20 LUMEN | AL U MNI
The
Gymnast
with
Grit
Zac Liew
Zac Liew from the class of Michael 401 , a member of the National Artistic Gymnastics Team , represented Singapore in the ASEAN Games in July 2017 . Together with his teammates , he brought home Singapore ’ s firstever boys ’ team gymnastics Gold . Zac had also attained the Silver Medal in the individual category for all-round excellent performance . Zac is not only an outstanding sportsman , but he is also a humble individual who is full of gratitude .
This page ( top ): Zac performing his routine on the pommel horse
This page ( bottom ): Zac receiving his SJIOBA Sportsman of the Year award 2017
Before commenting on his ASEAN Games performance , Zac mentioned the most important thing is that he would like to thank all of his friends and family who gave him the moral support to carry on ; be it in his academic work or his strenuous preparations for the competition . He views this breakthrough for Singapore in the ASEAN Games as a team effort , one that was not expected but truly satisfying to know that all the gymnasts ’ effort had paid off with the impressive result Singapore has achieved in gymnastics . Being placed in the spotlight once again ( Zac had prior to the ASEAN Games earned the individual all-round title in the National School Games B Division artistic gymnastics championships in April ) , Zac is all the more grateful for the support that he has received and is glad to perform well at the ASEAN Games .
Zac draws his inspiration from renowned six-time consecutive World and Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura . Emulating his role model , Zac works with the principle of hard work , training vigorously , focusing on a win to become someone who is deeply focused in artistic gymnastics . In doing so , he puts his determination and perseverance to the test . He views this major accomplishment in the
By Ryan Karthik Pary
ASEAN Games as a stepping stone to the word stage , carrying with him the passion to represent Singapore in the Olympics . Zac is now preparing himself to aim higher and higher , spending whatever time not devoted to juggling schoolwork and his other commitments , to improving himself in gymnastics . An inspiration for others , Zac copes with studies on top of a training regimen that lasts from 4.5 to 5 hours daily , 6 days a week . He drives himself , despite the many injuries he has sustained during the harsh and gruelling training .
Not known to be a happy-go lucky person , Zac has toiled since the tender age of 5 , to become someone who can represent Singapore in artistic gymnastics . He reiterates yet again that he owes this opportunity to his parents , who having observed his activeness as a child and love for sports , enrolled him into the national squad for artistic gymnastics . He views artistic gymnastics not as a mere sport or recreation , but an area in which he feels that he can truly express himself . Thankful for the choices his parents have made for him when he was young , Zac wants to carry on bringing them pride by continuing to excel in gymnastics .
Zac attributes his ASEAN Games win to his parents and is immensely proud not only to be able to represent Singapore but to raise our country ’ s flag high during the ASEAN Games . He continues to aim for the sky , aspiring to see his Olympic dream come true so that he can bring honour and glory to Singapore one day .