KESTER Leung, 16, said that one of his proudest moments in wrestling was when he was picked to represent Singapore.
But when Kester’s father heard that he was picked, he gave him a lecture instead. It wasn’t that he was not proud of Kester, but rather he knew the reality facing the Singaporean sportsmen.
Kester said that his father, previously a sportsman himself, knew that in Singapore, studies came before everything else.
That hasn’t stopped Kester from giving up wrestling.
The Montfort Secondary School student said: “We have difficulties with studies, but it doesn’t stop us from getting what we want.”
He trains five times a week, with each training session lasting up to one and a half hour.
Kester was introduced to wrestling through a wrestling clinic in Montfort Secondary in Nov 2008.
He said: “I enjoy everything about wrestling, including the techniques like learning how to throw. I find all the moves fun. It really is a very energetic sport.”
Kester also grapples with time management.
He said: “It’s definitely hard and challenging to juggle studies and sports. I just have enough time to study and train. There is no time to socialise with friends.”
He also understands the importance of education. After the YOG, he aims to pass his N-levels.
Kester, an animal lover, aspires to be a veterinarian when he grows up. Among the long list of animals he used to keep, he had a rabbit, a dog, three hamsters, and fishes. But, he had to give up his pet hamsters due to wrestling.
He said: “My father thought there wasn’t enough time for me to wrestle, study, and take care of my hamsters. Now, I only have fishes.”
Despite all these sacrifices, Kester said: “I’m honoured and excited, but at the same time nervous.”
The lanky athlete has only been learning wrestling for two years, and it hasn’t been easy.
Kester said: “The techniques look easy but they’re very complicated. When I first started, I didn’t execute the techniques properly. I found the drills very confusing. ”
He said his coach, Sergei Beloglazov, a two-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion, is his idol.
“My coach is very patient with me. He makes me practice the drills many times” he added.
Kester also said that wrestling had really benefited him.
“Physically, I used to be very skinny, but now, after wrestling, I am more muscular. Its also helped me with discipline, especially my confidence and self-esteem.”
“I used to look down on myself, but now it’s not so bad,” Kester said. “During the Commonwealth Youth Wrestling Championships in January this year, which was my first competition that I participated in, I was so nervous.”
But now, for the YOG, Kester has “high hopes.”
He said: “I will definitely try my best to get a medal and I will not give up trying.”
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Instructions:
1) How do you manage your time between your social life(house work, family commitments, hobbies, friends) and your school work?
2) What does YOG mean to you? How has it affected you?
1) I try to finish my work commitments in school since I started working. I try to keep my evenings free and spend time watching tv and reading books. During the breaks in school, I will prepare for lessons and mark assignments. During my weekends, I spend time playing football and going out with friends. Family support has been a huge pillar of strength for me. I also try to keep my mind relaxed and calm so that I will be fresh for the upcoming week.
ReplyDelete2) YOG is a prestigious and historic moment/event for all singaporeans. It has put the 'red dot' under the limelight. This will definitely benefit singapore in many ways. We, singaporeans, have come together for this event. Many youngsters have volunteered for YOG. We learnt the value of volunteerism. Basically, our school was a part of YOG opening ceremony and it has brought glory to our school. We have reached new heights- bringing about a great time to bond as a school!
Alvin Ng (33)
ReplyDelete1)Mostly if i was given homework,i would try to complete it at school even if i can only complete a small portion of it.I would still do it because by doing that,when i reach home,i would have more free time to spent on playing,chatting with friends or do other homework.Mostly if i can,i would complete all the homework i have at home if i had time so that next time i won't have to worry about forgeting that particular homework.I would also do school work that i have during breaks in school.For example are during recess or maybe during those free time before i go for my CCA.
When i'm in school i would communicate with my friends because that's the only time when i would see them and talk to them in person.We would play around and have fun,if i have any question about school work that i do not know,i can also ask them.I also communicate with my friends at home.I can have a chat with them using phone or using MSN or maybe Facebook.There are of course many other ways to spent time together with friends.
Basically i do not have any hobbies.I'm still trying to find one but none of it intrest me.I would do housework when i'm free on weekends or when i have that feeling to do housework.I would spent quite some time with family as family is very important and it have been supporting me for many years.After school when i went home,i would spent time chatting with my family.I would also chat with my family when i have other free time.During weekends is the when we have family bonding.We would have breakfast,lunch and dinner together outdoor or indoor.When i'm eating with my family,i have a kind of special feeling that can't really be described.Although we don't really talk much together,but i feel that as long as my whole family are together,i would already feel happy and wish that all this happy moments would not end.
2)YOG seems to me as an very important event that only arrive to a particular country once a few years.YOG have also been a very important event that many athlete have been waiting for and training for.They sure have put in alot of effort for YOG.YOG have also been a famous event that almost everyone knows about.
It surely have affected me and other people.Many people in Singapore have learn to come together as a country for this event.They would have also learn to work in a team to achieve new heights and bring glory to Singapore.After people see the YOG events,they would also have dream and goal of join YOG when they grow up older or maybe,start training for the next YOG.Everyone would want to bring glory to his/her country and make his/her country and parents proud.
It have also affected me in some way or another.After seeing people participating in YOG,i also want to participate in YOG as i want to bring glory to my country and make my parents proud.But i think it's impossible for me to get into YOG...I'm not as strong as those people in YOG and not as tall as those people in YOG,i'm also small sized compared to those people in YOG...Maybe i'm just thinking about things that are impossible to happen...
1) I will try my best to do finish my homework then do the things which i want to do . Homework is important to do as it let us recap on what we've learnt , and let us expose to more questions . It's better to do homework when you're at home instead of rushing out the homework in school .
ReplyDeleteThere's many way to communicate with friends when you're in school . Friends are important too . Friends will give you a lending ear when you're upset and stuffs . they'll give you moral support . CCA is already taking most of my time . My CCA is choir . but i still like my CCA as i like singing . But the hours are too long . But overall , its fine . i dont do housework too . My mother do most of the things . Sometimes if im free , i'll try to help out though .
2)To me , i feel that YOG is a very big event. Even our school is involved in the opening ceremony . Although our school is quite new , we're still involved in a big event . And it's singapore first time holding such a big event , as Singaporeans , we should be proud of our own country . Singapore spend quite a big amount of money for this event . Singaporeans took part in certain sports and most of them are youngsters . i'm proud to be a singaporean . (:
-Weixuan(3)
Cheryl phoa(09)2E3
ReplyDelete1)I usually complete my school homework given to me without fail.I try to do those homework
I know and leave unsure questions and ask my mummy when she return from work in the evening.
If I have CCA in the afternoon for the day, I will try to complete the homework before attending to CCA.
Sunday is my resting day as I will spend my time doing the things that I like. For examples ,I will read my favourite kitty stories or cycle with my family. This a day where everybody is free and we will get together to share the experiences ,joy and unhappiness for the past week we had encountered.
Family bond is very important to me, I believe that our parents do share and listen to us. They will give us moral support and strength no matter what.
2)YOG is the first event that held in Singapore. Our country are proud to make known to international even though we are little red dot in the world.
YOG allow teenagers around the world with capiblities to share the Olympic
values and ideals with us.
Our school felt hornour to be part of the opening ceremony for YOG. It really bring glory to my school and me cause I study in Greendale Sec School.
I now usually just do what I have to do when I get back home after school.What more, we once had a ilive session on how to manage our time properly.From that lesson, I learnt many things. Example to do what is most urgent,followed by the tasks that could be delayed a bit, and then the thing that I want to do in my own free time, so on and so forth..
ReplyDeleteI think that the YOG had a pretty great impact made on Singapore, as the organiser.I feel that this is a chance given to us, to prove that although Singapore is just a tiny red dot,whether is it a small dot or a big one, we have no problems coping with grand events like this.
I think as much as our school who felt the honour and pleasure to be part of the YOG Opening Ceremony,we, the Greendalers would most possibly also have felt it.
Megan T.S.Y
@all: yes guys, YOG has been a great boost for all of us. Heard that singapore has won a silver medal! Great, ah! OH YEAH OH YEAH OH YEAH OHHHHH!
ReplyDeleteDennis Chea(18)
ReplyDelete2E3
1) I will try my best to do finish my homework then do the things which i want to do. If possible i would do my homework during school hours so that i would not do my homework last minute.I usually do my homework before CCA on Wednesday but the CCA timing have been moved forward...It's very hard for me to cope with the timing as everything becomes a rush.
2)I feel that YOG have been a very important event that many athlete have been waiting for and training for.They sure have put in alot of effort for YOG.YOG have also been a famous event that almost everyone knows about.So,we should be proud as a Singaporean. I'm proud to be a Singaporean.
1. Whenever I back from school, the first thing I do is bathe and straight to do my homework. After I have finish my school work, I'll use the computer. If there's a test the next day, I'll spent the rest of the remaining time to study so that I can achieve better marks. If the homework is due three days later, I'll do my very best to finish the homework on the same day it was given, to prevent having to rush the next day if the amount of work is more than the previous day.
ReplyDelete2. I think that YOG is an very important event, and many countries are participating in this event, because of YOG, many athlete have been training for years just to compete in this event, tears have been shed during all those training, and why? It's because of YOG, it shows how important it is to athletes. Before they announced that Singapore was chosen for the 2010 YOG, many people was at Padang to await for the chosen country, when Singapore was chosen, many people scream their lungs out, and was jumping with joy. This shows how important YOG. I'm proud to be a Singaporean, even though Singapore is a small country, it was chosen for the 2010 YOG. This shows that never judge it's book by it's cover, this country may be small, but it will too achieve great stuff. :)
-BELINDA
1) On weekdays , usually , I do my homework before my CCA starts . If I do not have CCA that day , I'm usually out with my friends for lunch and just talking to each other or sometimes , a movie and on these days , we'll do our homework together . When I reach home , I'll bathe , rest , and watch TV . Usually , I don't do revision as I believe that if I listen in class , I would have understand everything taught by then and would not need revisions .
ReplyDeleteI would usually have done all my homework by fridays , so I'll have time to enjoy myself during the weekends . I'll usually have CCA on saturday morning , and after that I'll probably be out with my friends to play pool or catch a movie . and on sundays , I'll probably stay at home to watch TV , use my laptop and just chatting with my brother .
2) The inaugural YOG is held in Singapore , and being a Singaporean , I'm indeed very proud of my country . I'm not someone who's interested in sports , but I do read some news on the YOG and I'm really proud of Singapore for archiving so many medals despite being a young nation .