SINGAPORE — Earlier this May, para powerlifter Kalai Vanen thought his chance of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics was over when he failed to make a 155kg lift at the World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Eger, Hungary. It was a mark the Singaporean needed to clear to qualify for the World Para Powerlifting Championships this October in Mexico, a mandatory competition for athletes seeking Paralympic qualification.

“I managed to press 155kg but not in a way where the judges deemed as a good lift,” Vanen, who competes in the 97kg weight class, told TODAY.

“Therefore, I couldn’t qualify for Mexico and this was the final competition of this year to qualify.”

But Vanen, who took up the sport in February 2015 and then won a bronze medal 10 months later at the Asean Para Games (APG) — Singapore’s first medal in the sport — was undeterred.

He requested for the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), the local governing body for para sports, to submit an appeal to World Para Powerlifting (WPP) to allow him to compete in Mexico, which was successful.

“This sport requires time to develop,” he said, noting that most of his competitors have gone through at least one Paralympic cycle.

“We’ve just started this for two years. As I was able to lift 155, though it was not judged as successful, I felt like we should try and see whether I could go to Mexico, so I’d have another three years to prepare for the Paralympics.

“Because we are a developing nation and they (WPP) would like to see us grow the sport in this region, they agreed to it. The dream is alive, but I still have to continue to train and meet (subsequent) qualifying marks.”

SDSC executive director Kelly Fan told TODAY: “We are grateful that WPP is supporting us to raise the profile of powerlifting locally by acceding to our appeal … His representation in this high-profile competition will hopefully help to introduce the power of sports to many other persons with disability.”

But this also threw up another obstacle.

As Vanen did not qualify on merit, the SDSC is not able to fund his trip to the world championships, which costs an estimated S$7,500.

Around two weeks ago, Vanen sent out an appeal to his friends and family to help him raise the required funds.

“My viewpoint is very simple – we are very new in the sport, and it’s not that I can’t lift the 155kg,” he said. “I did, it’s just not as clean as they wanted it.

“I told them (SDSC) if they can get me approval to compete, I’ll try to raise my own funds.

“As far as I am concerned, I am an athlete, it’s a dream to go to the Paralympics, I can’t let it go without trying.”

Vanen, who works as a personal trainer and trains five times a week, is adamant that athletes who have “potential to move forward” in their sports should receive stronger support and is hoping to make that point with his fund-raising attempt.

“What I am trying to show is that you actually need support from people around you to be an athlete. You can’t just pay for everything yourself, do things yourself, there are many (other) things required,” he said.

“If the athlete (always) pays for himself, does everything himself, there’s no need for an organisation or a sporting body … I am serious about it, I have passion for the sport and I want to go forward.

“Response has been good and by hook or by crook, I will definitely make it there.”

Vanen’s wife will travel with him as his coach will not be able to, as the SDSC cannot provide the funds for the latter.

Vanen will bear his wife’s expenses as he says it’s “not fair” for others to pay for her, while he will personally make up the shortfall in funds collected.

The Chiam See Tong Foundation will also be rendering assistance as they “sympathise with his predicament”.

“Despite the setback, he is determined to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, which is admirable and inspirational,” Jose Raymond, vice-chairman of the Foundation, told TODAY.

“We will render him whatever support we can through our personal networks to help his achieve his dreams of representing Singapore at the Paralympics in 2020.”

While some have suggested he crowdfund, Vanen rejected the idea as it would “reflect badly on whoever is supposed to be supporting us as athletes”.

He added that he does not blame the SDSC for not being able to fund his trip.

The world championships run from Sept 30 to Oct 6 and is the first of four mandatory competitions for Tokyo 2020 qualification. The athletes will be ranked based on their results over the competitions and the top eight in each weight class in 2020 will earn their Paralympic berths.

As each country is only allowed one representative per class, Vanen feels optimistic he can improve enough over the next three years. He is currently ranked 21st and is around 30kg off the eighth-ranked lifter’s best effort.

“I have three years to prepare … I am not about to give away that chance to go to the Paralympics,” he insisted.

Vanen’s next competition is the APG in Malaysia, before he heads to Mexico, where he hopes to achieve a clean 155kg lift.