Chia Boon Leong

Singaporean footballer (1925–2022)

Chia Boon Leong (simplified Chinese: 谢文龙; traditional Chinese: 謝文龍^[1], 1 January 1925 – 20 December 2022) was a Singaporean footballer who competed for China in the 1948 Summer Olympics and for Singapore at the 1954 Asian Games.^[2]^[3] He was known as "twinkletoes" in the football scene.^[4]

Chia was born on 1 January 1925 to philanthropist Chia Yew Siang.^[5] He grew up in Pasir Panjang, Singapore.^[5] Chia attended Pasir Panjang English School and Raffles Institution.^[5]

Chia was a founding member of the Pasir Panjang Rovers.^[4]

During World War II and the Japanese occupation of Singapore, Chia studied at a Japanese school in Queen Street in late 1942.^[4]

In mid-1943, Chia worked in a telegraphy company, where his work consists of sending and receiving messages in morse code.^[4] Every day after work, he would go to Jalan Besar Stadium to play football for the Pasir Panjang Rovers.^[4] Chia was also part of a Syonan team that travelled to Malaya to play against the state teams.^[4]

Chia died on 20 December 2022, at the age of 97.^[5]

References

^ "本地足球名将"闪电脚"谢文龙逝世享年97岁". 8world (in Chinese (Singapore)). Retrieved 23 December 2022.
^ "Chia Boon Leong". National Library Board Singapore. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
^ "Chia Boon Leong". Olympedia. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Gene, Ng Keng (13 February 2022). "Ex-footballer recounts Japanese Occupation years; journey from execution screening to 1948 Olympics". The New Paper. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lee, David (21 December 2022). "S'pore's only Olympic footballer 'Twinkletoes' Chia Boon Leong dies at 97 | The Straits Times". The Straits Times. Retrieved 21 December 2022.