BE IN THE LOOP WITH ON THE BEAT
Fabian Peter excited about interviewing sports personalities on NST podcast channel
ADECADE ago, Fabian Peter would never have imagined himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of former world No. 1 badminton player Lee Chong Wei, diving world champion Cheong Jun Hoong or even five-time world badminton champion Lin Dan.
But like they say, good things come to those who wait, and it did for the Butterworth-born Fabian.
Growing up in a football-mad family, the 34-year-old took to sports like a fish to water. Fabian recalled the days when he would stay up late with his dad, Peter Barnabas, and mother Noella Mary, to watch Manchester United (then led by “The King” Eric Cantona) and Brazil play.
Sports ran in his blood, so much so that he would pop his jersey collar up when playing football on the field of his beloved Kampung Lorong Kubor.
He would save up the 50 sen that he took daily to primary school to buy football magazines like Shoot and Match. No, his mother was not pleased.
While he squandered his chance — citing poor discipline — to become a successful footballer, Fabian never drifted away from sports.
In 2012, after trying his hand at advertising, scriptwriting and even a stint in a non-governmental organisation, Fabian got his first taste of sports journalism, after getting a job with web portal Sports 247.
Following several years of mentoring (and being yelled at) by seasoned writers like Graig Nunis, Purwaiz Alam, Vijesh Rai and Chan Wai Kong, to name a few, Fabian felt like a champion when he was named joint-winner (with Berita Harian reporter Helmi Talkah) of the prestigious Siebel award (Sportswriter of the Year) at the 2019 Sportswriters Association of Malaysia awards,
Fabian knew there and then that he has found his calling in sports writing.
And this year, sports journalism takes on a new dimension with Fabian working with New Straits Times sports editor Ajitpal Singh on podcasting. And so Timesport: On the Beat was born.
Fabian, who also has a passion for music, believes that new age reporting and content creation are the way forward.
“When I was asked to start a sports podcast, I just knew I had to do it,” he said.
“I was already part of a music podcast with friends called The Waiting Room, and so I thought the timing was perfect for me to put passion to work.”
Fabian plans to invite sports personalities as well as the man on the street to give their views at Timesport: On the Beat. To be in the loop, head over to www.audioplus.com