Prince William arrived at Jewel Changi Airport, welcoming him with cheers and waving Union Jack flags as hundreds of supporters greeted him in Singapore for this year’s third Earthshot Prize ceremony hosted by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham and Black Panther actor Sterling K Brown. This event, celebrating innovative solutions to global climate crisis, included 15 winners worldwide this year including Norwich-based Colorfix (which provides natural fabric dyes) and Enzo (a London tyre firm that produces electric cars).
The heir planted a tree to honor his late grandmother the Queen at her final resting place at Jurong Hill and delivered a speech about Singapore’s leadership in environmental innovation – an example for other nations to emulate. He thanked everyone involved and was “delighted to return here after 11 years!” He concluded his speech by exclaiming his delight at seeing so many familiar faces present for these awards ceremonies.
On Wednesday evening at Timbre+ One-North, Singapore held its Major Games Award Program (MAP) ceremony to honour 121 medallists who took part this year at both Asian and SEA Games competitions. Sprint queen Shanti Pereira received the highest individual prize award of S$315,000 after she earned two Asian and two SEA Games golds this year; her performance earned her more money than any athlete from any sport, and she was commended for her sportsmanship.
Pang Wei Tong was awarded S$200,000 as his prize money, while cyclist Lee Hoang Long received S$180,000 after winning two SEA Games gold medals and two Asian Games golds at Rio. Joseph Schooling received an additional bonus of $753,000 after foiling Michael Phelps’ attempt at four consecutive 100m fly Olympic wins at Rio.
Some countries provide significant financial rewards to athletes for winning gold medals, while other simply provide what is seen as a modest sum to encourage and recognize those that achieve success. Singapore stands out as an exception as one nation offering significant bonuses – though still only ranking 27th on our list of 50 wealthiest Olympians by country.
Winners were revealed at a glamorous green carpet ceremony that showcased several stunning outfits, with Prince Eugene matching perfectly to his host as they both made their way down the thick carpet together. Prince Henry donned a dark green velour suit and dickie bow, while Waddingham looked elegant in a sparkly black dress featuring a matching sash. Additionally, many landmarks throughout London lit up green to commemorate this momentous event. Sentosa Golf Club hosts the seventh event of 2024’s LIV Golf circuit season and reigning champion Joaquin Niemann leads in individual standings from Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson. A massive $25 Million prize pool will be up for grabs – $5 Million will be divided amongst the top three teams!
