10 Long Years - Swimming

It's been 10 long years (minimum) since I and many others of my generation left competitive swimming scene. It's unbelievable that it's more than a decade since many of us left. It seems like yesterday that we were having a pool of a time in and out of the swimming pool, enjoying a rush lunch between sessions, doing a performance during final night dinner of a swim meet and sharing ghost stories on the last night of staying in hostels. Time really flies....

After having a long chat (after some long periods of time) last night with an-ex swimmer whom I consider my sister, the idea of having a get-together of ex-swimmers struck me while laying on my bed. This idea has been at the back of my mind for some years and was even put forward by a parent during my coach's Appreciation Dinner (Lee Chek's Appreciation Dinner) that I organised back in Sept 2005 (with some assistance from his swimmers of many generations).

I really don't mind getting the ball started since I had the opportunities to swim and know swimmers from across the generations - those who are 10 years my senior and junior. Perhaps, this gathering will be more of the generations that swam in the 1980s and 1990s.

Swimming form very much a large part of my formative years. Fellow swimmers are like brothers and sisters to me. In fact, we are all a very large family sharing one thing in common - CHLORINATED WATER. It's the chlorinated water that made our hair golden in colour!

The list of some of the well-known swimmers that I came to know personally are (not in any particular order):
Jeffrey Ong - whom I got to play with on weekends, yes, in the pool....
Angelia Ong - whom I got to play with on weekends, yes, in the pool....
May Tan
Magdaline Goh - another big sista who's now in Melbourne too
Loo I-lyn
Ming Yen - and family who's my neighbour (another siblings of mine)
Mark Chua - whom I shared the same dormitory during one of the centralised training
Marilyn Chua - can't say we share the same dorm....grinz
Elena Saw - whom I grew up with in and out of the pool
Alex Lim Keng Liat - who was my roommate
Allen Ong - whom I grew up and competed with back in the late 80s
Cindy Ong
Elvin Chia - whom I shared the same dormitory during one of the centralised training (he slept on the floor due to his height!)

I do hope this meet up will eventuate because it's been too long since we actually sit down and enjoy meals together with a few jokes thrown in!

Certainly, I will make this my new year resolution though it's planned (or suggested) to be held in 2009 to allow better coordination and planning.

Merry Xmas to all............