SINGAPORE – Ryo Ong used to be terrified of cockroaches, but after a year-long stint in South Korea, the Singaporean short track speed skater can now catch them with his bare hands.
It was a skill he picked up in 2022 when he was based in Busan, where he lived in a cramped and mouldy rented room with his mother and teammates Brandon Pok and Keegen Chan.
The 17-year-old was training there in a bid to qualify for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
His hard work paid off when he booked his ticket through his performance at the 2023 ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships.
With 1,800 athletes from 79 nations competing in the Winter YOG, which kicks off on Jan 19, it is the biggest event of Ryo’s fledgling career.
So serious is the Singapore Sports School (SSP) student about the competition that he boarded a plane to South Korea on Nov 11, the same day he completed his final O-level paper.
Ryo said: “I’m feeling quite prepared because I’ve been training for over two months and I feel like I’ve gotten most of my strength for the competition.
“I’m feeling pretty excited but I’m also quite nervous because I have no idea what to expect for such a major competition, but I’m prepared for whatever is to come.”
Stepping into the rink at the Gangneung Ice Arena will be a dream come true for Ryo, who realised he wanted to pursue the sport at the elite level after enrolling in the SSP.
He started short track speed skating after his mother signed him up for a trial at the JCube ice rink when he was seven. He loves racing at high speed as it pushes him to improve.
His determination was what got him through the rigours of his year-long stint in Busan, where he trained twice daily from 5-7am and 4.30-8pm under former South Korean skater Lee Ho-eung – who won a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics – and two other coaches.
After qualifying for the Winter YOG, it was back to the books for Ryo – he had deferred his studies for a year and spent most of 2023 in Singapore to focus on his O levels.
In the last two months, he has been strengthening his body for competition and his coach has increased his training laps to build his stamina. His training also involves going at higher speeds to give him the power to push himself.
Qualifying for the Winter YOG has only whetted Ryo’s appetite for more as he eyes a spot at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, with the ultimate goal being the Winter Olympics.
For now, he is aiming for a top-10 or 20 finish at the YOG and hopes to better his personal bests in his respective events: 500m (43.161 seconds), 1,000m (1min 27.013sec) and 1,500m (2:19).
He said: “I’m looking forward to experiencing how a major competition feels like and how fast the competitors are going to be, and also how well I’ll be able to do at such a competition.”
