Daily Lessons from Life 05 October 2013 - Athletics: Lim-Prasad breaks 29-year-old national track record

"Athletics: Lim-Prasad breaks 29-year-old national track record -CNA 5 October 2013 SINGAPORE: One of Singapore's oldest national track records was smashed at the 3rd Singapore Under-23 Open Track and Field Championships at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Saturday. Dipna Lim-Prasad clocked 24.36 seconds at the 200-metre race. The 22-year-old Nanyang Technological University student rewrote Prema Govindran's 29-year-old national record of 24.54 seconds - by 0.18 seconds. National 100-metre record holder Shanti Pereira finished with the silver medal in 24.56 seconds. Dipna's time is still 0.3 seconds slower than the qualifying time of 24.06 seconds for this year's SEA Games in Myanmar." I want to commend Ms Lim-Prasad for this record breaking feat! Lessons for me are: 1. to be the top sports person in any sports and in any nation is tough. Often involving tons and tons of dedication and hard work. Many a time with no one appreciating the tremendous sacrifices and efforts put in when the results are so called 'no good enough'. It builds resilience. At the same time, it is impossible to achieve without a lot of LOVE and passion for the sports. And the belief that this is what I love to do and I am doing it for myself!; 2. here a record that stood 29 years has been broken. Even though the timing is still 0.3 seconds off the qualifying time of 24.06 seconds for this year's SEA Games in Mynamar, it is a remarkable feat! 29 long years with so many talented runners trying to best it. No one had succeeded until today by this young lady. It HAS to be celebrated. SHE has achieved. That is good enough for me to feel happy for her. Never mind the SEA Games' qualifying time. This is the moment to saviour the success of breaking a 29-year old record. Period!; 3. it is wonderful to learn that she is in NTU 2nd year. In past one often associates good sports people with weak academic students. This is changing. Hopefully with more academically strong students who are also interested in sports getting the appropriate help in terms of financial and academic studies assistance, more will get to continue to pursue their loves for whichever sports they are doing while getting a tertiary education as well. Keep doing what you love and I am sure the SEA Games' qualifying time will be within her grasp soon! Celebrate. Enjoy!