Five things to know about Singapore's Olympic champion Joseph Schooling
Joseph Schooling announced his retirement from competitive swimming, eight years after winning Singapore's first and only Olympic gold medal.
Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling at the 2018 SEA Games in Indonesia. (Photo: TODAY/Nuria Ling)
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SINGAPORE: Joseph Schooling made history for Singapore when he won the country's first Olympic gold medal at the Rio Games in 2016.
He had beaten US legend Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly, at the age of 21.
Eight years later, Schooling announced his retirement on Tuesday (Apr 2) to turn his focus on growing his swim school.Â
Here are five things to know about the Singapore swim star.Â
1. A breakthrough in 2014
By 2014, Schooling had two SEA Games appearances (2011, 2013) and multiple golds at the regional meet under his belt.
He then made major waves in 2014, when he became the first Singaporean to win a swimming medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Months later, he won the men’s 100m butterfly event at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games in a Games record time. This was Singapore’s first gold in the pool at the Games for over two decades. Schooling also took bronze in the 200m butterfly and silver in the 50m butterfly.
But to get there, he had to first overcome the disappointment of his Olympic Games debut in 2012.
Just before his 200m butterfly heats in London, Schooling's swim cap and goggles were rejected for failing to meet Olympic regulations. He finished 26th overall and did not qualify for the semi-finals. He did not advance from the 100m heats either, finishing 35th.
Schooling followed his 2014 successes with a whopping nine golds at the 2015 SEA Games, before making history later that year with a bronze - Singapore’s first - at the swimming world championships
2. Second person in the family to make Olympic history
While Schooling’s name is written in Singapore sporting annals, he does not have the honour of being the first Olympian in the family.
That distinction instead belongs to Schooling’s granduncle Lloyd Valberg, who competed at the 1948 London Games in the high jump. Valberg was the first athlete representing Singapore to compete at the Olympics.
“The Lloyd Valberg story has always been told by my dad to me. He told me that my granduncle is the first Singaporean Olympian,” Schooling said in an interview for a book entitled: “Rings of Stars and Crescent: 70 Years of the Olympic Movement in Singapore”.
“That comparison inspired me. He’s a role model for me. It’s in the family, it’s in the genes.”
Coincidentally, Schooling also made his Olympics debut in London.
3. Beaten Phelps prior to Rio
Schooling’s 2016 triumph over legendary swimmer Michael Phelps catapulted the Singaporean into prominence, but he had beaten the legendary swimmer months prior.
At the 2016 Longhorns Elite Invite meet, the Singaporean pipped Phelps to the wall in the 100m butterfly by 0.07s. He would follow that up by finishing ahead of the American in the 100m butterfly heats in Rio before taking the gold.
The 100m butterfly in Rio was Phelps' last Olympic race and he retired shortly after the Games.
“I’m not a superstar. I'm just that kid who beat (Michael) Phelps that one time," said Schooling after returning to Singapore.
4. A complicated relationship with National Service
Schooling was on long-term deferment from NS since 2014, and his deferment, along with that of fellow swimmer Quah Zheng Wen was due to expire after the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
While the deferments were extended after the Olympics was postponed to 2021, Schooling eventually enlisted for full-time National Service (NS) in 2022.
At the 2022 SEA Games, the swimmer told reporters that it is important to discuss and manage expectations put on athletes who are serving National Service, even as they strive to bring success to Singapore in the sporting arena.
Schooling noted that it is also crucial to have a dialogue to discuss what these expectations are and be realistic about them.
“National service is something that everyone needs to do. None of us are shying away from that. But we also need to manage expectations, the reality of it,” he said.
That same year, Schooling confessed to consuming cannabis overseas when he was on short-term disruption from NS to train and participate in the SEA Games.
Given his abuse of disruption privileges, MINDEF said Schooling will no longer be eligible for leave or disruption to train or compete while in NS.
5. Most national marks of any Singaporean swimmer
While the past few years have been a struggle for Schooling, the 28-year-old still holds the most national marks of any Singaporean swimmer.
Schooling holds six individual national records (50m, 100m and 200 butterfly, 100m and 200m freestyle and the 200m individual medley).
He also has two national records in the relays (4x200m freestyle and 4x100 medley).
Both Quah Zheng Wen and his older sister Ting Wen follow closely behind Schooling with seven national records each.
Schooling remains the reigning Asian record holder in the 50m and 100m butterfly.
