Sports Minutes with Zia-ul Raushan
About
Delve beyond the headlines in the world of sport to suss out the synergy between sport and daily life by tuning in daily for all the big sporting stories, quirky anecdotes and hot takes on Sports Minutes.
JUL 2, 2025
02/07/25 - Sports Minutes: Back from retirement, Singapore’s most-decorated para swimmer Theresa Goh aiming for greatness...again!
Six years since retiring as Singapore’s most decorated para swimmer, Theresa Goh is back competing - only this time with a pistol. Why, and why now you ask? Tune in as she tell us all about her remarkable comeback, and the support that’s fuelling her second act. With one eye on the 2026 ASEAN Para Games and the Paralympics beyond, Theresa reflects on rediscovering purpose, rebuilding routine, and why starting over doesn’t mean starting from scratch.
READ MORE:
Paralympic swimming medallist Theresa Goh makes sporting comeback with shooting
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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16:05
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JUN 30, 2025
30/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Talking Trent Buhagiar & BG Tampines Rovers' rebuild under Akbar Nawas
Football is a game of fine margins - and on today's show we dive deep into the tactical side of BG Tampines Rovers’ rebuild. Analyst Nigel Goh makes his Sports Minutes' debut alongside Deepan to decode the club’s transfer strategy, tactics and the technical skill sets of their new foreign signings.
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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19:02
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JUN 27, 2025
27/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Kai Whitmore on his Singapore dream, visiting the Lion City & honouring his grandfather's legacy
Should Singapore lean into heritage players? Kai Whitmore certainly thinks so. Eligible through his late grandfather, the Welsh midfielder is ready to give up his British passport to play for the Lions – but not everyone agrees with naturalisation. And on this episode, Kai speaks candidly about identity, sacrifice, and ambition.
READ MORE:
Welsh midfielder Kai Whitmore wants to play for Singapore; exploring citizenship process
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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08:01
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JUN 24, 2025
24/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Tsutomo Ogura departs as Gavin Lee takes interim charge of Singapore. So what next for Forrest Li's FAS?
Tsutomo Ogura’s sudden exit throws the Lions into yet another identity crisis -with the crucial Asian Cup qualifiers looming. Gavin Lee steps into the void to take interim charge, but all eyes now turn to Forrest Li’s FAS. In their first major footballing decision,will they get it right? Deepanraj Ganesan, who exclusively broke the story for The Straits Times, sits down with Sports Minutes to dissect it all.
READ MORE:
Departing Singapore coach Tsutomu Ogura hails Lions’ spirit, urges players to make history
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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20:18
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JUN 20, 2025
20/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Mike Phelan on loyalty, legacy, leadership and life inside Manchester United
Mike Phelan knows what greatness looks like - having worked alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, first as a player then part of his coaching team. As Fergie’s trusted right-hand man, he helped shape one of football’s most dominant dynasties. From the hairdryers to the heartbreaks, Mike Phelan sits down with Sports Minutes to take us inside life alongside Sir Alex, the Ole comeback, and the club’s modern-day identity crisis.
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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37:05
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JUN 18, 2025
18/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Desmond Ong on Gavin Lee’s departure, his tenure as chairman & the road ahead
A club in transition. A chairman steps aside. And now, a head coach departs. After 8 years at the helm, Desmond Ong bid farewell as Chairman of BG Tampines Rovers on 1st June - and soon after, it’s been confirmed that head coach Gavin Lee will also be departing the club. What triggered this sweeping reset? Is this the end of an era, or the beginning of something new? Sports Minutes sits down with Desmond to talk legacy, leadership and succession.
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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38:48
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JUN 16, 2025
16/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Singapore’s Thiruben Thana Rajan on Breaking Records, Chasing Medals, and Telling His Own Story
Thiruben Thana Rajan recently shattered a 38-year-old national record in the 800m at the Asian Athletics Championships - and that's just the start. From injury comebacks to podium dreams, he sits down with Sports Minutes to share how he balances a full-time job with full-speed ambition. This is more than just a win on track - it’s a story of persistence, planning, and passion.
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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17:41
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JUN 13, 2025
13/06/25 - Sports Minutes: “Keep watching my game, Abah” - Rosnani Azman on how her love for her late father fuels her fight on and off pitch
On this Father’s Day special of Sports Minutes, Singapore captain Rosnani Azman shares how her late father’s unwavering support shaped her dreams - and how his absence continues to shape her fight - on and off the pitch. This is a tribute to fathers, a reminder to hold them close, and a look at how sport can carry love beyond loss.
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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16:13
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JUN 11, 2025
11/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Singapore emerge victorious after a bruising battle in Bangladesh
Singapore’s Asian Cup qualifying campaign took flight as the Lions beat Bangladesh 2-1, courtesy of goals from Song Ui Yong and Ikhsan Fandi. Sports Minutes recaps it all with exclusive interviews from Hariss Harun, Hami Syahin & Ikhsan Fandi plus analysis from Deepanraj Ganesan.
READ MORE:
Lions survive late onslaught to claim first win of Asian Cup third-round qualifiers
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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20:16
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JUN 9, 2025
09/06/25 - Sports Minutes: Song Ui-Young on Lions return, upcoming duel in Dhaka & Kyoga Nakamura partnership
Buoyed by a big win against Maldives, next up for Singapore is Bangladesh in the Asian Cup Qualifiers. And ahead of the duel in Dhaka, Sports Minutes heads into the Lions den to check in with Song Ui-Young. From returning after a year's absence due to personal reasons, to a budding midfield partnership with Kyoga Nakamura - it’s all building up to a pivotal 90 minutes that could define Singapore’s qualification hopes on the road to Riyadh.
READ MORE:
Song Ui-young gets Lions recall after year-long absence due to family matters
Got a story to tell? Get in touch!
raushan@sph.com.sg
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17:32
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