MAKING MALAYSIA PROUD
National figure skater Julian Yee is the first Malaysian to have qualified for the Winter Olympics
I’VE always loved figure skating ever since I was a little girl. I never quite enjoyed skating myself, but loved watching others on the rink, twirling and jumping five feet into the air and landing oh-sogracefully on the ice.
Everything about the sport seemed magical to me, and I never missed the chance to watch figure skaters doing what they do best in international competitions whenever I switched to the sports channel on television.
I’ve seen so many figure skaters from other countries, but never Malaysia.
I suppose it isn’t all that surprising, seeing that we are in the tropical region and don’t quite have anything much to do with sports that involve ice and snow. Still, I’ve always thought that it would be wonderful to see my country’s flag alongside others, especially in the quadrennial Winter Olympics event.
This year, we were all given the opportunity to witness just that.
Julian Yee, our very own national figure skater, made his mark in history by being the firstever Malaysian to have qualified for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.
It was a feat that is nothing short of astonishing.
The 2017 SEA Games gold medallist had worked so hard all his life to have achieved what he has accomplished today.
A rigorous training schedule and having to cope with financial difficulties couldn’t stop him from being the best in our country.
It was a proud moment for our nation when we saw Julian Yee as the flag-bearer of the Malaysian contingent at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, alongside alpine skier Jeffrey Webb.
Yes, we may have been the smallest contingent, but we were there, nevertheless.
His performance during the short programme on Friday was astounding and earned him a personal best score. Unfortunately, the score missed the cut by a mere 1.15 points from qualifying for the final, where the top 24 would compete for the Olympic gold medal.
It was a pity that he was so close to making it to the final, but I was already so happy that he even made it this far.
His performance was unbelievably incredible, as he gracefully glided back and forth on the skating rink.
I had tears streaming down my face as he finished, because I was so proud to see him come such a long way.
Indeed, he had put Malaysia on the world map for being the first to qualify for a competition most could only dream of taking part in.
His determination to go against the odds, because he believed in his dream, is admirable.
His perseverance to never give up on his goal is respectable.
Truth be told, all of us could learn a thing or two from Yee.
He has taught us that there are no dreams too big, as long as we never give up trying.
He has taught us that there are no obstacles too difficult, as long as we tell ourselves that we’re capable of succeeding.
He has taught us that there are no ambitions too impossible, as long as we believe in ourselves and our true potential.
In life, we surely would face many hurdles. Some may be easier than the rest, and some may seem to be next to impossible to tackle.
That being said, isn’t it exactly what life is all about?
Life is about ups and downs, good and bad. There will be good days and bad days. There will be joy and pain.
It’s about our strength of mind to test how well we cope with pressure.
It’s about our willpower to see how far we can go to achieve something.
It’s about our tenacity to realise how imperative it is to never give up without even trying.
Thank you, Julian Yee, for showing us that determination can get you to your goals, no matter how far they seem to be.
Thank you for proving that true grit will always prevail, no matter how challenging the situation may be.
Thank you for inspiring us, and for making us all so proud.
His determination to go against the odds, because he believed in his dream, is admirable. His perseverance to never give up on his goal is respectable.
The writer, a lecturer at Sunway College, is a Malaysian-born Eurasian with Scottish/Japanese/ Indian lineage. She believes in a tomorrow where there is no existence of racism and hatred