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On the Road to the Asian Games
Student Feature: Alfonso Tan, Joy Neo, Chloe Lai, Matthias Goh
Name of Student-Athlete: Alfonso Tan You An
Sport: Gymnastics
Academic Programme: Diploma in Business (SSP-RP), Year 2
Former School: Ai Tong Primary School, Beatty Secondary School
Most athletes never have to start over once. Alfonso Tan had to do it twice.
The first time was when he walked away from gymnastics when he was in Primary 6. After years of training six days a week, he felt burnt out and stopped the sport he had loved since Primary 1. The break lasted for more than two years. He tried other sports, but none gave him the same joy or sense of purpose. Realising where his true passion lay, Alfonso took a leap of faith and returned to gymnastics.
The second time was even harder.
Two years ago, he battled recurring fevers and spent months in and out of hospitals. Forced to step away from training for another three months, Alfonso's return to the sport felt like starting from scratch all over again. Skills that once came naturally no longer did, and every session became a test of determination.
Yet, he chose not to give up.
Alfonso first took up gymnastics after following his older sister into the sport. He trained at the now-defunct Win-Win Gymnastics Club under Ai Tong School before studying at Beatty Secondary School and later joining Singapore Sports School in Secondary 4 to better balance his studies and training.
Today, the student-athlete who has twice rebuilt from the ground up is preparing to compete at the Asian Games. His immediate goal is to give his all in every routine, perform without regrets and enjoy the experience. Looking further ahead, Alfonso hopes to continue representing Singapore at the SEA Games and other major competitions, while constantly improving as an athlete, both physically and mentally.
Name of Student-Athlete: Alfonso Tan You An
Sport: Gymnastics
Academic Programme: Diploma in Business (SSP-RP), Year 2
Former School: Ai Tong Primary School, Beatty Secondary School
Most athletes never have to start over once. Alfonso Tan had to do it twice.
The first time was when he walked away from gymnastics when he was in Primary 6. After years of training six days a week, he felt burnt out and stopped the sport he had loved since Primary 1. The break lasted for more than two years. He tried other sports, but none gave him the same joy or sense of purpose. Realising where his true passion lay, Alfonso took a leap of faith and returned to gymnastics.
The second time was even harder.
Two years ago, he battled recurring fevers and spent months in and out of hospitals. Forced to step away from training for another three months, Alfonso's return to the sport felt like starting from scratch all over again. Skills that once came naturally no longer did, and every session became a test of determination.
Yet, he chose not to give up.
Alfonso first took up gymnastics after following his older sister into the sport. He trained at the now-defunct Win-Win Gymnastics Club under Ai Tong School before studying at Beatty Secondary School and later joining Singapore Sports School in Secondary 4 to better balance his studies and training.
Today, the student-athlete who has twice rebuilt from the ground up is preparing to compete at the Asian Games. His immediate goal is to give his all in every routine, perform without regrets and enjoy the experience. Looking further ahead, Alfonso hopes to continue representing Singapore at the SEA Games and other major competitions, while constantly improving as an athlete, both physically and mentally.
Sport: Swimming
Academic Programme: Secondary 4
Former School: Henry Park Primary School
At just 16 years old, swimmer Joy Neo Ning Suan is preparing for one of the biggest moments of her young career: her debut at a Major Games. Representing Singapore in the 200m Breaststroke at the Asian Games, she is among the youngest athletes on Team Singapore.
Joy first started swimming at the age of four after watching her older brother in the pool. She joined Speediswim and quickly developed a love for the sport. While she enjoyed a wide range of activities growing up, including track and field, badminton and scouts at Henry Park Primary School, swimming was always the sport she felt most drawn to.
Her passion deepened after watching the 2016 Olympic Games and learning about Michael Phelps' journey to becoming one of the greatest swimmers of all time. Inspired by his drive and dedication, Joy began pursuing swimming competitively and set her sights on reaching higher levels of the sport.
To support her aspirations, she joined Sports School in Secondary 1, where she found an environment that allowed her to balance rigorous training with her academic goals. Along the way, the support of her family has been instrumental, with her parents and siblings providing unwavering encouragement through every challenge and milestone.
As she prepares for her first Major Games, Joy hopes to perform well on the Asian stage and continue building towards even bigger goals. Her long-term dream is to compete at the Olympic Games one day.
For the teenager who first dived into the pool more than a decade ago, the Asian Games marks the start of an exciting new chapter.
Photo Credit: Singapore Smash
Sport: Table Tennis
Academic Programme: Diploma in Business Studies (SSP-NP), Year 3
Former School: Ai Tong Primary School
When Chloe Lai steps onto the court at the Asian Games, she will be competing at the biggest event of her career so far. Yet for the young table tennis player, the journey began with a simple decision to try a sport that had long been part of her family's story.
Introduced to table tennis at the age of six, Chloe was encouraged by her father, Dave Lai, a former national player and now General Manager at Singapore Sports School. By Primary 2, Chloe had already won her first title at the Crocodile Cup and discovered her love for competition. Success in local tournaments followed, convincing her to pursue the sport more seriously and eventually join Singapore Sports School in Primary 6.
Since then, Chloe has steadily established herself as one of Singapore's most promising young paddlers. This year marked a breakthrough in her career when she and fellow Sports School athlete Loy Ming Ying reached the women's doubles quarter finals at Singapore Smash, competing confidently against some of the world's top-ranked players. The performance announced their arrival on the international stage and highlighted the potential of Singapore's next generation of players.
Chloe has also gained valuable experience representing Singapore at major competitions. She was part of the Singapore women's team that clinched a silver medal at the SEA Games, before leading the Under-19 Girls' Team to gold and clinching at the 2026 SEA Youth Championships. The triumph was especially meaningful as it was her final SEA Youth campaign and her first time leading the team as its senior player. She also contributed a singles bronze, doubles silver medal and mixed doubles bronze to Singapore's impressive haul.
As she prepares for her Asian Games debut, Chloe hopes to enjoy the experience, learn from Asia's best and continue pushing her limits.
Name of Student-Athlete: Matthias Goh Zoltin
Sport: Water Polo
Academic Programme: International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Year 6
Former School: Yu Neng Primary School
At the age of nine, the principal of Matthias Goh's student care centre introduced him to the sport during an open house. With few commitments at the time, Matthias decided to give it a go.
A student of Yu Neng Primary School, Matthias received approval to pursue water polo as an external CCA. He was quickly drawn to the sport's unique blend of teamwork, strategy and physicality. Unlike many sports, water polo demands that players constantly read the game, track teammates and opponents, and make split-second decisions, all while working together in the pool.
When Matthias joined Sports School, he simply wanted to experience boarding life and see how far the sport could take him. As he progressed through local and youth competitions, however, his curiosity evolved into a genuine passion for the game.
Throughout his journey, Sports School has been a vital source of support. Beyond specialised coaching and international exposure, teachers have gone the extra mile by recording lessons, checking in regularly and helping him catch up whenever national duties take him away from school.
One of his proudest sporting memories came during the National School Games ‘B’ Division competition, where his team secured gold after adapting to a demanding new training programme under a new coach. With training volume and intensity doubling, and opportunities to spar against Singapore's national men's team, the victory was a rewarding affirmation of the team's hard work.
Today, Matthias faces one of the biggest challenges of his student-athlete journey. While preparing for the Asian Games through intensified training and overseas sparring opportunities with the national team, he is also less than two months away from his IBDP examinations. His immediate goals are to perform at his full potential at the Asian Games by helping Singapore maintain its placing from the previous edition and do well in his papers.
As he prepares for both the Asian Games and his IBDP examinations, Matthias is focused on making every opportunity in the pool and classroom count.
- On the Road to the Asian Games
