Physiotherapist Asst Prof Audrey Lim from the Health and Social Sciences (HSS) Cluster at SIT took two of her Year 3 Physiotherapy students on the applied learning experience of a lifetime – all the way to the international sporting stage at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand in December 2025. 

Silas Aravin, Lead Professional Officer Ho Jiaying, Assistant Professor Audrey Lim and Lincoln Yat Wei Jun (from left to right) at the SNOC MAP Awards Presentation and Appreciation Night for SEA Games 2025 on 21 January 2026. (SIT Photo: Audrey Lim)

Team Singapore physiotherapists are often highly skilled sports physiotherapists specialising in musculoskeletal injuries, able to perform in high-stakes environments like international sporting competitions to keep national athletes in top form for their events.

For two SIT Year 3 Physiotherapy students, they didn’t have to wait till graduation to step into such an environment as part of Team Singapore’s medical contingent at the recent Thailand SEA Games.

Joining them were SIT faculty members Lead Professional Officer Ho Jiaying and Assistant Professor Audrey Lim, who served as Team Physiotherapist, alongside students Lincoln Yat Wei Jun and Silas Aravin – who supported our Team Singapore athletes behind the scenes.

From Classroom to Competition 

When the High Performance Sports Institute (HPSI) under Sport Singapore first contacted Asst Prof Audrey about the possibility of being a part of the Thailand SEA Games as a physiotherapist on the team, Asst Prof Audrey Lim jumped at this relished opportunity and worked on opening the door to bring some of her students with her on the ride.

“I thought that the opportunity for my students to work alongside full-fledged physios who keep our Team Singapore athletes in tip-top condition would have been incomparable to any other – an experience we definitely would never be able to replicate in the classroom,” she says.

The High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI), under Sport Singapore, supports Team Singapore athletes by providing high-performance systems and services to help them reach their full potential.

After a gruelling three-month selection process, which saw an initial pool of over 40 interested student applicants whittle down to 10, Silas and Lincoln eventually made the final cut to journey with Team Singapore to Thailand as sports trainers.

Asst Prof Audrey explains that the selection criteria for this opportunity were much more stringent than for other out-of-curriculum programmes normally open to students in her discipline.

“We had to look at a couple of things because the stakes were higher – things like aptitude, adaptability, initiative and also grades, because the students may have to take some time off from school during term time. As they are representing SIT, they need to be highly conversant in their skills and theory,” says Asst Prof Audrey.

“We also wanted to get students with some sports background on board, because sometimes it takes a sportsperson to get the psyche of another sportsperson!”

Courtside Lessons

For Lincoln, who was attached to the Singapore men’s and women’s basketball teams, the opportunity to support athletes at the SEA Games was something he had never imagined.

He says, “It was truly a privilege to support our Team Singapore athletes at the international games. I am deeply grateful to our SIT professors for their trust and support, and to the experienced clinicians at the games who mentored us. I was not only able to observe how experienced physiotherapists manage athletes courtside but was also given the rare opportunity to assess and treat athletes under their guidance and supervision.”

Asst Prof Audrey shares that indeed, both Lincoln and Silas rose to the occasion splendidly, and did SIT and themselves proud.

Kelvin Ng, Physio Lead at High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI), shares Team Singapore’s praises for the two students.

“Silas was assigned to support Changi General Hospital Physiotherapist Muhammad Asnurizan Bin Ahmad and was initially deployed to support Athletics, but due to last-minute reshuffles, he was switched to support Ju-Jitsu and Sport Climbing. Despite all the uncertainties and disruptions faced, Silas adapted to every challenge with composure. He consistently supported whichever physiotherapist and sport he was assigned to, always giving his best. His steady demeanour and openness to learning made him well-liked by both athletes and fellow physiotherapists,” says Kelvin Ng, Physio Lead, SSMC@HPSI.

As for Lincoln, he rose to the challenge of supporting up to two teams concurrently courtside. Kelvin says, “Lincoln was assigned to support Sengkang General Hospital Physiotherapist Melissa Chan, who was managing the men’s and women’s 3x3 and 5x5 Basketball teams during the SEA Games. He excelled and demonstrated resilience and strong professional character, impressing Melissa with his clinical knowledge, commitment, and hardworking attitude.”

Lincoln providing treatment to a Team Singapore men’s basketball athlete in-between games during the Thailand SEA Games 2025. (SIT Photo: Audrey Lim)

Asst Prof Audrey adds that both Lincoln and Silas went beyond what was expected of a sports trainer, rising to the occasion to expertly tape their athletes, provide assessments, tend to the athletes’ courtside and prep them for their next-day competitions under the supervision of the full-fledged physiotherapists they were attached to.

“They were so good that after their SEA Games stint, they received requests from sports physios to help at local sports events! This is fantastic, because it opens so many doors for them and for future SIT physiotherapy students.”

What’s Next

Physiotherapy is a field all about applied learning and service beyond the classroom.

Muses Asst Prof Audrey, “It’s never just about the things you learn in the classroom. In fact, without these real-world opportunities, our students would not be able to fathom what it really means to treat patients in different environments.”

In the pipeline are more sports opportunities with HPIS for future SEA Games, local sporting tournaments, and on-campus partnerships with SIT’s own sports teams; as well as hospital support groups for stroke and Parkinson's.

“Having more of such programmes with our partner organisations will ultimately help our students thrive outside of the classroom and find purpose and meaning in what they do. This, to me, is the whole point of raising the next generation of physiotherapists in Singapore,” she says.