As FIU career ends, swimmer Chue has unfinished business

When Singapore native Christie Chue was just 2 years old, she could swim a 50-yard lap.

A little more than two decades later, Chue — a 23-year-old FIU senior and former child prodigy — has won 17 conference gold medals in the past three seasons, mostly in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

Wednesday through Sunday, Chue (pronounced Chwee) will compete in her third and final NCAA national championships, this time in Athens, Georgia.

Yet, all the good things that have happened to Chue — including the Bachelor’s degree that she is set to officially earn next month — might not have occurred had it not been for the diligence of FIU’s coaching staff.

In 2017, Chue committed to the University of Michigan’s swim team. However, her application was denied due to perceived academic shortcomings at that time.

“I felt horrible,” Chue said. “I sacrificed my studies to focus on swimming, and then that happened.”

Defeated, Chue stopped applying to U.S. universities but kept swimming in Singapore.

Three years later, in the summer of 2020, FIU associate coach Brien Moffitt saw Chue’s impressive swim times at the Asia Games. Moffitt checked the database of swimmers committed to colleges and found that Chue was unaffiliated.

From there, Moffitt and FIU head coach Randy Horner contacted Chue on Instagram. But there was just one problem: Chue thought it was a scam.

Chue then did her research on FIU — a school she hadn’t heard of at the time — and talked to her parents, who encouraged her to take the opportunity.

A few zoom calls and virtual tours later, Chue was on campus, training with Horner and staff.

“My first impression was that she is one hell of a talent,” Horner said.

“She’s a great athlete, but she was very shy. She wasn’t super confident in her ability.”

Horner said his staff set out to develop Chue as a full person — not just a swimmer — and the results are impressive.

At the 2022 NCAA championships in Atlanta, Chue — with no expectations — made the 200 breaststroke finals.

Last year, at the NCAA championships in Knoxville, Tennessee, Chue made the final in the 100 breaststroke.

“This year,” Chue said, “I want to make the finals for both.”