SEA Games 2023: As fit as athletes, because these mothers need to be

PHNOM PENH – They are up at the crack of dawn, stay in shape and travel around the world for competitions – while meticulously keeping track of performances.

And that is just the athletes’ mothers. If one thinks only athletes lead a focused and disciplined lifestyle, spare a thought for their mums.

At these SEA Games, at least seven table tennis mums have travelled from Singapore to Cambodia to support their children.

Christina Pang has made around 20 trips to support her son Koen Pang since his first overseas tournament in Indonesia when he was 11. She was also in the Philippines where he became Singapore’s first local-born and youngest SEA Games

men’s singles champion in 2019 at 17.

The furthest she has flown was to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. She travelled alone and spent over $10,000 as it was a “once-in-a-lifetime event for him”.

Their children’s well-being and appreciation are all that matters, but such fervent support can sometimes go unnoticed.

“I’ve checked with Koen a few times, and he told me they actually cannot hear our cheers despite our best efforts from the stands,” said Pang, who also keeps hand-written records of not just his results, but also those of his peers.

Fortunately, she has company from mums such as Chew Soon, who has also made around 20 trips to cheer on her son Izaac Quek since he was 10. Chew also constantly updates her cookbook through online research to find new recipes to make noodles and meat dishes palatable to her 16-year-old.

Chew, who like Pang is in her 50s, added: “When they are at competitions, we don’t disturb them, we just leave them with the coaches and trust they are well taken care of.

“We just go to the venues to support the team. We are not allowed to go to their rooms to distract them because they need that time to rest and analyse matches. At most, we will have a video call with them after the match.”

It is not only table tennis that unites them. Pang said: “We have a group of about nine table tennis mummies. We play badminton and hike to keep fit, and it’s nice to have such a support group.”

Chew added: “To support our kids, we need to make sure our hearts are very strong, and we are physically fit. We need to be disciplined as we also need to constantly adjust our body clocks.

“During matches, it can be difficult to keep calm, so it helps that we can talk to other mothers and be there for one another.”

Similarly, the camaraderie of about 15 families in Singapore swimming helped Lili Thng during her first overseas trip to support her daughter, breaststroke specialist Letitia Sim. She travelled more than 15,000km over 28 hours from Alabama, the United States, to Phnom Penh, via Atlanta and Seoul.

The 54-year-old said: “It’s good to hang out with other energetic parents. I also want to be here for Letitia in case anything happens.”

With a laugh, she recounted how Sim was stuck in the toilet before one of her heats at the Hanoi Games in 2022. She also fell sick as the outdoor pool had bugs and frogs and in Phnom Penh she had a sore throat – her mum was on hand with lozenges and fruits.

With another swimming daughter Levenia and golf-playing son Padraic, it is a “365-day, 24-hour job” for Thng, who was their personal chauffeur and chef when they were younger.

She said: “It’s tough because I try not to upset their routine, and for 10 years, my life revolved around their routine to help them achieve their goals. But I have no complaints. I prefer to spend time with them than have my own private time because not every parent gets to enjoy this journey.

“I try to explain to them that if they have a goal, they must go for it and not look back in regret. In a way, it’s also a reminder to myself that I should not regret not having supported them in doing what they love.”