Many of us were caught up in the excitement of the Olympics held in Sydney last year. However, some of us may not have been aware that one of the participants from Singapore was a member of the legal profession. Kamalarajan Chettiar tells us about Stanley Tan, a plucky young man who managed to juggle his legal studies and training with his love of sailing, and make it all the way to the Olympic Games 2000!
When Stanley Tan Kheng Siong picked up laser sailing as a sport in Raffles Junior College in 1991, he had little idea that the sport would bring him to places like Mexico, Canary Islands, Guam, Europe, the Asia Pacific Region and Australia.
Three months after picking up the sport, Stanley participated in the Inter School Championship. This led to participation in races held by various local yacht clubs. In 1993, he participated in the Laser Asian Pacific Championship in Auckland. In his first year in law school in the National University of Singapore in 1995, he sailed his 'OK Dinghy' into winning a silver medal at the South East Asian Games. He achieved the same feat in the 1997 South East Asian Games and won a bronze medal in the Asia Sailing Championship in 1999.
In 1998, Stanley was given the opportunity to participate in the Asian Games. As the competition began just two weeks after his law examinations, he had to give the Games a miss, which is one of the regrets in Stanley's sailing career.
Like most student-sportsmen, Stanley had to juggle legal studies and sailing, often using sailing as a respite from studying.
Stanley's achievements are no simple feat for someone who picked up sailing in school and coached himself to participate in laser sailing competitions. To date, he has had to plan his own training programme and be his own coach, critic and administrator.
Sailing - A Test of Physical and Psychological Strength
'Sailing allows me to be competitive and is a test of my physical and psychological strength. Through this sport, I learnt about physics (aero and hydro-dynamics), meteorology and how to plan my race strategy under the prevailing wind and sea conditions,' says Stanley.
Upon completing his legal studies in 1999, Stanley, unlike his peers, decided to postpone his career to train for the Olympic Games 2000. As he was going to sail in the Sydney waters for the Olympic Games, Stanley felt that the best training ground would be in Sydney itself. He spent seven months from July 1999 in Sydney training at the gym and sailing six days a week. On his rest day, he would cycle, swim and do stretching exercises.
Upon his return to Singapore, Stanley did a month's pupillage at Messrs Harry Elias Partnership in May 2000 and left for Sydney again. As he explains, 'It was not a difficult decision to postpone my law career to train and participate in the Olympics Games. To me, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It further helped that my parents and the partners of Harry Elias Partnership were supportive of my involvement in the Olympic Games. As one partner in Harry Elias Partnership said, I could always go back to law at any time in my life but the chance to participate in the Olympic Games may not knock on my door again.' Harry Elias Partnership showed their support for Stanley by sponsoring a new sail.
Stanley ranked 38 out of 43 in the Olympic Games. 'I was very disappointed, even demoralised, at the result as I was confident of a top-30 showing as my preparations in the lead up to the Olympic Games were good and I was very fit, psyched-up and injury free. However, I have since realised that the Olympics is a different kettle of fish altogether and I now see the Olympics as a full-dress rehearsal for bigger and better things in my sailing future.'
As a journalist wrote in a local daily, 'The Olympics are not just about physical achievements but also the attainment of mental strength, discipline and the conquest of fear.' Stanley adopts a detached and philosophical attitude when he is disappointed with his results in sailing competitions.
Stanley cherished the Olympic days in Sydney. 'It was fun being in the Olympics Village, interacting with renowned athletes and soaking in the atmosphere. It was like a sporting United Nations.' He recounts fondly how a six-year-old Australian boy went up to him in the Olympics Park for an autograph.
'I am glad that I had the opportunity to train full-time as a sailor, which I enjoyed tremendously. It served as a foundation of skills and strength for me to tap on for future sailing regattas.'
Looking to the Future
Stanley looks forward to a law career that would allow him to be based overseas and handle cross-border work. 'Having lived, trained and competed overseas, I realise that I enjoy the challenge of taking myself out of my comfort zone, adapting to different environments and excelling despite the odds. Singapore is not the centre of the universe and I really want to see how the world works and to be an active player in it.'
'Law and sailing are similar in that they are both long races and are tests of endurance and staying power. Despite whether you win or lose, you have to stay focused on the big picture and plug on.'
Stanley draws his inspiration from his father who started from scratch in life and who taught him the value of honest hard work.
Stanley's sailing dreams are not over yet. 'I have yet to see my best in sailing and I am looking forward to competing in the forthcoming South East Asian Games, Asian Games and Olympics 2004 in Athens.'
According to Stanley, sailing is affordable to one and all and a basic sailing course can be completed in four weekends.
Stanley is now back at pupillage and works towards his sailing goal by cycling or running to and from work every day and sailing over the weekends.
Kamalarajan Chettiar
Allen & Gledhill