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?
