maroon 5. Interestingly, the school is called Sotthachit School as her mother is the principal.
She lost her women’s Under-62kg semi-final bout to eventual champion Ha Thi Nguyen of Vietnam.
Nurul Suhaila, Singapore, 20 (Silat)
Suhaila, along with her older sister and fellow silat exponent Shafiqah, have been dubbed the “white twins” due to their fair complexion.
The Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Film and Media Studies alumnus is interested in a career in TV production.
Sailub Lertratanachai, Thailand, 22 (Equestrian)
The sweet-looking Sailub is the eldest daughter of famous Thai radio DJ Vinit Lertratanachai. Her younger sister Siengsaw is also in Thailand’s equestrian team.
Katharina Lehnert, Philippines, 21 (Tennis)
While rainy weather put a dampener on large chunks of the tennis competition, German-born Lehnert certainly made up for it with her showbiz looks.
She won a bronze in the women’s singles and two silvers in the doubles and team events.
Chanboramey Ngoun, Cambodia, 27 (Sepak takraw)
Ngoun, who was part of the regu team that lost all three of their group matches at the Games, has been approached by Cambodia’s state television network to work as one of its emcees.
Her personal Facebook page shows the pretty 27-year-old supporting her compatriots at various events and checking out the sights in Singapore.
Liane Wong, Singapore, 21 (Fencing)
Wong’s older sister Cheryl also fences, with the duo picking up the sport at a young age after watching their brother fence. The siblings, together with Wang Wenying and Nicole Wong, picked up a gold in the women’s team foil event.
Larasati Gading, Indonesia, 43 (Equestrian)
Gading, a mother of three, cut a glamorous figure during the equestrian competition. She is also a successful entrepreneur back home, running her own equestrian school and supplies company.
The veteran trotted away with both the dressage individual and team titles.
Shelby Koh, Singapore, 20 (Netball)
Koh, who plays wing attack, is of mixed parentage – her father is Singaporean and mother, Australian. The 1.75cm-tall beauty loves Indian food and bubble tea.
Part of the team which beat rivals Malaysia to secure a historic netball gold.
Chelsea Sim, Singapore, 19 (Taekwondo)
Sim’s petite 1.50m frame belies a fiercely competitive streak – she bounced back from the disappointment of losing out on a gold in the individual poomsae two years ago in Myanmar to secure victory on home soil.
Loves shopping and watching TV series like any ordinary girl, but watch out for her swift, gravity-defying kicks.