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Brandon Makes a Splash Before Asian Games Debut
Feature: Brandon Yap Yan Xi
Shortly before making his Asian Games debut, Brandon Yap entered the record books by breaking the national record in the 200m butterfly.
The achievement marked a significant milestone for the Singapore Sports School swimmer, whose journey over the past two years included burnout, a break from swimming, and the disappointment of missing the 2025 SEA Games.
While Brandon entered the record-breaking competition with the national mark in mind, he was determined not to let it become a source of pressure.
“I did have my eyes set on the national record, but I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” he shared. “I was more focused on executing my race plan rather than focusing on the time.”
When the record finally fell, Brandon’s overwhelming feeling was one of relief.
“Self-confidence is something that I really struggle with, and although I felt that I had the capability of breaking the national record, I was scared that I would crumble under the unnecessary pressure I had given myself,” he said. He added: “I have learnt to accept these thoughts and control the controllables.”
Turning a Fear into a Strength
Brandon’s swimming journey began at the age of seven as he was afraid of the water. His parents enrolled him in swimming lessons and, within a month of learning to swim, he found himself taking up competitive swimming, following in the footsteps of his sister.
He attended Coral Primary School, where swimming was not offered as a Co-Curricular Activity, and took up Wushu while continuing to swim.
By Primary 6, Brandon knew that he wanted to pursue swimming at a higher level. That led him to Singapore Sports School, where the flexible academic programme and proximity of the training facilities allowed him to devote more of his energy to swimming and his studies. After spending several years at the School, Brandon, who is currently in the Extended Diploma in Business Studies student-athlete, describes it as his “second home”.
“It’s very different from other mainstream schools because we spend so much time with our academy mates, from our seniors to juniors, and we naturally become quite close with one another,” he said.
Learning from the Difficult Days
Brandon’s journey towards his first major Games had not always been smooth.
At the end of 2024, he experienced burnout and stepped away from swimming for several months. When he returned, he took a gap year to focus on the sport and pursue his goal of qualifying for the 2025 SEA Games.
Despite dedicating himself to training, he did not make the team. “It was a really tough time for me because, at that point, I had been training every day like my life depended on it,” he said. “When I didn’t make the team, I was completely heartbroken,” he shared.
The experience eventually changed the way Brandon viewed both swimming and success.
“I learnt that sometimes, you can do everything right, give everything you have, and still not get the result you hoped for because there are things that are simply out of our control,” he reflected. “For me, the important thing was knowing that I had given everything I could at that point in my life, even if the outcome wasn’t what I hoped for. That experience taught me to focus more on what I can control, trust the process and not let one result define me,” he shared.
Building Towards his First Asian Games
The national record came at an opportune time, shortly before Brandon made his Asian Games debut.
The competition in which he broke the record had been intended as a rehearsal to simulate race conditions, with his training geared towards being at his best at the Asian Games. In the lead-up to the Games, Brandon worked particularly on maintaining his technique under fatigue, having identified the final lap as an area he wanted to improve. Beyond the physical preparation, he also worked on acknowledging negative thoughts without allowing them to control him.
As training intensified, Brandon learnt not to become overwhelmed by looking too far ahead. “I have learnt to take it one session and one set at a time,” he said.
Breaking the national record along the way provided an added boost. “Breaking the record has really helped me ride the momentum and given me a confidence boost heading into the Asian Games,” he said.
Backed by Those Around Him
Throughout his journey, Brandon has drawn strength from his family, friends and coaches. He is particularly grateful to Coaches Roderick and Jerome for believing in him through the difficult periods. “They have always been there to support me, not just when things are going well, but also when I am struggling, and I really appreciate that they understand me both as a swimmer and as a person,” he said.
His friends and teammates have also played an important role, pushing one another through challenging training sessions and holding each other accountable.
At home, Brandon’s family has given him the space to make his own decisions while remaining a constant source of support. His sister, who was part of the reason he first entered competitive swimming, remains what he affectionately describes as his “number one hype girl”.
And as Brandon reflected before making his Asian Games debut, the outcome was only one part of what mattered.
“I just want to trust the work I’ve put in, represent the country to the best of my ability and make my family and coaches proud.”
Shortly before making his Asian Games debut, Brandon Yap entered the record books by breaking the national record in the 200m butterfly.
The achievement marked a significant milestone for the Singapore Sports School swimmer, whose journey over the past two years included burnout, a break from swimming, and the disappointment of missing the 2025 SEA Games.
While Brandon entered the record-breaking competition with the national mark in mind, he was determined not to let it become a source of pressure.
“I did have my eyes set on the national record, but I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” he shared. “I was more focused on executing my race plan rather than focusing on the time.”
When the record finally fell, Brandon’s overwhelming feeling was one of relief.
“Self-confidence is something that I really struggle with, and although I felt that I had the capability of breaking the national record, I was scared that I would crumble under the unnecessary pressure I had given myself,” he said. He added: “I have learnt to accept these thoughts and control the controllables.”
Turning a Fear into a Strength
Brandon’s swimming journey began at the age of seven as he was afraid of the water. His parents enrolled him in swimming lessons and, within a month of learning to swim, he found himself taking up competitive swimming, following in the footsteps of his sister.
He attended Coral Primary School, where swimming was not offered as a Co-Curricular Activity, and took up Wushu while continuing to swim.
By Primary 6, Brandon knew that he wanted to pursue swimming at a higher level. That led him to Singapore Sports School, where the flexible academic programme and proximity of the training facilities allowed him to devote more of his energy to swimming and his studies. After spending several years at the School, Brandon, who is currently in the Extended Diploma in Business Studies student-athlete, describes it as his “second home”.
“It’s very different from other mainstream schools because we spend so much time with our academy mates, from our seniors to juniors, and we naturally become quite close with one another,” he said.
Learning from the Difficult Days
Brandon’s journey towards his first major Games had not always been smooth.
At the end of 2024, he experienced burnout and stepped away from swimming for several months. When he returned, he took a gap year to focus on the sport and pursue his goal of qualifying for the 2025 SEA Games.
Despite dedicating himself to training, he did not make the team. “It was a really tough time for me because, at that point, I had been training every day like my life depended on it,” he said. “When I didn’t make the team, I was completely heartbroken,” he shared.
The experience eventually changed the way Brandon viewed both swimming and success.
“I learnt that sometimes, you can do everything right, give everything you have, and still not get the result you hoped for because there are things that are simply out of our control,” he reflected. “For me, the important thing was knowing that I had given everything I could at that point in my life, even if the outcome wasn’t what I hoped for. That experience taught me to focus more on what I can control, trust the process and not let one result define me,” he shared.
Building Towards his First Asian Games
The national record came at an opportune time, shortly before Brandon made his Asian Games debut.
The competition in which he broke the record had been intended as a rehearsal to simulate race conditions, with his training geared towards being at his best at the Asian Games. In the lead-up to the Games, Brandon worked particularly on maintaining his technique under fatigue, having identified the final lap as an area he wanted to improve. Beyond the physical preparation, he also worked on acknowledging negative thoughts without allowing them to control him.
As training intensified, Brandon learnt not to become overwhelmed by looking too far ahead. “I have learnt to take it one session and one set at a time,” he said.
Breaking the national record along the way provided an added boost. “Breaking the record has really helped me ride the momentum and given me a confidence boost heading into the Asian Games,” he said.
Backed by Those Around Him
Throughout his journey, Brandon has drawn strength from his family, friends and coaches. He is particularly grateful to Coaches Roderick and Jerome for believing in him through the difficult periods. “They have always been there to support me, not just when things are going well, but also when I am struggling, and I really appreciate that they understand me both as a swimmer and as a person,” he said.
His friends and teammates have also played an important role, pushing one another through challenging training sessions and holding each other accountable.
At home, Brandon’s family has given him the space to make his own decisions while remaining a constant source of support. His sister, who was part of the reason he first entered competitive swimming, remains what he affectionately describes as his “number one hype girl”.
And as Brandon reflected before making his Asian Games debut, the outcome was only one part of what mattered.
“I just want to trust the work I’ve put in, represent the country to the best of my ability and make my family and coaches proud.”
- More Than They Imagined
- Brandon Makes a Splash Before Asian Games Debut