As the youngest competitor in his category, during the 1,500 metre race at the World Games last year in Berlin, Special Olympics Singapore athlete and athlete leader, Irving Tan, naturally felt nervous.
It was the then 17-year-old’s first time competing in an overseas race after all, and when he was overtaken on his third lap, anxiety spiked.
However, Irving did not entertain thoughts of defeat, and instead pressed on, sticking to his coach’s game plan, holding fast, right up till the finish line where he won gold.
Irving’s journey to competing on the world stage first kickstarted in 2015 under his teacher, Ms. Selvy’s watchful eyes.
From his first sprint, she recognised his raw talent and wasted no time in introducing him to the world of competitive sports through Special Olympics.
However, his sporting journey has had its share of ups and downs. Before the actual Games, Irving was struck with COVID-19, which left him feeling feeble post-sickness. “Training became a challenge… And returning to training after recovery was tough. I felt weak, but I pushed myself hard to regain strength and catch back up.”
Irving competed in a total of three races at the Games. Aside from the 1,500 metre race, he took part in the 800 metre race and 4×400 metre relay, clearly underscoring his grit, resilience and sheer hard work. He won the 1,500 metre race with a time of 5min 57.59sec and his strategy was to pace himself for the bulk of the race, only going all out in the last 300 metres.
Recalled Irving, “During the race, I felt a mix of nerves and confidence, but I knew I had a shot at winning. I’m feeling happy and incredibly proud to bring victory home to Singapore.” His victory was Singapore’s first gold medal during the World Games in Berlin, Germany last year, which was subsequently followed by several wins by other fellow athletes.
Beyond the podium, Irving’s sights are set on the food and beverage sector. A vocational school student, he’s dreaming of his future as a barista in a restaurant. This isn’t an afterthought, it’s a meticulously crafted path, fueled by skillsets he has honed in his training program.
He has one message for the world, to not underestimate people with intellectual disabilities. “See how we are running, see how we are competing,” he said with vigour.
Buoyed by the support of his family, friends, coach, teachers and fellow athletes, Irving’s confidence and spirit soared, demonstrating that champions aren’t born on the track, they are nurtured and developed with support, commitment and the pursuit of passions, big or small.
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