SCF Announces First Two ACA Scholarship Winners - Darren Lim & Arfan Faisal

Dec 15, 2021

Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) announced on Wednesday afternoon, 15 December 2021, the first two winners of the scholarship, the latest commitment to developing Singapore’s cycling talent.

Last month, the Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) and Australia Cycling Academy (ACA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will take effect from 2022 to 2024. The partnership will provide a pathway for SCF’s cyclists of potential to fast track their progression in the sport and provide opportunities for the professional development of SCF staff.

Congratulations to Singapore’s national cyclists Darren Lim and Arfan Faisal. They were both presented with the 2022 Singapore Cycling Federation scholarship to join Australian Cycling Academy (ACA) and ACA’s UCI Continental Team.

Darren and Arfan will be the first two riders to join the ACA UCI Continental Team called ARA – Pro Racing Sunshine Coast (PRSC) for development in the Australian ecosystem as part of the SCF-ACA MoU. Both riders also recently represented Singapore in the Asian qualifier during the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.

Darren, who joined the Singapore national training squad in August 2019, said, “I am extremely lucky and stoked to be presented with the opportunity to grow alongside the ACA. I believe that training and racing with them will challenge my mettle and develop me further, both as a rider and as a person. I hope to bring back memories and experiences that I can share with my peers to contribute to the development of cycling in Singapore as well.”

National mountain biker Arfan, who is also a recipient of the ACA scholarship, said, “I’m really excited and thankful for this opportunity to broaden my horizons in a unique team like the ARA, and I’m looking forward to participating in the high-level racing available in Australia!”

Shayne Bannan, SCF High-Performance Director, said, “Both Darren and Arfan have displayed the commitment required to progress to the next level. They will gain valuable experience training and competing with PRSC that will benefit both themselves and Singapore Cycling in the future.”