#teamsossg

"I'm making you my protégé. People will look at you and think of me; I'm putting my name behind you." I remember you telling me this on the homeward-bound plane after our first competition together in Manila. I looked up the word protégé because I thought it was one of those douchey words and here's what it means: 'A person who receives special protection and promotion from someone more established in the field.' I think that's exactly what you've done for me. The promises and dreams of two 23 year olds on a plane 30,000 feet above sea level aren't expected to mean much, but I think we've managed to respect, lead and grow each other into the people we are today pretty well, I daresay. Thank you for seeing something in an absolute greenhorn and trusting me with so much. My successes are your successes and I am even more thankful that a deep friendship underlies all of that. Happy birthday @buffalochua, you have changed this life and many others. Be blessed, be brave, be brilliant. #teamsossg #stateracrew

Here are the last few moments that sealed up my run at the #X45Challenge 2015. I continued the second day in 1st place after winning Event 4 but lost some ground with a 4th place finish in event 5. I missed my 90kg snatch+hang snatch opener thrice in event 6 before dropping to 85kg to seal a score before trying out 90kg again. As you can see, that didn't go too well and Howard Lee crept over me with an 86kg lift. 1 kilogram, 1 point, first place. Being on the podium is a privilege no matter what but I think this one stung close to the heart. I spent a good portion of last night wrestling with my mind because you can say second place is a great finish but also dude you messed up and lost first place by one point but also it wasn't yours to begin with but also maybe you need to look past that. I came into this competition humbled by the love and support shown to me by people I didn't know. This instagram account has become some sort of inspirational thing and I didn't realize my musings, struggles and hopes would reach people on an intercontinental level. I remember praying at the start of this career that I might be used to "show Your love and forgiveness" in quite a generic way. I've seen that in my own life through the various competition/training moments that touch me on a deeper level and tried to put it out without using (sometimes meaningless) "holy words" When I failed my 90kg hang snatch yesterday, at least 5 people came round to get me on my feet, dusting me off, telling me I was a champ in their eyes and that they were cheering me on all the way. So maybe winning first place isn't an answered prayer. Maybe winning first place would have been my heart having finally gotten what it's craved. And maybe that's not really winning at all, not in the grand scheme of things. Love is winning. Having people share your life and your hopes, failures and dreams and helping you be accountable to them is winning. Knowing that the man up there knows your heart and what it can bear and that every successful new challenge overcome is part of that grand scheme of life counts as a win beyond the immediate crowns. #stateracrew #teamsossg #crossfit (presso Likas Sports Complex)

So its just 5 set of 7 reps at 98kg. Also did a wod 3rft: 15 cal rows, 10 wall balls and 5 deadlifts. So tired right now. Oh my lower back! Sore azzz! #teamsossg #crossfit #cfsg #singapore #squats #squatlikeabitch #squatallday #backsquat #backtothegrind #keepfit #iliftdonuts #tb #throwbacksunday

So im on a squat programme for 13weeks. #13weeks #day1 #strengthtraining #strength #backsquat #squatlikeabitch #sos #solitudeofstrength #teamsossg

"I'm not going to hi-five you because you haven't made the last one yet." - @fordeshire just after I matched a 100kg snatch PR on my second attempt and was thinking about the 106kg for the third. Adulation has been such a thing over the week with the victories this weekend, the FHM cover image and the mind battle of "tattoo". And it's such a wanky thing to write about because you sort of deal with it yourself and not in a public space, with the whole "keep your feet on the ground" platitude. It's absolutely insane how a once unfit, kinda strange teenager who spoke a bit too much and who tried to do a bit of everything becomes a kind of an icon and I am very thankful for everything that has come my way. I've never had a brother but in the past two years I've had several people take on that role. And I think this little write up is to thank each one of you in the big ways you have contributed into the growth of this boy. You have challenged me to reach beyond my reach while holding me back lest I get too far. You have shown me mirrors to make me see my flaws before breaking them because a mirror maze is no way to live life. You have inspired me with excellence while showing me that lofty excellence is tied to strong roots of community living. Some of you have led me back to the knowledge and comfort that there is Someone closer than a brother, because humans fail most of the time and He does not. So, thank you for this journey. I'm still stumbling through this whole thing and it's nice to have someone by your side, telling you to not give up, to get up and to look forward, because the best is yet to be. ❤️💙💛 #stateracrew #teamsossg #epn_singapore #lululemonsg #elitesgfittest

Started the day by plummeting down to 33rd place overall thanks to two abysmal finishes in events 2 and 3. Clawed my way up with a 9th place finish in event 4, finishing day 2 in 28th overall. The podium was never in sight over the past two days but I don't think that's what I came here for. I won't call them defeats, I'll call them lessons; lessons that act as mirrors for the calibre that I am now. @darylcz told me earlier today that uncertainty is the biggest fear anyone can have. We don't fear an event, for example, we fear the uncertainty of the outcome, somewhere deep down (especially us competitive ones). I think uncertainty is what brings all of us back to this sport of fitness. When we look at our biggest fears head on and say, "I am diving head first into what scares me," and then do it, we win battles that we couldn't have won if we chose to be comfortable. #asiachampionships #stateracrew #vertigo #teamsossg 📷: @mick125 (at Training Ground)

I went out of the gate fast on event 1 and tried to maintain a good pace through the grueling three rounds. Finished first in heat 1 and ended day one by jumping from seed no. 32 to seed no. 19. Tomorrow brings a gauntlet of three events and my improved seeding puts me up with a new group of even more talented athletes. But I've never felt happier. Being able to just be here and to test myself against myself is something I'm very thankful for. Every day brings new and greater challenges but great is Thy faithfulness in the good and the unexpected. #asiachampionships #stateracrew #teamsossg #wodnut #faith 📷: @wod_chaser (at Training Ground)