SINGAPORE – Singapore narrowly fell short of cracking the top 10 at the Women’s World Floorball Championship, but head coach Lim Jin Quan believes their 2023 performance has been encouraging.
The world No. 13 hosts wrapped up their campaign with a 13-1 loss to seventh-ranked Norway in the 11th-place play-off at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Dec 9, equalling their best performance at the biennial competition.
Citing narrow losses to higher-ranked opponents, Lim said: “We were definitely on the upward trajectory at the start. But, with the injuries coming into play, it’s always a bit challenging.
“Those were some down moments and then after that, we came so close to Germany, Japan. These were things that were clear to us that we’re closing the gap on the international ground.”
In their final group match against world No. 9 Germany, Singapore went down 3-2, while they missed out on a top-10 spot after losing 4-3 to Japan in the ninth-place play-off.
The campaign was made more challenging as Singapore lost defenders Yeo Xuan and Lim Jie Ying after the pair suffered injuries in the early matches. Forward Nasha Jeffri also had an injury scare in the Germany game.
Lim said there were too many reasons for the injury crisis, but there would be a review and they would be working with the Singapore Sport Institute, National Youth Sports Institute and Sport Singapore on injury prevention.
He added that the start of 2024 will be focused on rebuilding the squad, following the injuries and the retirement of veterans Amanda Yeap and Yee Yun Shawn after the Norway match.
Lim said: “That’s the challenge we recognise and the first half of the year will be spent rebuilding and catching up to the next level.”
Forwards Yeap and Yee, both 29, want to focus on their careers and families but believe the team are in good hands.
Yeap said: “The team itself was much younger as compared to previous years and coupled with the injuries, everyone pulled their weight... that helped throughout the entire tournament and we are very grateful and proud of every one of them.”
Yee added: “For them to experience this world stage at such a young age will help them five years later on and be better than they are now.”
Siti Nurhaliza Khairul Anuar, 24, was pleased they improved from their previous outing at the 2021 world championship, when they finished 14th.
She said they had progressed offensively while noting that fitness was something they could work on to match the Europeans.
She also hopes hosting the tournament – the first time outside Europe since the 2005 edition also in Singapore – will help to raise the profile of the sport here.
She said the players have shown they are competitive at the top level and hoped that this would lead to more support, adding: “I hope when people see the games live, they will be more interested to pick up floorball and be aware that such a sport exists.”
Meanwhile, Finland and defending champions Sweden set up a rematch of the 2021 final after winning their semi-finals. The Finns trounced Czech Republic 8-2, while 10-time champions Sweden saw off Switzerland 4-2.
