Photo: SingaporeSailing

After three major meets, Koh’s still chasing the elusive gold medal

When it comes to major Games, Koh Seng Leong’s (picture) story has so far been one of near misses.

He has battled the waves and various opponents in one Asian Games (2006) and two SEA Games (1997, 2007) and the 24-year-old has come within a whisker of tasting gold, only for a combination of reasons to thwart him each time, forcing him to settle for silver.

While Koh is frustrated, he wouldn’t mind it one bit if he landed silver again next month in Beijing.

“If I get a silver (at the Olympics), that will be one medal I certainly would not mind,” he quipped. “Just as long as it’s not a situation where I lose the gold by one point!”

SingaporeSailing’s big target is the 2012 Olympics in London, where they’re aiming for at least a medal.

But after the team’s stunning show in Doha in 2006, when Singapore emerged as the top Asian nation with five golds, three silvers and two bronze medals, optimism has swirled around sailing and a medal in Qingdao next month has not been completely written off.

A bronze medal will already swell Koh’s bank account by $250,000, under the Multi-million dollar Awards Programme (MAP) of the Singapore National Olympic Council.

SingaporeSailing and their athletes are not getting carried away, though.

They’re just happy that for the first time, they have automatic qualifiers for the men’s Laser Standard, women’s Laser Radial and the men’s 470 team.

Previously, only Stanley Tan qualified on merit in the Laser class at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. All other Singapore sailing entries at the Games were through wildcards.

Speaking to Today recently, Koh — who left for Qingdao yesterday with the rest of the squad — said: “ A medal is definitely possible, simply because we all believe we can do it.

"Even if we don’t, it isn’t the end of the story.

“We will still open up the path for the next generation of sailors (to carry on to the London 2012 Games.”

At 24, Koh is the oldest in the Olympic sailing squad.

He is the team captain, and his leadership skills were recognised further when he was named as one of the five heads to lead the five sub-committees that will help drive the organising process of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in August 2010.

Koh will be head of the Youth Engagement Committee and will work with various bodies and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee to engage young athletes during the Games in Singapore.

Koh hit a huge low in late 2005, when a freak traffic accident left him with various injuries, which eventually left him with a permanently weakened left hand.

His star is rising quickly now, as he sets out to do battle in the Laser Standard class during the 12-day sailing competition in Qingdao from Aug 9-21.

While he will try to outmanoeuvre and outwit 47 other sailors on the water, he knows he has a role to play as far as his team-mates go.

Under his charge will be his younger brother Terence Koh, 20 and his 470 partner Xu Yuanzhen, 23. Lo Man Yi, 20 will fly the flag in the women’s Laser Radial while Deborah Ong, 17, and Toh Liying, 23, the team for the women’s 470, received an unused quota position to take their place in the line-up.

Said Koh: “They have all sailed many times at international meets, and know how to take care of themselves,” said Koh.

“And having travelled and sailed together so many times, we’re a very close bunch and we share problems. My job, if anything, will be to help them manage any problems and prevent it from becoming a big issue.”