Toh Zhi Hong (back row, extreme right), who was at his first SEA Games, with his teammates after receiving their gold medals. Back row (left to right): Koh Jian Ying, Nigel Tay, Lin Di Yang, Samuel Yu, Eugene Teo, Loh Zhizhi, Toh Zhi Hong. Front row (left to right): Paul Tan, Sean Ang, Yip Yang, Byron Quek, Lim Yao Xiang, Chiam Kun Yang. (Photo 1 by Peh Siong San/SSC)
Toh Zhi Hong, 23, was part of the Singapore national water polo team that just won gold at the 2013 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
The players won all of their four games to secure the nation’s 25th straight SEA Games gold medal.
We caught up with Zhi Hong about his SEA Games experience and his water polo journey.
Les Tan: What was a personal highlight for you or your team in the four matches?
Toh Zhi Hong: The highlight for the team would definitely be the [8–5] win against Indonesia. They were our strongest competitor in the competition and we had a great game, eventually beating them. Furthermore, our keeper, Nigel [Tay], played spectacularly despite an injury. I think the drive from the senior players really spurred the younger players on as well.
Was there a personal milestone or accomplishment that you managed to hit?
Zhi Hong: I wanted to grab any opportunity I had in the competition and make it count. I didn’t want to leave any regrets behind in the pool and I guess the results we have gotten as a team indicated a success for me in this aspect.
Describe the feelings you had after winning the gold.
Zhi Hong: For me, I was really thrilled to be part of this whole experience. After knowing that we had secured the gold, I was speechless as the whole experience felt surreal. But all in all, I’m glad that our efforts have paid off.
When and how did you get started in your sport?
Zhi Hong: I started the sport as a CCA (co-curricular activity) when I was in Secondary 1 in 2003.
What schools did you represent in your sport and what is your best inter-school sports memory?
I’ve represented Hwa Chong throughout my time in school and my best memory then would be in the 2009 finals, even though we lost to RJC (Raffles Junior College), I was glad that I managed to form strong bonds and friendships with my teammates throughout the season which I’ll cherish for life.
If you didn’t play your sport, what other sport would it have been?
Probably a racket sport like badminton? My father plays badminton regularly and brought me along when I was younger.
Any pre-match rituals?
Just some visualisation before the match of what I hope to achieve.
Toh Zhi Hong Bio
Age: 23
Date of Birth: January 8, 1990
Height: 177cm
Weight: 75kg
Significant achievements:
2012 SEA Swimming Championships U23 – 1st
2012 9th Asian Swimming Championships – 4th
3rd Asian Water Polo Cup – 2nd
27th SEA Games – 1st
Hobbies: basketball, squash, badminton, hanging out with friends.
Favourite Food: Bak Chor Mee
Current occupation: Student at the School of Sports Science and Management, Nanyang Technological University
All of us at Red Sports would like to congratulate Toh Zhi Hong and his teammates on their gold medal win at the 2013 SEA Games! Do drop them a note of support in the comments section if you can. We’re sure they’ll appreciate it. You can also upload photos showing your support of Zhi Hong and his teammates on Instagram using #ourteamsg, or on the Team Singapore campaign’s website: www.ourteamsg.com
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