20 LUMEN | JOSEPHIANS
Athlete with
Zeal
By Daisy Chia
‘ Sweat is the oiling of a dream .’ Wise words from sprinter and hurdler Raymond Scott Lee who has seen them become a reality for him and hopes to debunk any myths for those who aspire to be athletes .
Lean and muscular . One might think Raymond Scott Lee ( Class of 2012 ) is a natural athlete groomed from a young age . After all he has many feathers in his cap . One was the record breaking feat he achieved during the 53rd National Schools ’ Track and Field Championships where he fought with every ounce of energy to clinch the gold medal just a hundredth of a second ahead of his rival from Victoria School in the ‘ B ’ Division 400m Hurdles . Another was with his relay mates , together they blazed the trail during the 20th Singapore Press Holdings ( SPH ) Relay Championships 2012 in both the 100m and 200m relays by emerging champions not just in those events but in the entire championship . But did you know he was a basketball player in primary school ? Or that he did not even aspire to be in athletics when he entered SJI ? His only track experience before becoming a teenager was just to participate in Sports Day .
So what made him join Track and Field as a Co-Curricular Activity ? Glamour . All the fame and glory that come with winning enticed him , making him excited about becoming an athlete . Little did he know what he was in for . Now , however , after four years of
training he is well aware it is grueling ; he says , “ The challenges I face daily as an athlete are the fatigue and lack of time to pursue other things apart from running . Trainings are intense so I don ' t really have much energy for anything strenuous after that or much time to pursue any other hobby , or go out with friends . The biggest challenge would be to stay motivated and keep all eyes on my goals so that I don ' t lose sight of my aims .”
Not losing sight of his aims is very much part of Raymond ’ s psyche . He demonstrated it during the SPH Relay Championships 2012 . With one point behind ACS ( I ) and the high possibility of another rival RI trying to rob SJI of her chances , Raymond as Captain of the team knew everything hinged on the last event – the 200m relay . He needed to inspire his team members and show them that it is possible to achieve what they aim for as long as they are willing to try . With fire in his
eyes , he told them , “ Of course we will not let them do it , we will win for SJI ’. And win they did breaking the seven-year drought for SJI by becoming the ‘ B ’ Division champions . This clear sightedness is not evident only in Track and Field but in other areas of his life too . When helping out in his class 434 Casual Friday Polo Shirt Project he was able to devise a plan for the efficient distribution of the polo shirts when others couldn ’ t . This made his classmate Wong Zhenglong to remark , “ Raymond ’ s the logistics guy and he ’ s very good at it !” Even with regards to his food choice during one of the rare class outing he could attend , Raymond left after lunch forgoing the bubble tea treat that his teacher was giving . His reason : “ I rarely take sweet drinks .” He is keen to maintain the healthier lifestyle he has adopted as a result of athletics .
Being an athlete has certainly benefitted Raymond in more ways than one . He possesses a true fighting spirit and adheres to his mantra : ‘ No race is ever over until one crosses the finish line .’ With such zeal , he is bound to give his best in all aspects of his life .
This page ( left ): Raymond ( tag 321 ) giving his all in an SPH relay ( Photo used with permission from SAA )
This page ( top ): The victorious ‘ B ’ Division team with Raymond at the 20th SPH Relays Championships