Cover Kyra Poh is a Red Bull athlete and gold medal-winning skydiving champion (Photo: Red Bull)
Kyra Poh is a Red Bull athlete and gold medal-winning skydiving champion (Photo: Red Bull)
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Indoor skydiving world champion and Red Bull athlete Kyra Poh on realising she’s not invincible and the best advice she’s received
Kyra Poh’s interest in indoor skydiving began at the age of eight, triggered by her mother’s involvement in an advertising campaign for the indoor skydiving facility, iFly Singapore. By the time she was 14, she had won in the junior freestyle category at the 2016 Indoor Skydiving World Cup in Poland. Now, at 22 years old, she is a three-time Guinness World Record holder.
In between training lessons for the sport, she is attending classes to get her Essec Global Bachelor’s in business administration and splits her time between France and Singapore. Any opportunity in the wind tunnel, she says, is a vital escape from her studies. The Red Bull athlete—and the only person in aviation on the roster from Asia—has also inspired her younger sister to take up indoor skydiving and even compete alongside her.
In the latest episode of Gen.T’s My First series, Poh, a 2024 Gen.T Leader of Tomorrow, highlights her key career moments as a competitive indoor skydiver.
Watch more episodes from the My First series on our Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.
Read more: Kyra Poh, the record-breaking Red Bull skydiving athlete on dealing with the stress of success
Her first challenge
“The first hurdle that I faced [in my career] was realising I’m not invincible. As athletes, we put a lot of stress and expectations on ourselves and feel like the next competition has to be better. Because I started competing at only eight years old, it was really hard for me to mature fast; to be able to make sure that I’m a good sportsperson when I’m representing Singapore.”
Her first disappointment
“My first big disappointment was when I missed out on one of my rounds in a competition. I completely blanked out and forgot about it. When I exited the tunnel, I thought my career was over. In my head, I had disappointed everyone. I forgot the moves that I worked so hard on and that moment, for me, was disappointing. You work over two months for one competition and that can be ruined in a matter of seconds.”
Read more: My First: How Tipsy Collective’s David Gan steered the business in turbulent times
The best advice she’s received
“The advice that hit me hard was my mom telling me that if I wanted something, I would have to put all my effort into it. She said that if I wanted to compete and go all the way, I had to put in 110 percent and there would be sacrifices. Nothing comes easy. I’m lucky to have a family that fully supports me.”
A career highlight
“[My competition partner Choo Yi Xuan] and I have been training together since we were little kids. For us, being able to compete against adults who were twice or thrice our age, as well as represent Singapore for the first time and win was the best moment ever.”
Quotes are edited for brevity and clarity.
Tatler Gen.T My First series
In Tatler Gen.T’s My First video series, we explore the milestones of the Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow who are positively influencing the region, setting a path for those who will follow in their footsteps.
Work
Based in Singapore, Valerie Lim is the digital editor for Tatler Power and Purpose, Tatler Asia’s dynamic platform spotlighting industry leaders across the region. Valerie leads the charge in shaping the platform’s digital presence, from overseeing and producing website content to curating social media strategies.
With a finger on the pulse of the region, she keeps an eye out for news and trends in business, innovation and leadership, ensuring the brand stays ahead of the curve in delivering stories that inspire and inform its community of changemakers.
About
Prior to this role, she worked in marketing and communications. She considers herself Singaporean at heart and international by passion. You may recognise her from her 15 minutes of fame when she was crowned Miss Universe Singapore 2011. When she is not at her desk, you can find her in the gym or at a yoga studio.
Connect with her via Instagram @msvalerielim, LinkedIn or send press materials, and media invites to valerie.lim@tatlerasia.com
