Public voting for ST's Singaporean of the Year award now open till Feb 4

The seven nominees include an organ donor, a record-breaking athlete, community champions

- Syarafana Shafeeq

An organ donor, a record-breaking athlete and community champions who made an impact are among the seven nominees for The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2023 award.

Public voting begins on Jan 22 and will close on Feb 4. Votes can be cast at str.sg/soty23vote The winner will be announced at a ceremony on March 13.

The annual award, now in its ninth year, recognises a Singaporean person or group for making an impact on society. It also pays tribute to Singaporeans who have put the country on the world map or persevered to overcome great adversity.

A panel of judges comprising ST editors, UBS representatives and individuals who have made their mark in various fields will make the final decision in February, while also taking into account the results of the public vote.

The following are the seven nominees:

SHANTI PEREIRA

Sprint queen Shanti Pereira brought glory to Singapore in 2023 with a record-breaking year in track and field.

The gold rush began in May, when the 27-year-old won the 100m and 200m titles at the Cambodia SEA Games, and she repeated the feat at the Asian Athletics Championships in July.

In August, she became the first Singaporean track and field athlete to reach the semi-finals of the world championships in Budapest, and her performance in the 200m earned her a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In October, she ended Singapore's 49-year wait for a track and field gold at the Asian Games by claiming the women's 200m crown, to add to her 100m silver.

Over the course of 2023, she rewrote the 100m national mark six times and the 200m record four times.

RONITA PAUL AND GERALDINE LEE

Former nurse Ronita Paul and volunteer coordinator Geraldine Lee opened Singapore's only daycare centre for children battling cancer and other critical illnesses in 2011.