KEEPING ABREAST

By Parker Lam, TS Athlete Columnist

Edited By Jeannette Xavier

As the SEA Games swimming competition was going on in Laos, Parker Lam (pix), the national record holder for the 100m breast, was keeping track of our swimmers' exploits. In the first of several columns by Team Singapore athletes, he shares the experience of catching the action in the pool on television.
 
Hard Work

Watching competitive sports is very different from actually taking part in it. The spectator doesn't see the amount of hard work that goes into the preparation. He doesn't know the effort it takes to ensure that one is at peak performance. He doesn't understand fully the nerves and mental preparation needed before a race.
 
Smooth & Effortless

If one catches sports action on television, as I did when our swimmers were competing at the SEA Games in Vientiane, things are even more simplified. Everything seems smooth and effortless. But, in the pool, the physical and mental exertion is immense. I would say our swimmers did exceptionally well in this year's SEA Games. Having shone in Manila in 2005 and Korat in 2007, they had a heavy responsibility this year. It didn't help that some key swimmers were not available, having either retired or missed out due to various reasons.
 
High Expectations

The high expectations of the nation watching intently on national television must have placed pressure on several of the swimmers, especially favourites like Quah Ting Wen and Tao Li. Furthermore, with many rookies (some as young as Samantha Louisa Yeo, 12, and Koh Hui Yu, 14), the swimmers would have felt as though they were stepping into unknown territory.

Major Meet

Having the opportunity of training with some of our SEA Games swimmers, I can relate to the amount of focus that would have gone into preparing for this major meet.  Unfortunately, no swimmer is without his/her distractions, like school examinations or  National Service commitments. Despite the odds, the Singapore team made an impact. They shone as a team, winning 14 golds, 8 silvers and 11 bronzes to edge out strong rivals like Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
 
COMING UP:  Expect more pieces by our athlete columnists. Parker Lam next singles out some of our golden moments in the pool while 400m runner Kenneth Khoo catches up with the actions in Track & Field.