Feng wins Singapore’s 1st individual medal in 52 years. Feng Tianwei becomes only the second Singaporean to win an individual medal.

It has been 52 years since Singapore weightlifter Tan Howe Liang took silver at the 1960 Rome Games. She will feature next in the women’s team event, where she will spearhead the team’s charge to retain its silver from the 2008 Games. There has being mixed response so far on his win as most Singaporeans do not consider her a true Singaporean, as she was born in China before moving to Singapore.

Feng Tianwei also wins $250,000 under the Multi-Million Dollar Awards Programme. The Singapore National Olympic Council in the 1990s, under the direction of then President Dr. Yeo Ning Hong, devised an incentive scheme to reward medal-winning athletes. The Multi-Million Dollar Awards Programme provides a cash payout to athletes who win gold medals at the Olympic, Asian, Commonwealth and South East Asian Games. The largest award is $1 million, payable to the athlete who claims a gold medal at the Olympic Games.