ST Athlete of the Year Nominee: Feng Tianwei’s Letter to His Younger Self

Dear Le Le,
Maybe your 20-year-old is finding it very difficult to find a foothold in the Chinese national table tennis team.

But you have to be persistent in your profession because things can progress mysteriously and opportunities will surely come up.

And when that golden opportunity comes, you’re at the crossroads of a huge decision.

Through the Singapore Table Tennis Association and coach Liu Guodong, Singapore sees your potential and offers you citizenship, and it’s up to you to decide whether to leave your birthplace.

Don’t be afraid because you are braver and stronger than you think you are. Make that unusual decision to give yourself the chance to realize your Olympic dream.

You travel to the unknown Singapore, which will become your new home. There are people out there who will question your intentions and not take kindly to you.

But you have to keep going and keep working hard. One day you will defeat the skeptics.

A sports career is full of ups and downs. You know great victories, like becoming a key member of the world championship team, and you are on the podium at the Olympics.

But you are also hindered by injuries and other unimaginable challenges.

Sometimes you feel like you are on top of the world and you want to keep surpassing yourself to make more history.

Sometimes you feel like you’re hitting a wall about yourself.

As you grow into your 30s, you face bottlenecks and the challenges of emerging talents.

You doubt whether you can move with the times. But you have to believe in your abilities, that you can and will finish your career on top.

You are tenacious, but you can also be vulnerable. At 35, you return to the podium at the Commonwealth Games, winning three gold medals, but you also cry your heart out.

The most important thing is that you feel that Singaporeans are proud of you for belonging.

At that moment, you smile so bright and genuine and feel so free that you don’t hold back from making a heart shape with your hands above your head.

You might feel shy and embarrassed, but it doesn’t matter because those are your true feelings.

After all, retirement is inevitable. It is very difficult to hang up that bat that has followed you for 30 years. But you step down in grace and glory.

You finally have time to pamper yourself like skiing, drawing and studying to refresh yourself.

However, remember the country that gave you a platform to showcase your talents and you must give back.

I know you will because your father and mother have instilled the right values ​​in you from a young age.

Thank you for your courage, commitment and perseverance; without which there is no Tianwei of today.

Love,
Feng Tianwei