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Cool and calm, paddler Jason Chee strikes historic APG gold for S’pore

SINGAPORE – With the match poised on a knife’s edge at 2-2, it would only have been natural for Jason Chee to feel the nerves against his strongest rival in the competition.

Jason Chee letting out a yell and raising his arm in triumph after winning the Class 2 men's singles gold medal at the Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Foo Tee Fok/Sport Singapore

Jason Chee letting out a yell and raising his arm in triumph after winning the Class 2 men's singles gold medal at the Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Foo Tee Fok/Sport Singapore

SINGAPORE – With the match poised on a knife’s edge at 2-2, it would only have been natural for Jason Chee to feel the nerves against his strongest rival in the competition.

The Singaporean para-table tennis player had lost to the same opponent, Natthawut Thinathet, during the gold-medal match for the men’s Class 2 singles event at the 2015 ASEAN Para Games (APG) and the Thai had clawed back from 0-2 down in their round-robin match to force a decider here.

But Chee remained unfazed and went on to prevail 11-9 in the final set on Friday morning (Sept 22) to seal a 3-2 win.

That was his third win in a row in the five-man competition, and it paved the way for him to clinch the gold medal two hours later. By beating another Thai, Thirayu Chueawong, 3-0 in his fourth and final round-robin fixture, Chee finished top of his competititon to claim the gold.

His first ever individual APG title, after two bronzes (2014, 2017) and a gold (2015) in the team events, was also a historic achievement for Singapore’s para-paddlers.

The Republic has sent table tennis contingents to the 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2015 editions, but Chee’s triumph at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre was their first ever in a singles event. The sport has been included in the past seven editions.

“I feel very happy after winning four out of four matches,” he told TODAY over the phone from Kuala Lumpur.

“I’m feeling great because this is Singapore’s first gold medal for para table tennis (at this APG).”

The 34-year-old’s achievement is made all the more remarkable considering his situation.

A navy serviceman, Chee had lost both legs, his left arm and three fingers on his right hand in a horrific navy ship accident in 2012. Then in April this year, he received a fresh blow when he was diagnosed with choroidal melanoma (a cancer of the eye) in his right eye.

Chee was advised by doctors to remove a tumour, which measured 1.5cm in circumference, in his right eye to contain the cancer. He went for the operation in May.

Losing one eye meant that Chee had to readjust his game-play in order to compensate for his affected depth perception, but he simply soldiered on through his four training sessions per week, which totalled 12 hours.

“I told myself that it is okay for me, I still have to fight on,” he said matter-of-factly. “I was discharged in June, (then) I went back for my training.

“In the beginning, I found it very tough… (but) with my coaches’ advice and team-mates encouraging me, I trained consistently throughout July and adapted well.

“There was no fear (before the APG), I felt calm and told myself not to be nervous.”

Chee carried that attitude into the showdown with Natthawut, telling himself that the pressure would be on the latter as the title holder.

“I came here with a calm feeling as I knew where his weakness was,” he said. “The team bio-mechanist did a good job in analysing the game between him and me in 2015.

“In the third set, the Thai’s coach advised him and he started to take aim at my weakness, which is my forehand. In the fourth set, I lost again (so) during the fifth set, my coach told me to focus on my forehand more (and it worked).”

The nail-biting win meant Chee would secure gold by beating Thirayu and he delivered a sweet ending. He paid tribute to his coaches Chia Chong Boon and Tan Kai Kok, of four and one year respectively, as well as sports psychologist, Joshua Chua for his triumph.

“My coaches played an important role in guiding me to play well, to set a game-plan and execute it,” he said. “My sports psychologist also advised me on how to stay calm, to keep breathing and do some meditation (exercises).

“He told me to just do my best for every match and I did it.”

Chee dedicated his gold medal to his parents, team-mates, his navy unit and all Singaporeans.

“I can feel the presence of my late mum in the audience,” said Chee, whose mother passed away in 2011 due to kidney failure.

“I want to dedicate this to her and to my father. I just called him. He was so happy after I told him that I won the gold.

“I also want to thank my coaches, team-mates, my navy friends and colleagues from 191 Squadron headquarters, my relatives, navy doctors and National Eye Centre doctors.

“Finally, I want to dedicate my gold-medal win to every Singaporean.”

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