The partnership, which is to last until 1 March 2021, will entail nutritional and financial support from Ajinomoto Singapore, who will provide two of its sports nutrition products to SSA athletes involved in the four disciplines of swimming, artistic swimming, diving, and water polo.
The products in question are part of Ajinomoto Singapore’s aminoVITAL brand: The first is aminoVITAL Gold, which is said to contain 4,000mg of amino acids (of which 2,400mg are branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs) per sachet, and is meant to be taken before and after exercise, as well as before sleep to reduce fatigue and promote quick muscle recovery
According to the SSA, the product is also used by top Japanese swimmers.
The second is aminoVITAL Perfect Energy, which promises to help prolong athletic endurance by controlling blood sugar levels. Each serving contains 5,000mg of alanine and proline amino acids, and is meant to be taken just before exercise and in between intervals.
An SSA spokesperson told NutraIngredients-Asia: “These two products were selected after careful deliberation with Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) nutritionists, and will benefit the athletes in the SSA.”
SSI Head of Sports Nutrition Dr Richard Swinbourne said, “The high-performance aquatic sport programmes in Singapore demand athletes train hard and recover well to ensure top performances.
“Quality nutrition from whole foods plays a crucial role in supporting this training and quality. Often, elite athletes require some extra help on top of their diet to maintain longer endurance and recover from training and competition.”
Both products have been given the green light after being tested by LGC Group, a globally recognised laboratory known for its accredit testing system for banned substances.
Shared goals
With regards to how the partnership came about, the spokesperson said: “There was interest from Ajinomoto in looking to become a partner of the SSA, and things proceeded from there.”
Ajinomoto Singapore MD Keita Ishii said in an official statement: “We have always wanted to contribute to the local sports scene here in Singapore, and when the opportunity to be involved with swimming came up, we did not have to think twice.
“(Singapore’s) vision to become one of the top aquatic nations in the world resonates with our vision of growing our brand. We are delighted to be able to partner (with) the SSA for the next three years.”
SSA president Lee Kok Choy added: “We are delighted to welcome Ajinomoto Singapore to the SSA family of corporate sponsors.
“Our partnership with Ajinomoto Singapore is in line with the SSA’s overarching strategy of bringing new sponsors on board who will provide the funding needed to fully develop and nurture our talent pool of athletes, as we look to become one of the top aquatic nations in the world.”