Team S’pore athletes hunting for gold at Gold Coast
SINGAPORE — National swimmer Roanne Ho jokes about travelling to the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games to swim just one lap in the pool — her sole event was the women’s 50m breaststroke. But for the 25-year-old, the journey behind the 50m sprint was a life-transforming one that almost cost the athlete her life and her career.
In January last year, Ho went to see a doctor for a bad cough, but was instead rushed to the hospital after an X-ray showed that her right lung had collapsed — a life-threatening condition if left untreated.
Five months after her near brush with death, the swimmer was faced with yet another setback as she underwent surgery to fix a shoulder injury. Her return to the pool was plagued with self-doubt as Ho struggled to keep up with her teammates in training.
Her hard slog was finally rewarded in August when Ho, the defending champion in the 50m breaststroke, splashed home in the one-lap race to claim gold in a new national and SEA Games record time of 31.29sec.
“Physically I was okay, but it was difficult emotionally and mentally…every day at training I just felt like I wasn’t good enough and that took an emotional toll,” said Ho on the sidelines of Queen’s Baton Relay at the Botanic Gardens on Friday (Oct 27).
“I wanted to give up. I didn’t want to go back to the SEA Games not being as good as before. But talking to my psychologist helped. I realised…It didn’t feel right to give up then.”
Ho is set to compete in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast after meeting the 50m breaststroke qualifying mark at the SEA Games. The 25-year-old is hoping to go under 31sec in her pet event.
She added: “Through this, I realised that I’m tougher than I think. The situation is never as bad as you make it.
“I’m definitely more determined to do better, because if I can go through that, I can be successful.”
National shooter Martina Lindsay Veloso is also hoping to join Ho in Australia next year. If she qualifies, the 18-year-old, who won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle at the 2017 SEA Games, is determined to better her fifth-place finish from the 2014 edition in Glasgow.
“It was first senior major Games and it was a very good experience and an eye opener because a lot of good shooters were there,” said the Nanyang Polytechnic student.
“Hopefully I can qualify for two events (50m rifle three positions, 10m air rifle) as there is a lot of competition now within the national team and we have to fight for places. Hopefully I can perform better than at the previous Games.”
Held in Gold Coast from April 4 to 15, the Commonwealth Games will feature 275 events across 18 sports, including an integrated para-sport programme for seven sports.
Former national swimmer Mark Chay will lead Team Singapore’s contingent at the Games as its chef de mission (CDM), with Commonwealth Games Singapore announcing the 35-year-old’s appointment on Friday.
Chay, who competed in two Commonwealth Games during his career, had previously led Team Singapore on two missions overseas: the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, and SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur as deputy CDM.
He will be assisted by assistant CDM and former national gymnast Lim Heem Wei, who won silver in the balance beam at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Based on the athlete allocation set by organisers, a maximum number of 69 Singaporean athletes will compete in Gold Coast, with the paddlers and shooters expected to lead the gold medal tally. Fans will also be eager to catch Olympic swim champion Joseph Schooling, swimmers Quah Zheng Wen and Quah Jing Wen — who have qualified for the Games — in action.
Team Singapore’s swimmers have never won gold at the Commonwealth Games, with Schooling’s 100m butterfly silver in 2014 the best result to date. At the 2014 Games, Team Singapore’s contingent won eight golds, five silvers and four bronzes.
Chay is rooting for the swimmers to do well in Australia. “Joseph and Zheng Wen are so seasoned, and coming off the NCAAs (National Collegiate Athletic Association) in March, they will be in good form,” he said.
“There is a world-class field there with Chad le Clos from South Africa, Ben Proud from England, and swimming is a national sport in Australia.
“But (Singapore’s swimmers) will rise to the challenge. And not just Joseph and Zheng Wen, I think our relay teams have a good chance to do well. Jing Wen is leading the young kids, and we have a lot of 17-year-olds who are rising to the challenge.”
Ahead of the Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay was held here on Friday, with Team Singapore’s athletes and other participants taking the baton through local landmarks such as the Merlion Park and Marina Bay Sands.
The event also saw Veloso and Ho treated to a surprise birthday cake, as the duo turned 18 and 25 respectively on Friday.
The baton will also preside at various community activities before departing for Nauru on Oct 31.
