Colin Schooling, father of Singapore Olympic gold medallist Joseph, dies aged 73
Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling (L) poses with his father Colin and mother May. (File photo: Roslan Rahman/AFP)
SINGAPORE: Colin Schooling, father of Singapore Olympic gold medallist Joseph, died on Thursday (Nov 18). He was 73.
Colin had been undergoing treatment for cancer in recent months.
"Reginald Colin Schooling passed away today at the Singapore General Hospital with his loving family by his side," said a Schooling family spokesperson.
"Colin was a giant among men. He would always tell you what he thought, no holds barred. We will miss him tremendously. The Schooling family would like to thank everyone for their support and words of comfort during this tough time.
"We respectfully appreciate the privacy given to the family during this period."
In a Facebook post, the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) described Colin as "strong supporter of the local swimming ecosystem".
"Colin was a strong supporter of the SSA and the swimming ecosystem here in Singapore, and was instrumental in Joseph's rise to becoming Singapore's first and currently only Olympic gold medallist," said SSA.
"Our hearts go out to the family and relatives of the Schooling family."
Colin, along with his wife May, played a key role in Joseph's rise to swimming stardom, which culminated with the latter's gold medal-winning performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Describing Colin as a "tough fighter", May said in a Facebook post that he was a "a loving father, a supportive brother, an outgoing uncle, a loyal friend, my husband".
"He will be missed but let's celebrate his freedom from pain and suffering and his reunion with The One above," she added.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong described Colin as a person who "believed in the power of sport".
