ST JOSEPH ’ S INSTITUTION • JOSEPHIAN ANNUAL 2014 ROLL OF HONOUR
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SJIOBA SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR 2014
EDWARD TAN YI ZHU ( LAWRENCE 402 )
Edward Tan Yi Zhu joined SJI from St . Joseph ’ s Institution Junior . In primary school , he was a member of the SJI Junior Sailing Team . Edward started sailing in the optimist class at the tender age of 8 and has since attained commendable achievements . At age 11 , he was selected to join the National Optimist Squad where he underwent vigorous land and on-water training 5 times a week . At 13 , he qualified to represent Singapore in the IODA Worlds Team Racing Championships 2011 , in which the team clinched a Gold medal . By the time he was 14 , he was one of the top male optimist sailors in Singapore , having won numerous national regattas as well as clinching podium finishes internationally .
His achievements in sailing have been nothing short of remarkable . In 2013 , he attained 3rd position in the IODA Asian Championship held in Noda , Japan . In that same year he was part of the team which won Gold for the IODA World Optimist Championships held in Lake Garda , Italy . The highest honour was when he closed 2013 with an Individual Gold medal and a Team Silver medal for the 27th Sea Games held in Myanmar . For two years running , he was awarded the Singapore Meritorious Sports Boy Award for his achievements in both the IODA Asian and World Championships as well as the 27th Sea Games . All these achievements did not come easy . Behind these accolades , there was sheer hard work , discipline and plenty of sacrifice .
His teacher-in-charge of Sailing , Mrs Nicole Khoo , has this to say of Edward , “ Edward comes from a family of sailors . He joined SJI with lots of talent and potential . He is indeed a sportsman his peers can look up to . He displays integrity on and off the water . During local and international competitions , Edward has consistently demonstrated that he is tough enough to brave all to attain results that exceed expectations . He has indeed demonstrated a commitment to sailing excellence ! More importantly , Edward is truly a Josephian driven by passion and will always represent SJI with pride .”
His leadership attributes are also recognised by his peers and teachers as he was appointed Captain of the SJI Sailing Team and a class committee member in 2011 and 2012 . At the National Inter-School Championships this year , he led the SJI team to clinch podium positions in both the “ B ” and “ C ” Divisions .
Edward has come a long way since then . He is now an accomplished and highly motivated athlete . Despite all these successes , he still remains grounded , not forgetting those who helped him achieve so much .