3 days of wet weather almost ruined the conscientious effort of the
people of Rugao in organizing this bi annual event. Rain came pouring
exactly on the first day of the Meet and during the Opening Ceremony.
This did not dampen the spirit of the people of Rugao. The children and
youth were out in full force to welcome the visitors and athletes to the
game, donning raincoats over their beautiful costumes. They were full
of enthusiasm and charmingly disarming. They danced in the rain, as
young as 10 or 11 years old. The youths were in high spirit, boisterous
and in a joyous mood, their youthful innocence and carefree spirit were
more than enough to bring joy to everyone. This event could be their
first international event and they were putting out their very best to
make the visitors feel welcomed.
Fair weather returned on the third day and so were the medals. Singapore
came home with 4 golds, 5 silvers and 9 bronzes. (3 still unaccountable)
The top performer in Team Singapore is Tan Kim Seng with 2 gold in 200m
and 400m in the 55-59 age group. 85 year old Kor Hong Fatt did just as
impressive with gold in 10,000km, silver in 5,000km and bronze in
1,500m. The other gold is from Steven in 200m. Steven also won a bronze for 100m as well. Ansgar won a silver for 5000m. Jason, the team leader brought home a silver for his 100m
hurdles and was poised for a gold in his favourite event in the 400m
hurdles but had to rush home after receiving message that his mother had
a stroke. Belinda Foo and Linda too had their shares of silvers and
bronzes.
And Leong Hon Cheong just reminded me that I have left out my good friend Paul Su, ex national runner and his bronze medal for 100m.
More details of the medals winners will be added to this post later.
The Singapore Team also had the services of Rick Mather, a PR from UK
and Mark Dixon from Australia and Reza from Iran. Rick brought home 2
bronzes, for the men’s 4x100 35 age group and 400m. These two angmos
thoroughly enjoyed their time with Team Singapore and in Rugao. Mark
almost brought home a beautiful and instant wife and son from his one
week stay in Rugao: ).
Reza too was having a great time with the strong Iranian athletes in Rugao. (I totally forgotten about Taka, our Japanese team member. Only knew he was in Rugao after chatting with him at the Flash athletic meet this afternoon, 7 Oct, at Bishan. He had an injury just like Thomas and were unable to compete in Rugao though making the trip there.)
Will add in more info as they came in.
PS. To all the regulars here, I am back. Normal service will resume ASAP.
Tan Kim Seng
Uncle Kor - Our superman Results Ansgar - silver in 5000m Uncle Kor - gold in 10,000m, silver in 5000m, bronze in 1,500m Kim Seng - gold in 200m, 400m Steven - gold in 200m, bronze in 100m Jason - silver in 100m hurdles Belinda - silver in 80m hurdles Linda - silver in 200m Rick - bronze in 400m Paul Su - bronze in 100m Bronze for 4x100m for 35-39 and 70-75 Bronze for 4x400 for 70-75
Russian Treachery and US connivance cost China's lost of Outer Mongolia Inbox
In the 1920s after the Boshevik Revolution which toppled the Zarist imperial goverinment Lenin announced that Russia would return to China all Chinese lands that imperial Russia had taken from China illegally through the unequal treaties from 1800s to 1890s. However Lenin's premature death in 1925 changed the whole scenario. Stalin the next Boshevik ldictator did not intend to honour Lenin's promise.
In the intervening years after the First World War from 1918 to 1930s China was in total choas and turmoil.with no strong Central Government . Many Chinese provinces were under the shaky control of various warlords which were more probably bandit chiefs.Japan was attacking and invading China with brutal aggression. Chiang Kai Shek's KMT and Mao Tse-tung's CCP were in intense struggle for power to govern China.
During these tumultuous years Stalin took advantage of choas in China to encroach on the Chinese province of Outer Mongolia . Stalin sent his troops into Outer Mongolia purportedly to help preserve peace and order but actually with the sinister objective of instigating Outer Mongolia to secede from China.
During the Sino-Japanese War Mao's CCP and Chiang's KMT signed an agreement in 1936 to join forces against the Japanese. Chiang had the full backing of America.Mao had only lip service support from Stalin who had been scheming against China and betraying China by stabbing her on the back.
By the end of 1944, Germany was on the verge of defeat and US and its allied leaders shifted their strategic focus to Japan . US invited USSR which had a Neutrality Pact with Japan to join in the war against Japan.
To fix the terms of the Soviet entry into the Pacific War a meeting was arranged for Roosevelt , Churchill and Stalin to meet in Yalta in February, 1945. China was not included in this meeting for reasons only the allied leaders would know.
The exact terms of the Yalta Agreement was kept from Chiang who was not invited to the meeting at Yalta.Besides agreeing to Stalin's demand for restoration to Russia the Sakhalin and Kurile Islands,and special influential rights in Manchuria , Roosevelt and Churchill also agreed to Russia's special influence in the Chinese Province of Outer Mongolia..
Since many of the terms and conditions involved the sovereignty of China which was not represented at the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt took the responsibility to secure Chiang's approval of these terms which were anathema to China's interests.
Chiang sent his brother-in-law T.V. Soong to Moscow to work out an agreement with Stalin. Stalin offered Chiang a thirty year treaty of friendship and alliance against future Japanese aggression. He promised to support only Chiang as the leader of China and that Russia would not support Mao's CCP.. He also promised to withdraw Soviet troops from Manchuria in two or three months after Japan's surrender. In return he demanded Chiang to grantUSSR many vital concessions in Manchuria, the right to station Russian naval and air force3s in a military zone including Port Arthur, Dairen and ownership of the manchuria railways and connected enterprises. Stalin also demanded Chiang's recognition of the independence of Outer Mongolia.. T.V. Soong was forced to sign the agreement on 14th August, 1945, failing which Stalin threatened to hand over Manchuria to Mao's CCP.
After the agreement was signed Stalin promised to give the Chinese Central Government under Chiang, moral, military and material aid, Russia would respect Chinese sovereignty in Manchuria and refrain from intervention in Sinkiang and to acknowledge the political independence and territorial integrity of Outer Mongolia by means of a plebiscite to be undertaken under Russia's control.
The treaty was a heavy cost to China's interest and yet Chiang signed it as he felt assured and secure that least Russia was extending to him full support and not supporting Chairman Mao's Communist Party - CCP..
Throughout thid period Chairman Mao and the CCP was kept in the dark and was not aware of the fraud and deceit Stalin had imposed on Chiang.
Russia carried out a plebiscite in 1946 in Outer Mongolia to determine if the province wanted to continue as part of China or as a separate independent state.. Since the plebiscite was under full Russian control it was obvious the result was directed by Russia to opt for full independence from China..
It must be noted before the plebiscite Russia had earlier cut off a big chunk of land from Outer Mongolia and annexed to Russia under the name of Tannu Tuva.. Chairman Mao and China'sm CCP had never recognized the illicit deal that Stalin conducted with traitor Chiang at China's enormous expense.
In his visit to Moscow in 16th December, 1949 , Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou En Lai raised the Outer Mongolia matter with Russia but Stalin couldn't care at all and just ignored Mao with insult.
China lost the province of Outer Mongolia all because of the treachery of Russia, and UK who used Chinese territories to ttrade terms for Russia's entry into the Pacific War against Japan.. This is one huge insult and humiliation waiting to be redeemed by China in future.
