As Singapore’s Swimming Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay team stood proud on the winners’ podium, the Singapore national anthem was played. You can see the pride on the four girls’ faces as they absorbed the atmosphere and the sweet smell of victory.
Indeed, Singapore was proud of their achievement.
But more was to come – as the amplifiers went mute halfway through the national anthem s the girls were on the podium.
There was an awkward silence for a while – and then the crowd at the Aquatic Centre burst into its own rendition of the anthem, completing the last verse, without the music.
May Chue, Samantha Lim, Rachel Tseng and Quah Ting Wen – the relay team – joined in and you could see and sense their immense pride at this moment.
When it ended, there was rapturous applause all round.
The four girls smiled widely and seemed surprised at how the crowd did not let the hiccup spoil this moment of pride.
Watch the video here [at about the 5th minute]:
