Natalie Ryan
Dalat’s very own Elynn Tan (12) first started swimming because of inheriting asthma. It was one of the many cures without actually taking medicine; her parents supported her and thought it was a great idea. She fell in love with it because it was something unique, rather than land sports. “Water sports seem cooler,” said Elynn.
She usually practices six times a week for 2.5 hours daily. She doesn’t train when she has too much work to do for school, or if she doesn’t feel well. School takes priority. Though balance is not easy, minimizing procrastination makes things easier to manage; time-management is key. Swimming is not a school sport because Dalat lacks the resources to make a team. This makes things much harder for Elynn; she feels as if the school does not fully recognise her accomplishments and dedication because it is not “a part of the school.” Making up work and tests is hard as there is little to no leniency, but it is worth it. She is following her passion and she says, “...it is definitely rewarding.”
Constant training can be very time consuming and tiring; Tan says, “I always complain about how tough training is, and it is, but it is what makes the brighter days brighter.”
Swimming is both her passion and her outlet; it helps her de-stress after a long day at school.
She hopes to go to Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh for architecture; swimming is a big part of her life, but she wants to do other things in her future. Elynn hopes to be a part of NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and the college swim team.
“It’s a chance for me to see my fellow Malaysia friends that study in the States,” she hopes.
She doesn’t want to give up on something she has trained so hard for, and it would be good to take advantage of another opportunity.
Being able to represent Malaysia on different levels has given her so many incredible opportunities. Her most significant event so far was the recent SEA games, as she said,“It was really eye-opening getting to swim alongside Olympians and race with them…my favourite part was doing relays and playing swimming games...it was really fun getting to know and bond with people all over the world, from Singapore to the Philippines. It’s cool to get to know many people around the world with the same interest in swimming as me."
If Elynn wasn’t doing swimming, she would do different types of sports (especially those part of the school). It would also give her a chance to hang out more with her friends and have more free time.
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