|
The feeling of dread worked its way up from my toes, settling with a
thud at the pit of my stomach. As I peered through the glass panels of
the Singapore Management University's (SMU) Administration Building, I
accounted for the strange phenomenon by surmising two possibilities. Either
I had arrived at the wrong venue or my editor had pulled a fast one on
me by deliberately not informing me of the posh-nosh attire.
Feeling extremely conscious of my appearance, I made my way to the reception
where a few ladies were clad in power suits and talking into walkie-talkies,
half-hoping that the reason they were dressed so formally was because
they were hosting a charity auction. The ladies at the reception, without
missing a beat, asked if we were there for the sports award ceremony.
Feigning confidence, photographer Paul and I identified ourselves as media
partner Funky Grad like it was the most natural thing in the world showing
up at an award ceremony dressed in white berms and a bohemian dress (Paul
was in a polo-tee and jeans) when everyone else looked like they were
ready to receive an award from the President himself. Then again (and
I'm telling you only), I was secretly expecting to see wakeboards and
dragon boats.
The SMU Sports Award Ceremony this year would have impressed even Aladdin
himself. Themed Arabian nights, the ceremony was a close-knit affair that
brought the SMU Sports fraternity together; saluting undergraduates who
have left their mark on the school's sporting history vis-à-vis
sporting excellence. Windsurfing, women's soccer, kendo, frisbee, and
Muay Thai were only a selection of the buffet of sports represented in
this cozy two-hour affair, replete with camaraderie. Young men and women
- some obviously gorgeous, some shy but mostly tanned and toned - were
gathered in their groups and cliques as the escalator ushered me to Level
5. Here, I spotted Juliyanti Bte Jalil hanging out with her pals from
Silat.
Less her petite frame deceive you, one does not want to mess around with
the third year student who is finishing her Bachelor of Social Sciences
in Sociology and Corporate Communications (I can attest to her Silat prowess
because of the hard work of the committee who painstakingly produced short
video clips of the nominees in their sporting glory before the winner
was announced. Think MTV). Dressed in a lovely royal purple, this feisty
used-to-represent-Singapore-in-Silat lady (who was in the running for
Sportswomen of the Year) is serious about her sport! My sentiment is confirmed
when I see her email signature, a philosophical "Man must be arched
and buttressed from within; else the temple wavers to the dust" by
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. I have no idea who the guy is but honestly,
can anyone beat that?
- Silat is to me what very dark chocolate plus teh peng
is to a-girl-who-gets-happy-when-she-gets-dark-chocolate-and-teh-peng
because it's my drug.
- I would do runs on the treadmill in the gym like a hamster
in the name of Silat.
- The one thing that distracts me when I am in the game is if
a cockroach's father crawls nearby.
- If time reversed itself I would never ever be caught dead going
for trainings twice a day for more than a week as though I
have no family and have absolutely no life.
- I absolutely abhor it when I get seriously injured just
before a competition and begin hoping that I have extra sets of
body parts.
- I am so 'stoney' and zombie-ish at times someone
should just throw me to the wall and see the wall break.
- Describe yourself with a slogan adapted from popular culture.
Just whack larh! (Deconstructed version of Nike)
|
After floppy-haired Lionel Kong, president of SSU, completed his speech
(the contents of which ran along the lines of reminiscing how new kid
on the block SMU has moved up the ladder from being the whipping boy of
sports at the tertiary level to a magnet of medals), the fun began in
earnest.
The Achiever's award started the ceremony. Awarded to an individual in
every sports club who has displayed outstanding qualities in the standards
of sporting performance, 30 sports men and women were honored for their
leadership qualities, sportsmanship and academic excellence - the Woods'
and Federers' of their sport. Within the crème de la crème
of SMU's sports fraternity, the list of 30 was whittled down to five who
were the most eligible for the Super-Achiever's Award, an honor only the
most outstanding sportsperson was worthy of.
Fencer Lu Chuan Yao clinched this coveted title and from the enthusiastic
applause that resounded around the conference room when his name was announced,
I reckoned SMU thought him deserving too. After the event, I ambushed
the fourth-year who is tackling his double-major in Business and Accountancy
and asked if he would be celebrating his win.
"I don't know. There's still school tomorrow, you know." Enough
said.
- Fencing is to me what kindling is to a blaze because
it provides me with the fuel and passion to live life to the
fullest.
- I would do acts of chivalry in the name of Fencing.
- The one thing that distracts me when I am in the game is nothing!
When I am in the zone, I focus only on the game, and on annihilating
my opponent.
- If time reversed itself I would never ever be caught dead in
school wearing a smurf outfit and making out with smurfette.
- I absolutely abhor it when people act all smart when they
know next to nothing.
- I am so full of crap someone should just stuff a sock
into me.
- Describe yourself with a slogan adapted from popular culture.
You can't be faster than Chuanyao the fencer.
|
To break the monotony of the ceremony, Melvin Tan took to the stage with
his basketball stunts while Sound Foundry revved up the atmosphere with
their solid performances of Maroon Five's This Love and Cranberries' hit
Zombie. The audience went amok during their second number. Seriously.
While a daring dude ran onto stage for an impromptu jamming session, several
guys in the middle row of the middle aisle led the audience into a mini
jig complete with waving their arms in the air and some serious head-banging
action, which, actually, was rather amusing to watch.
The night wrapped itself up with another high - the SMU Congeniality
Award. Third Year Accountancy student Wong Dan Chi was deemed the sportsperson
who exhibited star quality and possessed a friendly and dynamic personality
apart from being well-liked by her peers. Affable and very much the social
butterfly, Dan Chi was the star-in-the-east who helped navigate my way
through the throngs of flesh.
"You can ask me if you need to find someone because we are all friends,"
she assured me. Not hard to see why she is Ms. Congeniality. The road
to fame did not come easy though. Along with Floorball's Jasper Ang and
Soccer's Jerry Lee who were the last three contenders for this award,
Dan Chi had to get her hands dirty in a foul-smelling concoction of napkins
and I-don't-know-what-else in order to find a marble hidden within a capsule
that would pronounce her winner.
- Sailing is to me what travelling is like to the backpacker
because you can never learn enough and that's the beauty of
it.
- I would incur 28 blue-blacks over two weekends in the
name of Sailing.
- The one thing that distracts me when I am in the game is Flying
Fish!
- If time reversed itself I would never ever be caught dead with
my team mate pulling my shorts during a race.
- I absolutely abhor it when there is a long wait after the
regatta before we have access to food.
- I am so happy when I get to eat someone should just
take a picture of me to promote their company's food products.
- Describe yourself with a slogan adapted from popular culture.
I am a fool. The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man
knows himself to be a fool. (Shakespeare's "As You Like It")
|
Sailing continued its winning streak by securing the throne of Team of
the Year, the highest accolade for the team that emerged within top four
at inter-varsity leagues or equivalent events and has contributed to the
Sports Fraternity in one main or two sub events. The Indian Cultural Society
wrapped up the already-memorable night with a dance number before colored
streamers spewed copiously throughout the entire hall with a reverberating
bang.
Before we left I noticed random people who stayed behind to help pick
up the colored paper and I thought about how good the combination felt;
Sports and SMU.
|
