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From Paddle to Pen, from Olympics to Exams
Written by: Wang Hao Yang (3O2)
On 22 September, Ms Zhou Jingyi gave a talk at our Secondary Three assembly, sharing her journey from a professional athlete who competed at the Olympics to a student at Hwa Chong Junior College. As one of my direct seniors, her journey felt particularly relatable and inspiring to me.
Ms Zhou was a professional table tennis player for three years, competing in major competitions such as the Hanoi and Cambodia SEA Games. At just 19 years old, she became the youngest Singapore-born female paddler to qualify for the Olympics, representing Singapore at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In 2025, she resumed her studies in Junior College.
During the assembly, Ms Zhou shared the Olympic values she had learnt along the way: excellence, friendship and respect. She also shared practical advice on coping with burnout and maintaining our mental and physical well-being. During the Q&A session, she gave us a glimpse into the life of a professional athlete and spoke about her transition from being an athlete to a student, including her experience of being the oldest student in her class.
Personally, I found her journey remarkable for several reasons. Firstly, representing Singapore at the Olympics at such a young age is already an extraordinary achievement. To qualify for the world’s biggest sporting event before even reaching the age of 20 is an honour that few people get to experience. Secondly, transitioning from being a full-time athlete to a full-time student is no easy feat. Returning to formal education after several years away, while being three years older than most of her classmates, must have presented its own challenges. Yet, Ms Zhou managed to adapt and integrate herself back into the education system.
Through this talk, I gained a deeper understanding of the life of an Olympian, including the challenges and sacrifices that come with it. I was especially inspired by Ms Zhou’s determination throughout her journey, both during her sporting career and after it. Her experience made me realise that we should not be too quick to limit what we are capable of achieving. If Ms Zhou could pursue a demanding career as a professional athlete while eventually returning to school and entering one of Singapore’s leading Junior Colleges, perhaps we too can pursue our own dreams without having to completely sacrifice other aspects of our lives.
As someone who used to play table tennis in the National School Games in primary school and watch matches with my family, the talk also brought back fond memories of a hobby I had gradually grown distant from. More importantly, it reminded me of why I had loved table tennis in the first place.
