An inspiring and unifying force

I was just like any other children. Running and fooling about, falling down and skipping away, it was my everyday life; until I fainted. And that’s that of my contact with sports. No more can I do vigorous activity, and no more can I run about. Sports was another world in my world, and at that age I can never step into it. However, everything changed in 2008.

It was the year of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and it was the year when Datuk Lee Chong Wei made it to the finals. My entire family sat around the small box in our living room, screaming and cheering madly at every point won. That night I became temporarily deaf, and I was positive my parents weren’t the only one screaming in the neighbourhood.

Something sparked in me that night, and it transformed my perspective on sports. It might be the way Datuk Lee Chong Wei strived on court, and it might be the persistence in his eyes, I will never know, but his perseverance ignited a spark I no longer thought exist in me. I’m never a fan of soccer, nor am I a firm believer in badminton, but that day after, I picked up the sports edition of the papers for the very first time. And for the very first time, I buggered my father to buy me a badminton racquet.

It was hilarious at first, my journey with badminton; for I can never serve straight pass the net. I either hit the flower pots at the side, or the face of my only spectator, my younger brother. Time pass and I begin to have unattainable ambitions to be like Datuk Lee Chong Wei. It was impossible at that time, and it still is impossible today, but it’s one of the many secret dreams I have clung onto. I can’t play, but hey, that doesn’t stop me from dreaming does it?

When 2012 Olympics came on live stream, I was the first to pick up the remote and sit in front of the television. A mixture of emotions overwhelmed me, and for the first time in my life, I saw the beauty of watching sports. Unlike any other events, sports, was a way to unite the many races in our country. And I saw just that. One of the nights of the Olympics I was out at a ‘mamak’ stall with my family. The games was shown on the big screen, and I watched as our country’s representative battled other foreign athletes. The moment we scored, the clap and cheer was thunderous, as everyone congratulated everyone, stamping and hugging for the victory. The view was breath-taking. I never expected such reaction from the crowd, and when I saw what I’ve seen, it strengthened my beliefs.

Sports is a way of life, and it is closely connected to everyone’s life story. Especially in a multiracial country like Malaysia, it is an element that can closely unite everyone’s heart regardless of everyone’s beliefs and colour. Having experienced it first hand, I fell even more in love with the beauty of sports. The aftermath of any sports occasion, be it the festive celebration or the silent disappointment, it’s amazing how the whole country can stand together through all of it. It might be too big a topic for a teenager like me to talk of, but it is a topic that I have seen and experienced with my heart and soul. It is also one, that I’m not about to let go.

Counting down one month to the 2016 Rio Olympics, rest assured you’ll find me cheering madly as I follow Datuk Lee Chong Wei on his journey to achieve his dreams on the court. Be certain that you’ll see me clap and yell as our country’s athletes battle in the Games. If you ever drop by a ‘mamak’ stall in Melaka, and you happen to see a 16 year old jumping up and down in her chair in excitement, it’s probably me.

This article was published in the Newspaper in Education (NIE) pullout by The Star Newspaper dated 1 August 2016