Nerves of Steel

How does Tag Heuer’s latest friend of the brand, Joseph Schooling, deal with pressure? Singapore swimming’s golden boy tells Terence Lim

It’s hard being joseph schooling. He is after all Singapore’s wonder boy in the swimming pool, having won the nation’s first Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100m butterfly at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. The country’s hopes of excelling on the world stage in the pool lie squarely on his broad shoulders. But how does the 23-year-old, who has recently inked an agreement with Tag Heuer to be its friend of the brand, deal with the pressure? Speaking exclusively to Singapore Tatler, he said: “I usually take a step back, close my eyes, and take a couple of deep breaths to get clarity back in my mind. It works almost all the time.” Simple but effective, this method is probably what Schooling, who recently completed his collegiate stint with the University of Texas, needs as he embarks on the next stage of his career: turning professional. That means that he has to grapple with the commercial demands of being a full-time athlete. But the talented swimmer is a smooth operator, choosing to work with brands that resonate with him. Collaborating with the watchmaker is an almost natural decision— he was born and bred in the company of Tag Heuer watches. His parents, Colin and May, are owners of several pieces including an Aquagraph and a vintage Heuer Monaco. (The Aquagraph has since morphed into the modern-day Aquaracer, which he sports in the campaign image above.) Even the first watch the doting parents gifted their son was a Tag Heuer. Also, the brand’s “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” tagline is in line with what Schooling lives by. The competitive swimmer is subjected to pressure-cooker situations but not succumbing to such stress is part and parcel of his job. “Not cracking under pressure means that you can put aside whatever distractions you have at hand and focus on the task you have ahead of you,” he said. “Everyone has distractions and problems in their lives but it’s all about how you can compartmentalise and segregate the negativity, and put as much positive energy on the tasks, and bring it up to the best of your ability.” In August, he will be flying the Singapore flag at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. Stress will surely mount. But being the consummate professional that he is, Schooling has the mental grit and determination to steel himself up, tackle the challenges ahead and bring glory to the nation—with Tag Heuer’s tagline in mind, of course.