SEA Games 2015 Blog

Christina’s Story
Christina Gunawan
Enterprise Risk Services Intern & Team Singapore archer
[Seen on the left with Nila, the 28th SEA Games mascot]

On Sunday, 14 June, the Compound Women Team for archery, which I’m a part of, came together to compete for a spot in the top 3. It was our first time in a medal match and we were extremely nervous but excited. Although, we didn’t win, the team fought hard and it was really heart-warming to see supporters braving the rain on a Sunday morning to support Team Singapore, no matter the outcome.

When I was much younger, I was never into sports as I disliked exercising. That changed when I entered polytechnic and decided to take up an outdoor sport which did not look too strenuous. Archery seemed like a good choice back then because archers always look so relaxed when competing, and it looked like there wasn’t much exercising involved. But I was so wrong!

In my first few months into the sport, my fellow beginner archers and I had physical trainings about twice a week, which included running and push-ups. I didn’t know it then but these exercises are extremely beneficial for archers, as they build our stamina, endurance, mental and physical strength for us to shoot consistently and with ease during competitions.

I started off with an Olympic Recurve bow, but made the switch to another bow category when I entered university. Currently, I shoot the Compound bow. This bow makes use of a pulley/cam system, making the bow more energy efficient. Compound bows are shot with a mechanical release and are also equipped with a peep and magnifying sight for improved accuracy.

Being in a precision sport has taught me to be meticulous, patient and calm in different conditions. These life lessons are applicable and useful in all aspects of life. I would definitely encourage everyone to take up archery, as it is a sport for all. In fact, two archers whom I look up to are Korea’s legally blind archer, Im Dong-hyun and USA’s armless archer, Matt Stutzman. They defied the odds, broke stereotypes and world records despite their disabilities!

When Singapore last hosted the Youth Olympic Games in 2010, I was a volunteer photographer with zero experience in archery. 5 years later, never did I imagine that I would be representing Singapore while doing something that I love.

There were many obstacles during my journey towards the SEA Games, including suffering a shoulder injury last year. The injury hindered my ability to train at the same frequency and intensity as my teammates. Fortunately, I was blessed with a coach, teammates, physiotherapist and sports trainers who encouraged me to press on and never give up. The road to recovery was slow, but I was disciplined, and it paid off! I managed to qualify for SEA Games in Singapore!

The power of home ground support did not hit me until we (the Compound Women Team) were up against one of the region’s powerhouse, The Philippines, for the bronze medal. As first timers in a medal match, there is a sense of nervous anticipation, but we banded together with the strong support that we had.

After suffering a technical malfunction with my aiming sight at the start of the match, we were trailing 5 points after the first 6 arrows. Despite so, we managed to recover and were down by only 1 point at the last 6 arrows. Though we did not win, we were proud to have given our very best and fought right to the very end.

To be honest, it was rather nerve wrecking to be shooting in front of the home crowd. But, we took cheers and encouragements in our stride, shot our best for the team and for Singapore. The experience was humbling, and it was an honour to represent Singapore on home ground.

I could not have done this without the support of family, friends, teammates and Deloitte. Although it has been less than a month since I joined Deloitte, the amount of support from my colleagues has been overwhelming! Apart from granting me special leave to prepare and participate in the Games, the Deloitte family constantly encouraged me to do my best and were very understanding towards my sporting commitments. Additionally, I was also able to meet fellow Deloitte athletes training hard with the common goal of doing Singapore proud. Every day, I step into the office feeling so lucky and grateful to have landed this summer internship with Deloitte!

As one door closes, another opens. The end of the 28th SEA Games marks the start of another journey as we prepare for the next SEA Games in Malaysia. Believe me, we will train hard, fight on and come back even stronger for Singapore in the next Games.

With that, I leave you with my personal mantra that had spurred me on during the match - “Never give up until the very last arrow has been shot (Never give up until it’s over).”

Christina

Photos by Dyan Tjhia / Sport Singapore