Singapore footballer and cricketer Sara Merican named one of IOC s Young Leaders

SINGAPORE – Sport has been a huge part of Sara Merican’s life, with the 28-year-old involved in football and cricket over the years.

She has donned national colours in both sports, making her SEA Games bow with the national cricket team at the 2023 edition in Cambodia.

In 2024, she joined Wigan Athletic’s newly formed women’s football team, who play in the Lancashire Women’s County League, an amateur competition consisting of two divisions at levels 7 and 8 of the women’s pyramid.

Beyond the football and cricket field, it is important for Merican to give back to the sports that she loves.

The Singaporean’s ambitions received a boost after she was named one of the 25 new International Olympic Committee (IOC) Young Leaders for 2025 to 2028 on Feb 20.

The programme will provide candidates with expert guidance and coaching, access to sport and sport-for-development network, and seed funding of US$10,000 (S$13,400) to create grassroots sport-based initiatives aimed at addressing social issues in their communities.

Merican said: “I’ve had the privilege of being part of two big sports communities like football and cricket and I was trying to find a way to give back through some of the experience I’ve had with communication and journalism and combine it in that way.

“I’ve been quite active in terms of getting involved off the field as well, so I’m thankful that people have given me opportunities in the past to be involved in sports off the field.”

Merican, who is currently based in Manchester, England, is the fifth Singaporean to join the programme, after youth Olympians Dhukhilan Jeevamani (football) and Rania Rahardja (fencing),as well as sailors Cecilia Low, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, and Sean Lee.

With the support from the programme, Merican hopes to launch various initiatives related to