SINGAPORE — Singapore sprinter Timothee Yap, who competed at this year’s Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, seems an unlikely addition to Dasmond Koh’s arsenal of artistes. However, the 22-year-old joined the latter’s talent management agency, NoonTalk Media, in September.

“The reason (Dasmond signed me) was because he wants to raise the profile of sportsmen like myself in Singapore,” Yap explained in an interview at an imaging session for 2589 Days Apart, an upcoming Toggle Originals series.

In 2589 Days Apart, Yap makes his acting debut as Zheng De Lu, an 18-year-old junior college student who is not doing well in school, but excels at running. “Dasmond heard about the role, and I went to audition for it,” he added. “I think I was chosen because (the drama) centres around track and field.”

While Yap is understandably nervous about taking on his first acting role, he is optimistic about being “well-prepared” when filming starts, thanks to his NoonTalk friends. “Dasmond, Aloysius (Pang), Xu Bin, and (Zong) Zijie have been helping me (rehearse my lines),” he said, beaming at the thought of his boss and label mates. He added that although he is more comfortable with the English language, memorising the all-Mandarin script was not as difficult as he had thought.

Yap was also relatively unnerved when told he would share a kissing scene with co-star Felicia Chin in the series (a last-minute change he was previously unaware of). “I don’t think there’s any need for mental preparation — just go with the flow!” he said with a chuckle. “It’ll be good to work with an experienced actress like her.”

When asked if he was concerned about locking lips with someone else’s girlfriend (and upsetting a certain duke), Yap shrugged and said: “No lah, we’re just being professionals and doing our jobs, so I think there shouldn’t be any problem.”

Although being part of NoonTalk has clearly opened up many opportunities for him, it also means that there are new sets of rules — set by his new boss, Koh — in his life, such as not being able to club, drink or date.

“I think you have to understand why he has these guidelines, which he doesn’t force us to adhere to,” he reasoned. “He has a lot of experience in the industry, so he’s been there, done that, and I accept his rationale behind (the guidelines).”

However, Yap admitted that out of all the restrictions, the one he might have the hardest time obeying is the “no dating” one. Regardless, when asked whether he would proceed with a romantic relationship behind Koh’s back if he met a girl he really liked, he smiled and beat his chest as if to say, “You can trust me!”

In addition to being an athlete and a budding actor, Yap is also a second-year law student at the National University of Singapore (NUS). “It’s a bit hectic, but right now I’m on a semester break so I’m taking the opportunity to film this drama,” he said.

His daily training sessions, on the other hand, go on as usual as he aims to make it to the 2017 South-east Asian Games in Malaysia.

As for which areas he would choose to focus on in future, Yap said that in the next few years at least, his sports and studies would come first. “Acting is something of a hobby for me, so whenever I have the time or when there’s a suitable role, I’ll pick it up,” he added.

He also sees himself working in a law firm after he graduates in 2019 (if all goes well), but said that he “won’t give up acting and sports”.

Catch Toggle Originals series 2589 Days Apart in May 2017.