WOMEN'S OPEN 2008

Hi team (:

Women's Open will be happening tomorrow, and the day after - our very long-awaited races. With less than 24 hours to the moment, I know all of us are probably feeling a mixture of excitement and eagerness, yet anxiety and fear.

So being a teammate, I just want to share my thoughts. Initially, as some of you may have known, I was very, very afraid of doing k1 for competition, due to severe lack of practice. I came back from Bintan to see my name under the k1 500m category and I got a shock, like really freaked out. Thousand and one things went through my mind. What if i capsize during the competition? What do I do if i get towed back? How am I to deal with all the embarrassment and pressure? How am I to face my teammates? What am I going to say to them, falter an apology?

But after training one day I just sat alone at macritchie for an hour to reflect. I figured that there's really no point in worrying, and after questioning myself for a long while, I found out that what I really want and what is most important to me is not to pressure myself to come in with some amazing timing, but really to just do my best for the team. So for the last few trainings, I seized every opportunity that I could find to row in the k1, even if it were just for 5 minutes.

I've told myself countless times, that come Sunday, I will make my way to the starting line with courage, confidence and determination. During the race, it's nothing less than my very best that I will give. At the end of the race, no matter the results, I will be proud of myself, because I know that I had tried my best do make what could have been worse, better. The same goes for all of us.

To all those who are going to be doing singles events too - Serena, Vivian, and Chermaine. I just hope all of you realise that the singles event, is not actually a singles event, for the very fact that each and every one of us in the team are with you guys spiritually. When you go out there, know inside and BELIEVE US, that we are with you.

For all the k2 events, what we have to do now is to believe in our partners and believe in ourselves. Have confidence in each other. I know many of our pairs have been quite worried recently about having to go for the race without sufficient practice. Let's say, it wasn't even your fault in the first place that there weren't enough boats or that there wasn't enough time. But let that not be an excuse. We know all of us are going to make it fine because we'd treasured, fought so hard and made the best out of all the trainings and most importantly, because we are going to fight to the very last buoy.

Even though jiaolian constantly emphasizes that women's open is merely for us to guage other boats, I do believe that all of us are still going to fight, because that is the Rafflesian spirit. I don't think what jiaolian means is that we don't need to row our best, he probably just means that we should go out there to do our best, and the result doesn't matter. This is going to be an experience worth remembering, and worth working for.

So believe in yourselves, team. Don't make your way to starting line thinking that all you can do is to finish the race and nothing better, or worse still, that you can't even finish the race. Don't harbour such thoughts because if that's what you believe, then it will happen. Canoeing is a sport so full of miracles. You never know what you can do until you try. In that few minutes of the races, many things may happen or change - some for the worse, some for the better. You are the one who can determine which will happen and your mind can create wonders. Believe it can be done. When you believe it can be done, really believe and your mind will find the ways to do it.

For now, let's not worry about the outcome. Let's just concentrate on the corrections that jiaolian has been making to our strokes. Make every single stroke count because they can make a difference. During the race, don't look at the other boats. Row your own race. Just look at the finishing line, focus on it. That, is your goal.

Finally, to all our supporters, Jin ning, nicole, and the guy team, thanks for being there for us (: JN and nicole, you are wonderful teammates (: Thank you all for always cheering us on and for offering to run errands for us.

I'm not good with words but what I said above I mean it from the bottom of my heart. So to sum things up here's a song sent by a very inspirational person. It means alot to me. I hope it will make a difference to you too. (:

Win - Brian Mcknight

Dark is the night
I can weather the storm
Never say die
I've been down this road before

I'll never quit
I'll never lay down
See I promised myself I would never let me down

(chorus)
So I'll never give up
Never give in
Never let a ray of doubt slip in
And if I fall
I'll never fade
I'll just get up and try again
Never lose hope
Never lose faith
There's much too much at stake
Upon myself I must depend
I'm not looking for a place or show
I'm gonna win

Won't stop me now
There's still a ways to go
Some way somehow
Whatever it takes I know

I'll never quit
I'll never go down
I'll make sure they remember my name 100 years from now

(chorus)

When it's all said and done
My once in a lifetime won't be back again
Now is the time, for me to stand
Here is my chance, that's why i

(chorus)


4 months ago if I had said that I row for my teammates it would have been bullshit, since I didn't know all of you well enough.

Tomorrow, we stand tall as one.

Tomorrow, I'm rowing for all of you, and I'm rowing for Raffles. Who are you rowing for?