The 24-year-old national swimmer Welson Sim is making waves at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in more ways than one
On July 23, the world watched as the Malaysian contingent marched into the Tokyo Olympics 2020 opening ceremony during the athletes’ parade. While masked, as per the strict Covid-19 prevention SOPs, team Malaysia visibly stood out as they were decked in attire emblazoned with our cultural heritage, in brilliant colours inspired by our Jalur Gemilang. While golden boy Lee Zii Jia and badminton darling Goh Liu Ying earned plenty of eyeballs for being front and centre as flagbearers, one other Malaysian athlete caught the attention of many during a close-up moment–Welson Sim.
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Now in his second Games, the Sarawak-born athlete is cruising in the fast lane for the men’s 200m and 400m swimming freestyle events at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Although he needn’t hit the waters to quickly trend on social media. Chinese netizens, who caught a glimpse of Sim during the opening ceremony, have taken to Sina Weibo to gush over his good looks. Pictures of Sim, as well as his biography, have also been widely circulated on the platform, earning him plenty of comments and newfound fans–and all it took was a two-second close-up shot.
Here are some fun facts about the gifted 'Malaysian Flying Fish Prince':
1. Overcoming adversity
Being diagnosed with asthma in his early childhood limited the things he could do, which meant that he wouldn’t be growing up like his peers. When he was 10, his mother introduced him to swimming to help him overcome his condition. Not only did it work wonders, by the time he turned 12, he became a part of the Sarawak state swimming team. Three years later, he transferred to Bukit Jalil Sports School, where he joined Malaysia’s league of athletes.
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“Being an asthma patient should not stop anyone from living actively or competing at the highest level in sports. I’m living proof," Sim told The Star.