South East Asia (SEA) -Age Group swim Competition

And Kobe made it to this year’s SEA-Age Swim Competition, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, between 17-19 Dec.

During the past few years, Kobe has made some progress in his swim. Not fantastic but there was progress. But his shorter distance swims weren’t able to match his peers. Then his coach challenged him to swim longer distances, which, to my surprise, he did really well.

Some days I do ask him what he was thinking during those 16 or 30 laps of swim. He usually shrugs his shoulders and says he was counting his strokes.

Kobe after one of his 1500m swim and knowing he broke his own PB.

To swim 800m and 1500m is something everyone can do. But to race/compete in the 800m or 1500m is something NOT everyone wants/can do.

Recently at a swim clinic organised by National swimmers Quah Ting Wen and Pang Sheng Jun, I heard, for the first time, Kobe shared with the participants and the organisers how he felt the anxiety before each race. For a 13-year-old, I think it’s a massive achievement to even complete the 1500m, let alone setting PBs.

We, as parents, don’t really put any pressure on Kobe. He just goes about doing his swim. You wake him up at 4.30am and tell him to get ready for morning training, he’ll get up. No whining. No reluctance to leave home.

I know it’s not gonna be easy to compete with the region’s best, this December. But I’m pretty sure he will try his very best.

And yeah, he’ll have to set good example for his younger brother. We’ll all be cheering Kobe on. Go! Kobe! Go!