Little know Olympic fact, S'pore robbed Canada of Silver medal

[Papsmearer]

Little known Olympic fact, S'pore robbed Canada of Silver medal

In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Canadian Lawrence Lemieux was competing in the Finn class sailing competition off Pusan. Finn class is for solo sailors. Nearby in the another course was the 470 class competition which features 2 men crew. The wind was quite strong that day, and the Singapore pair of Joseph Chan and Shaw Her SIew was competing in this class. Chan and Shaw kept capsizing in the rough seas, and in one final capsize, one of them was in the water and the other was under the capsized boat and appeared injured.

At this point, Lemieux spotted their predicament from his adjoining course, and veered off his course in the middle of his race to rescue them. He pulled them out of the water one by one and waited for the patrol boat to pick up the 2 wet sinkies. According to Lemieux, "The Singapore rescue boats were, quite frankly, useless.'' Of course, by this time, he had lost all chances of medalling. He was in second place when he did it, and was a favourite to medal in this event. Because of his sportsmanship in rescuing 2 wet dog incompetent sinkies, the IOC President, Samanrach, at that time awarded him the Pierre de Coubertin medal for outstanding sportmanship.

To this day, there is no public record of SIngapore Sports council ever acknowledging the rescue, and thanking Lemieux for saving two drowning sinkies. In fact, Shaw Her SIew is chairman of the SIngapore Sailing federation, and occasionally runs into Lemieux at international meetings, but bor chap him and never kept in touch with him. I would rather give $250k to someone who has done the country a real service by saving 2 sinkies over a PRC mercenary. He should have been invited to singapore, and feted, and treated as a hero here. But I am sure the singapore sports council is very embarassed over this incident and hushed it up. I remember this incident back in 1988, I recall the sailors were simply listed as having capsized and did not finish the course. No mention was made of their rescue by an another sailor from canada. SHaw better go and prostrate himself in front of Lemieux and offer prayers to him for saving his life 20 years ago.

Any chance of any sinkie olympian showing this level of sportmanship? Hahahaha, hell will freeze over first, followed by Old Goat returning all the money he stole, before that happens.

 

[Papsmearer]

20 years later, Seoul sailor still a hero

Going on two decades later, Lawrence Lemieux cannot forget. Not that he'd want to.

By The Calgary Herald May 30, 2008 Be the first to post a comment
StoryPhotos ( 1 )

Going on two decades later, Lawrence Lemieux cannot forget. Not that he'd want to.

Or people would let him.

The wind on the water at Pusan, 32 kilometres outside Seoul, rippling to an insane 35 knots. Massive waves churning under its savage, destructive influence.

The sight of two fellow Olympic sailors in a totally separate race, one in the water, the other on the bottom of their capsized boat, in distress.

He can hear himself calling out, 'Do you need help? Do you need help?' And he remembers abandoning his race, and the dream of an Olympic medal, to do the right thing. The only thing.

The remaining details, others are always willing to fill in for him.

"It's not that I'm reluctant, exactly,'' protests the 52-year old from his home in Seba Beach, on Wabumum Lake, 60 kilometres west of Edmonton.

"But I'd like to receive some accolades for what I accomplished in my sailing career, and not just this one incident. You know, people win Olympic medals for this country and pretty soon no one remembers their names.

"But this . . . this has taken on a life of its own. This never goes away.

"What I did, anyone would've done. What had to be done. It was no different than seeing someone in a car by the side of the road who's obviously in distress, who might've had a heart attack, who obviously needs help.

"Doesn't happen very often that anyone is put in that position, but you stop. You help.''

During his competitive career, Lawrence Lemieux was far more than sailing's Good Samaritan. But the afternoon of Sept. 24, 1988, is the one for which he is, and always will be, remembered.

Tonight in Red Deer, that singular act of sportsmanship, married to an outstanding competitive career, is being acknowledged once again.

He joins freestyle aerialist Jennifer Heil, basketball marksman Karl Tilleman, field and ice hockey's Ken Goodwin, Dr. Roger Jackson, judo builder Yoshio Katsuta, synchronized swimming's Leslie Sproule, baseball builders Al Price and Al Herback, women's hockey coach Melody Davidson, the 2004-2005 Alberta Northern Lights wheelchair basketball team and Calgary Herald rodeo writer Dwayne Erickson as 2008 inductees into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Of that highly unique collection of individuals, Lemieux's story is singular.

Competing in the fifth of a seven-race event in the Finn class of the sailing competition on that September day 20 years ago, he spotted two sailors from the Singapore 470 class team, Joseph Chan and Shaw Her Siew,

"You're not sure in a situation like that the degree of trouble they're actually in. A lot of times the boat can recover. But there came a moment when I instinctively knew something had to be done.

"The Singapore rescue boats were, quite frankly, useless.''

So, he acted. Veering off course, Lemieux reached Chan and then Her Siew, dragging them aboard his boat and waiting for a patrol boat to arrive. By then, any chance of medalling had disappeared in the lashing spray of the choppy Pusan water.

In an age where an Olympic medal can be parlayed into princely sums of money, where athletes curl up in a fetal position and go into a snit-fit at the possibility of not being allowed to use their sponsor's logo to show off for the TV audience, Lawrence Lemieux's act of selflessness seems quaint, almost downright old-fashioned.

And his own protestations aside, all the more remarkable.

"Sure,'' he admits nearly 20 years after the fact, "it was disappointing. But 1984 was, too. I really believe I could've medalled (in Moscow). I finished third at the world championships that year, behind two Americans, and every country can only send one competitor.

"So, realistically, I was looking at a silver. And then we boycotted. Pulled the plug.''

These days, Lemieux is a private sailing instructor. Beijing hopefuls Chris Cook, Oskar Johansson and Kevin Stittle are among the athletes he works with. He lives for today, even if everyone wants to remind him of yesterday.

Whatever has happened to the three of them between 1988 and today, Lemieux and the two sailors he pulled out of the watery tumult are forever linked.

"No, I really haven't kept in touch with them. But one of the fellows wound up becoming the head of their sailing federation, so I see him at different events from time to time.''

There may be no Olympic medals lying around Lemieux's house. But there is, believe it or not, something even more rare.

For his quick-thinking and gallantry, IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch presented him with the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin Medal, saying at the time: "By your sportsmanship, self-sacrifice and courage you embody all that is right with the Olympic ideal.''

Only nine other individuals have received the Coubertin honour.

"Hundreds of Olympic medals have been handed out over the years,'' says Lawrence Lemieux, reflectively. "But there haven't been too many for sportsmanship. I guess that's something to be proud of.''

Tonight in Red Deer, the Alberta Hall of Fame will honour its class of 2008. Individuals who meant so much to their respective sports, to their communities and to the overall quality of life in this province.

All richly deserved.

Included in that group is one man in particular who embodies much more than the ideals of the Olympic spirit; who with one gesture of sportsmanship going on two decades ago personified, in its finest form, the generosity of the human spirit.

 

[scroobal]

Typical Singapore mindset.

Half of those who go trekking into Bukit Timah Nature reserve and have to be rescued claim that they decided to wait for daylight to come out. Too embarrassed to admit they fucked up and were indeed lost. Every now and then can see a comical sight where the lost soul will be waving frantically to SICC golfers on the other side of the drink. When help reached them, they will claim that they merely looking for shortcut and were not lost.

 

[Papsmearer]

Typical Singapore mindset.

Half of those who go trekking into Bukit Timah Nature reserve and have to be rescued claim that they decided to wait for daylight to come out. Too embarrassed to admit they fucked up and were indeed lost. Every now and then can see a comical sight where the lost soul will be waving frantically to SICC golfers on the other side of the drink. When help reached them, they will claim that they merely looking for shortcut and were not lost.

SOunds about right. Probably Shaw Her Siew told SSC that he and Joseph Chan decided to deliberately capsize the boat to check out some nice coral formations under the water. Nothing to do with incompetent sailing in a world class event.

 

[neddy]

Whatever has happened to the three of them between 1988 and today, Lemieux and the two sailors he pulled out of the watery tumult are forever linked.

"No, I really haven't kept in touch with them. But one of the fellows wound up becoming the head of their sailing federation, so I see him at different events from time to time.''

There may be no Olympic medals lying around Lemieux's house. But there is, believe it or not, something even more rare.

For his quick-thinking and gallantry, IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch presented him with the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin Medal, saying at the time: "By your sportsmanship, self-sacrifice and courage you embody all that is right with the Olympic ideal.''

I think the 1999 Singapore $portsman of the Year award is more prestigious for Siew Shaw Her than a Pierre de Coubertin True Spirit of Sportsmanship Medal.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

is shaw her siew from the prominent shaw family?

 

[neddy]

is shaw her siew from the prominent shaw family?

Westerners put surname last. He is Mr Siew.

 

[FIRSTSTATE]

There's only one way to find out and that is email this Shaw [siew] guy and ask him if all this is true or not.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

is shaw her siew from the prominent shaw family?

His surname is not shaw but siew.
Disgraceful sinkie....probably was told to shut up and act blur about this incident.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

His surname is not shaw but siew.
Disgraceful sinkie....probably was told to shut up and act blur about this incident.

Yup was already explained to me.

 

[Papsmearer]

Yup was already explained to me.

Hah, so there was a cover up then? Pathetic SSC. Who ordered the cover up? EW BArker was sports minister at the time, if I recall.

 

[Papsmearer]

This is Siew Her Shaw's SIngapore National Olympic Council profile page. You can see from it that 1984 Olympics was mentioned as a "disaster struck" and "capsized several times", never mentioned that a Canadian saved them and lost his silver medal in the process. I guess the near drowning incident there was too malu, and was actually the real disaster.

Siew Shaw Her
Starting his competitive career in 1974, Siew Shaw Her began by taking part in national competitions until the 1980’s. He was introduced to sailing through the Junior Sailing Club and also got involved with the Changi Sailing Club, spending hours just watching the boats from Changi Beach.
Shaw Her took 5th place in the 1982 Asian Games with crewmate Tan See Suan, who was also his coach. He improved on this performance in the 1983 SEA Games by taking gold. This time he partnered Khor Chek Leong. The following year saw him partnered with Benedict Tan and he took 1st place in the Asian Fireball Championships. In 1987 Shaw Her won the SEA Games gold in Jakarta, this time partnered with Joseph Chan Khun Sing. They were well matched and took a silver medal in the 1988 Asian Regatta prior to the Seoul Olympics. Unfortunately, disaster struck in the Olympics, and they capsized several times.

Shaw Her and Charles Lim got together following the 1992 Barcelona Games and won a silver medal in the 1994 Asian Games and an Asian Championship gold in 1996. At the 1996 Sail-the-Gulf International Regatta in Doha, they took the gold medal and beat the team that eventually took Olympic gold that year. Following the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Shaw Her became more involved in coaching than competing and it wasn’t until the 1998 Asian Games in Thailand that he took his final gold medal, partnered with Colin Ng.

Winning numerous national titles, gold and silver medals, Shaw Her was also awarded the Sportsman of the Year title in 1999. He is named in the Straits Times 50 Greatest Singapore Athletes list. Known as ‘The Skipper’, his involvement in coaching has helped produce some of Singapore’s most talented young sailors.

 

[Papsmearer]

There's only one way to find out and that is email this Shaw [siew] guy and ask him if all this is true or not.

U are such an idiot. U email him, he will bother to reply to you? Why don't u look up the winners of the Pierre de Coubertin awards in the Olympic website and see who won for what. Any way, if Papsmearer told you so, it happened, ok.

 

[FIRSTSTATE]

U are such an idiot. U email him, he will bother to reply to you? Why don't u look up the winners of the Pierre de Coubertin awards in the Olympic website and see who won for what. Any way, if Papsmearer told you so, it happened, ok.

You're the idiot if you think we only listen to one side of the story. Whether he will reply depends on how you ask him. If you use the same tone as you're using here, only an idiot will bother to reply you.

 

[scroobal]

Why don't you write to Siew in the tone that you think is right and prove to us that you are not an idiot. To save your ego why don't you fabricate a response and claim that Siew wrote it.

You're the idiot if you think we only listen to one side of the story. Whether he will reply depends on how you ask him. If you use the same tone as you're using here, only an idiot will bother to reply you.

 

[myo539]

Re: Little known Olympic fact, S'pore robbed Canada of Silver medal

In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Canadian Lawrence Lemieux was competing in the Finn class sailing competition off Pusan. Finn class is for solo sailors. Nearby in the another course was the 470 class competition which features 2 men crew. The wind was quite strong that day, and the Singapore pair of Joseph Chan and Shaw Her SIew was competing in this class. Chan and Shaw kept capsizing in the rough seas, and in one final capsize, one of them was in the water and the other was under the capsized boat and appeared injured......

..... I remember this incident back in 1984, I recall the sailors were simply listed as having capsized and did not finish the course..... .

..... Any way, if Papsmearer told you so, it happened, ok. .

Fraud! Conman! Humbug! No Shame!
Even a ONE year baby knows you are a fraud! Telling Goldilock and Red Riding Hood story?

How can you "remember this incident back in 1984" for the event which happens in the future in 1988? Fraud!
Your stories start better with "Once upon a time.........."

 

[Papsmearer]

Re: Little known Olympic fact, S'pore robbed Canada of Silver medal

Fraud! Conman! Humbug! No Shame!
Even a ONE year baby knows you are a fraud! Telling Goldilock and Red Riding Hood story?

How can you "remember this incident back in 1984" for the event which happens in the future in 1988? Fraud!
Your stories start better with "Once upon a time.........."

It was a typo error, intended to put 1988. But no fraud. Look it up.

 

[Papsmearer]

Re: Little known Olympic fact, S'pore robbed Canada of Silver medal

I find it amusing so many PAP ballslickers still don't believe my thread. LOL.

Lawrence LemieuxFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Lawrence Lemieux
Born Lawrence Lemieux
(1955-11-12) November 12, 1955 (age 56)
Edmonton, Alberta
Occupation Sailing coach
Lawrence Lemieux Medal record
Representing Canada
Sailing
Olympic Games
Pierre de Coubertin medal 1988
Lawrence Lemieux (born November 12, 1955 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian sailor, who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the Star Class and at the 1988 Summer Olympics in the Finn class.

Lemieux grew up sailing on Wabamun Lake west of Edmonton with his five older brothers. He began racing solo boats in the 1970s. [1]

On September 24, 1988, the sailing competition was underway at Pusan, 450 kilometers from South Korea's capital of Seoul, the main Olympic site. It suddenly became very windy, escalating from 15 to 35 knots. In the 470 class, Singapore sailors Joseph Chan and Shaw Her Siew were thrown into the rough water. They were injured and unable to right their damaged boat.[1]

Lemieux was sailing alone near the halfway point in his race on the nearby Finn class race course. He was in second place in the fifth of a seven-race event. Upon seeing the capsized crew, Lemieux broke away and sailed to rescue them. After he rescued Chen and Siew, he waited for and transferred the two sailors onto an official patrol boat. He then finished 22nd in his race.

Soon after the race, the jury of the International Yacht Racing Union unanimously decided that Lemieux should be awarded second place, the position he was in when he went to the aid of the Singapore crew.

At the medal awards ceremony, Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee, awarded Lemieux the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for Sportsmanship; only 11 of these have been awarded since it was launched in 1964.[1] "By your sportsmanship, self-sacrifice and courage," said Samaranch, "you embody all that is right with the Olympic ideal."

Lemieux has since retired from professional sailing and is now a coach.[1] He is currently living at Seba Beach, Alberta. Asked in a 2012 interview if he would rather be talking about the medal he might have won instead of the rescue, Lemieux referred to sailing's lack of a high media profile: “You spend your life working really hard internationally and you get very few accolades. So that’s the ironic thing; 25 years after this rescue, we’re still talking about it.”[1]

[edit] References^ a b c d e Hester Lacey (June 9, 2012). "The Olympians: Lawrence Lemieux, Canada". Financial TImes Magazine. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/4c667e50-adf7-11e1-bb8e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1xSehPdIH.
1988 recap on CBC
Lemieux's sportsmanship still recognized
[hide]v · t · e List of Pierre de Coubertin medal recipients

Luz Long · Emil Zátopek · Eugenio Monti · Karl Heinz Klee · Franz Jonas · Lawrence Lemieux · Raymond Gafner · Tana Umaga · Spencer Eccles · Vanderlei de Lima

 

[Papsmearer]

You're the idiot if you think we only listen to one side of the story. Whether he will reply depends on how you ask him. If you use the same tone as you're using here, only an idiot will bother to reply you.

I guess I have to spell it out for you, fucktard (that's fucking retard if you don't know what it means)

- Siew and Joe Chan capsized in Seoul Olympics and nearly drowned
- Lemieux saw them, and gave up his silver medal position to rescue them
- IOC gave Lemiuex Pierre de Coubertin medal for outstanding sportsmanship, at that time only 9 winners of this medal in the Olympics
- SSC and SIew cover up and keep quiet. Only mentioned their boat capsized.
- Siew and SSC never thanked or even acknowledged Lemieux's heroic action to save their lives.
-Today, you want to write email to SIew to ask him whether this whole incident ever happened
- Siew receives your email, and now will willingly tell you (a total stranger) the whole story after suppressing and lying about it for 20 years.
- Conclusion, u are fucking stupid moron retard.
- That clear enough for you or not?

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Little known Olympic fact, S'pore robbed Canada of Silver medal

I always hold local sailing in high esteem as a sport that we always excel in and with true blue Singaporean sportsmen.
For me Siew Shaw Her ranks alongside Dr Ben Tan in this sport in the local context. Now I hear of this incident and has lost all respect and admiration for this person and local sailing as a whole....his accomplishments has been discounted.