The Road to Greatness: Turning Aspiration into Achievement

It wasn’t too long ago when Joseph Schooling brought home Singapore’s first and only gold medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics, sparking a new era of passion and possibility in our sports landscape. Inspiring athletes like Yip Pin Xiu have also continued to make waves, with her latest triumph at the 2024 Paris Paralympics bringing her gold medal count to an extraordinary seven.

As Singapore’s sports industry takes centre stage, the Sport Excellence (spex) programme, established in 2013, stands as a cornerstone for nurturing the champions of tomorrow. Awarded the prestigious spexScholarship and spexPotential, Daniel Chan and Kassandra Ong offer a compelling look into life after receiving this coveted support.

Pushing boundaries

The spexScholarship has been a trailblazer, offering unparalleled professional support to athletes within Singapore’s High Performance Sport system.

Daniel Chan began his journey in competitive shooting at the age of 30, inspired by the athletes he admired during the 2016 Olympics. Despite an accident at birth which affected the nerves in his left hand (a condition also known as Erb’s palsy), Daniel’s determination led him to train under a national coach and dive headfirst into the sport, embracing the mental challenges it presented.

Sharp and steady with each aim, Daniel trains at least six times a week to maintain his calm composure.

This incredible work ethic and resilience was further strengthened when he secured a spot in the spexScholarship programme, which opened up a wealth of resources to elevate his game.

Making his mark

Through the programme, Daniel gained access not only to top-tier trainers but also to a dedicated team of physiotherapists, biomechanics specialists, and nutritionists—each playing a crucial role in maintaining his peak physical condition. For Daniel, who must be mindful of his impairment, this holistic support is vital to training his strength and mastering the proper stance to avoid injuries.

Shooting, unlike many other sports, also comes with its own set of unique challenges. The need for special licences to transport pistols and equipment internationally is a costly hurdle, making it difficult for Daniel to finance his participation in overseas competitions. With his qualification for the 2024 Paralympics at the 4th Asian Para Games (APG) in Hangzhou, additional training and global exposure became all the more crucial to his preparation for the prestigious quadrennial event. With the financial support from spexScholarship, all of this became possible.

From his Chief Team Physician (extreme left) and Team Dietician (second-left), to his coach (third-left) and Chef de Mission (aka Head of Mission, extreme right), everyone played a pivotal role in equipping Daniel for his momentous win at the 4th Asian Para Games.

With rising success naturally comes increased responsibility. The mental demands of this journey may be intense, but support from sports psychologists through the programme helps Daniel stay grounded and focused, even under immense pressure.

Starting young

On the other hand, younger athletes like 18-year-old Kassandra remain steadfast as they wait for their turn to shine. While they dream of becoming world-class champions, they have yet to transition into full-time athletic careers. The spexPotential, an extension of the spex programme, was created for precisely this purpose. Officially launched in 2023, spexPotential is dedicated to nurturing the potential of young athletes, giving them the opportunities and support they need to reach new heights in their athletic pursuits.

After mastering the Nangun (a fighting style that uses a staff) and Nandao (a fighting style that uses a sword) techniques, Kassandra took on the challenge of honing her Nanquan (a bare-handed fighting style)  skills at the beginning of 2024.

Kassandra’s journey differs greatly from Daniel’s. She began practising Wushu at the tender age of four. Inspired by her sister Kimberly Ong, who is also a Wushu athlete and spexScholarship recipient, Kassandra had already committed to Wushu competitively by the age of eight and has never looked back since. Whether as an athlete or a student, Kassandra exhibits the same resilience and perseverance that define a true sportswoman, making her an ideal candidate for the programme.

Chasing Dreams

Driven by a relentless desire to hone her skills and compete on larger stages, Kassandra eagerly embraces every opportunity spexPotential offers. Just this year, she had the chance to train under some of the world’s best coaches in China, where Wushu is not just a sport but a cultural institution—an experience made possible by the programme’s financial backing and global connections.

Through training camps like the one she attended in Tianjin, China, Kassandra also forged stronger bonds with team mates who, like her, are pursuing their dreams of becoming full-time athletes.

Despite her rigorous training regimen, Kassandra manages to maintain balance in her life, supported by expert physiotherapists who soothe her aching muscles and nutritionists who ensure she enjoys healthy, satisfying meals like any regular teenager.

The Road Ahead

If Daniel and Kassandra’s journeys teach us anything, it’s that with unwavering grit, commitment, and the support of a strong community, any obstacle can be overcome, and new heights can be reached.

For Kassandra, the discipline she embodies is a small price to pay compared to her dream of advancing to the spexScholarship programme and becoming a full-time athlete well before her prime. For Daniel, his Paralympics debut—marked by a stunning streak of six consecutive perfect 10s that earned him 10th place—has only fueled his determination to push his limits even further.

Both athletes are shining beacons for those who aspire to build careers in sports, yet they are just a few among many who are blazing their own trails. In the past two decades alone, Singapore has added five more Olympic medals to its collection since its first in 1960, demonstrating the fruitful impact of investing in local talent. Today, as we look to the future with renewed hope, it is through innovative programmes like spexScholarship and spexPotential that Singapore’s sports capabilities will continue to soar, one athlete at a time.