Motivated by a love for swimming and excellence, the Malaysian swimmer reveals his struggles, goals and plans for the future
Malaysian swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean found his calling in the water from a young age. The rising star from Kuala Lumpur has been making a splash in his chosen sport since he started swimming at the age of seven. At the age of 12, he competed in international events and went on to join the Malaysian national team at 17. His impressive performances make him one of the most promising athletes in the Malaysian swimming scene.
At 21, Khiew has already achieved many feats, including winning seven gold medals at the 2019 Asean Schools Games in Indonesia. He has also made history by clinching Malaysia’s first swimming gold medal at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games (SEA) in Vietnam in the 200m freestyle event and defended this title in early 2023.
Khiew opens up about his competition journey, revealing how he tackles challenges and stays mentally focused for every event.
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As an athlete, I face much pressure and anxiety during competitions. I often feel nervous and stressed before each major event, especially with high personal and external expectations. I train at least ten times a week with my current coach Chris Martin and dedicate two to three hours per session to hone my skills.
I tend to worry a lot, especially before a big competition. To calm myself down, I read a book or listen to music that distracts me from negative thoughts and that helps me focus on my performance.
My strategy is to keep an eye on the strongest competitor in the pool and match their performance. I will stay close to them and try to overtake them in the final lap. But I won’t let them dictate my pace. I swim at my speed and make them adapt to me. That’s how I plan to win.
The 2022 SEA Games is the most memorable competition I’ve ever attended. I recall it was quite a big challenge for me, as I had to swim two events in one day but I only won silver in those events. On the fifth day of the competition, I was determined to do my best and beat the rest in the 200m freestyle event. I kept a positive mindset and told myself I had to win this event and take home the gold.
I’m currently studying for my bachelor’s in computer science. I’m still in the early stages of my degree but I expect I will take longer to finish my course due to my intense training schedule as a swimmer. I don’t mind taking it slow because this way, I only focus on studying and training for competitions.
In life, you will always face pressure. It comes down to how you handle it. I think I’ve found a good balance between studying and training. That being said, there is a bigger emphasis on training this year as I am preparing for the big competitions coming up, especially the 2024 Paris Olympics.
See more honourees in Sports of the Gen.T List 2023.