‘It’s just passion’: 40 years after Ang Peng Siong’s Olympics debut, his brother fulfils his own Games dream

PARIS: As a promising swimmer for Singapore, Ang Peng Wee always dreamed of representing the nation.
One of the fastest in the country in his pet events – 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly – he had won various international competitions during his time.
“I swam the same events as Peng Siong,” Peng Wee told CNA. “When he was not around (and was in the United States), I was considered the fastest at one point.”
Just like his older brother Peng Siong, Peng Wee, 60, was coached by his father Ang Teck Bee. The senior Ang was a pool supervisor who had participated in judo at the 1964 Olympics.
Back then, Peng Siong was offered a full scholarship to study at the University of Houston. Peng Wee himself came close to securing his own overseas spot in the University of Hawaii, but for issues with paperwork.
“We would race against each other, but no jealousy … no conflicts. After all, we are Ang(s),” he said.
However, national service disrupted his “training intensity”, he said. And as he started to focus on building his career, Peng Wee retired from the sport about the the age of 22, with an Olympic dream unfulfilled.
But the swimmer was never too far removed from Peng Wee.
After his national service, he had the chance to reprise his role, this time for a television audience in a Singaporean drama series called The Flying Fish.
“They wanted to do something about swimming because swimming was quite a popular sport. The Hong Kong producer came to Singapore and … he got my father, myself and my nephew to be one of the actors,” recalled Peng Wee.
“I did the stunts for them and I also did the acting for it … So if you see a guy diving at the introduction, (doing the butterfly) and all those turns, I did those swims.”
A year after the drama aired, Peng Siong made his Olympics debut for Singapore at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, where he won the 100m freestyle “B” final.
“We were excited, proud, that one of our family members was repeating history (by representing Singapore at the Olympics) and being one of the world’s fastest,” recalled Peng Wee. “We had hopes, hopes for him, hopes for the family, hopes for Singapore.”
Fast forward about two decades, and Peng Wee, who was running a swim school by then, started to get involved in the technical side of the sport.
“I started mainly on the call room (side of things). Where they report, and then you take their attendance. It was mainly that role,” he recalled. “I didn’t have the opportunity to go on deck and become a referee or inspector of turns or judges of strokes.”
What drove Peng Wee to volunteer were several factors.
“First, get a better understanding of the rules on strokes, how the competition is being run, how it is being managed,” he said.
“Then it’s time to give that knowledge (back) and continue to educate the local community. The community meaning my athletes, the coaches. It was more of a continuity from swimming.”
In his capacity as a coach, Peng Wee was involved in the development of some of Singapore’s national swimmers, such as Jonathan Tan, who made his Games debut on Tuesday (Jul 30).
Over the years, Peng Wee has been involved in the organisation and planning of world-class international swimming events, and has also been part of various swimming committees at the Asian and global levels.
While he managed to catch 2004 and 2012 Games live, Peng Wee has never been directly involved at the Olympics.
“When I got myself involved in the World Aquatics technical swimming committee, I had the opportunity to officiate at many international events … With the exposure and the experience, selection (for Paris) was given based on those meets I have officiated,” Peng Wee said.
“To fulfil the dream of (being an) Olympian as an athlete, it didn’t materialise. So the next dream is to officiate and be at the Olympics,” he added.
One of two Singaporean technical officials for swimming, Peng Wee is eligible for a number of roles but has so far been a video assistant tucked away in a room within the Paris La Defense Arena.
“For this event, I am so far involved in VAR – I analyse strokes and if there are infractions executed during the swim.”
With 17 sessions stretched over nine days in Paris, technical officials such as Peng Wee must be prepared to take on other roles, including handling call-room duties and acting as the inspector of turns.
“You need to have a good understanding of the rules, so that you are able to perform in different roles,” he explained.
And while it is a significant moment for Peng Wee to be here, he views it like just any other meet.
“I cannot be overwhelmed by emotions, by exterior factors,” he said. “Even though I’m honoured, excited and I’m happy to be here … It’s a constant reminder to stay neutral, I don’t represent anybody, I only represent World Aquatics. 
“But I know without Singapore Aquatics and those opportunities given to me, I wouldn’t be here.”
It is the love for swimming which keeps him doing what he does.
“Honestly, it’s just passion. Nothing else. My wife also always asks me: ‘Why are you still doing this? You should be resting, you should be retiring’,” he said.
“We’ve been in and out of the water every day since we were five, six years old. From then till 20 years old, it became a routine. Without the water, it’s like (going) without rice, without food. It’s a continuation from then.”