Dear Le Le,
Maybe the 20-year-old you is finding it very hard to find your footing in the China national table tennis team.

But you must persevere in your craft, because things can move in mysterious ways and opportunities will surely arise.

And when that golden chance comes, you will be at the crossroads of a huge decision.

Through the Singapore Table Tennis Association and coach Liu Guodong, Singapore will see the potential in you and offer you citizenship, and you will have to decide whether to leave your place of birth.

Do not be afraid, because you are braver and stronger than you think you are. Make that unconventional decision to give yourself a chance to fulfil your Olympic dreams.

You will travel to an unfamiliar Singapore, which will be your new home. There will be people there who will question your intentions and not take kindly to you.

But you must press on and continue to work hard. One day, you will win over the sceptics.

A sporting career is full of ups and downs. You will conjure glorious victories like becoming a key member of the world championship-winning team, and you will be on the Olympic Games podium.

But you will also be hampered by injures and other unimaginable challenges.

Sometimes you will feel like you are on top of the world, and want to keep outdoing yourself to write more slices of history.

Other times, you will feel like you are hitting the wall on your own.

As you grow into your 30s, you will meet with bottlenecks, as well as the challenges from up-and-coming talent.

You will doubt if you can move with the times. But you must believe in your capabilities, that you can and will end your career on a high.

You are resilient, but you can also be vulnerable. At 35, you will return to the top of the podium at the Commonwealth Games, winning three gold medals, but you will also cry your heart out.

What is most important is, you will feel that Singaporeans are proud of you, that you belong.

At that moment, you will smile so bright and true, and feel so free you don’t hold back from making a heart shape with your arms above your head.

You may feel shy and embarrassed, but it doesn’t matter because those are your real emotions.

Ultimately, retiring is inevitable. It will be very hard to hang up that bat that has accompanied you for 30 years. But you will step down in grace and glory.

You will finally have time to indulge in your interests, like skiing, drawing and studying to upgrade yourself.

But please remember the country that gave you the platform to showcase your talent, and you must give back.

I know you will, because dad and mum have inculcated the right values in you since you were young.

Thank you for your courage, your commitment, and your perseverance; without which, there will not be the Tianwei of today.

Love,
Feng Tianwei