Melvin has the Midas touch
He surfs the net, hangs out with friends and watches movies in his spare time but that is where the similarity with 19-year old Melvin Chua Bao Quan, a student of Sunway’s Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY) and other youngsters ends.
RIGHT: Melvin winning a gold at the SUKMA 2008 Games.
Melvin storms up the pool in squad training twice a day from 6.30 am to 9 am and from 4pm to 6.30 pm, clocking up about 6-7 kilometers each time. “That’s about 240 laps a day” said Melvin. As most of us are studying our eyelids at 6.30 am, Melvin is psyching himself before he plunges into the icy pool at Bukit Jalil. He was training once a day before he joined the National squad and since 2006, two sessions a day is his normal routine. But Melvin thoroughly enjoys it. “When I win, it is all worthwhile” he said and added “I love the atmosphere at international meets which you won’t find in Malaysia. The crowd is very appreciative. That rush keeps me going too”
Melvin (right) with American Olympic eight-time gold medalist, Michael Phelps at the FINA World championships in Melbourne last year.
From the time a tutor spotted him and encouraged him to take part in interschool swimming competitions, Melvin has represented Malaysia in the SUKMA Games in 2007 and 2008, SEA Games 2007 and FINA in 2006. His sport has brought him to Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Brazil and he has amassed around 39 gold medals.
This backstroke and medley specialist is well-focused on studies and swimming. He plans to pursue Psychology or a double degree in Biotechnology and Biomedicine. Most national swimmers in Malaysia retire after SPM t concentrate on studies but Melvin is still doing both. This exemplary student was given the Sunway University College Sports Scholarship and the Sunway University College Sportsman Award, all in 2008. He is tinkering with the idea of perhaps doing some part-time coaching in future.
What advice would he give to others who find life too challenging? “Always have a goal in mind. Mine is to make a mark in swimming including representing Malaysia in the Olympics in 2012. Having a goal to focus on just makes things easier when you go through rough times” said Melvin. He adds “In Malaysia, sport is not important enough but I hope things will change”. As Melvin continues to pound the pool to meet the demands of his favourite sport, we wish him all the best.
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