Low on double-sport duty at the SEA Games

Since joining the cross-country team at Victoria Junior College a decade ago, Nicole Low has taken part in races of various distances, ranging from 1,500m to the half-marathon.

- Kimberly Kwek Sports Correspondent

Above: Nicole Low will be competing in both the women's 5,000m and modern pentathlon events at the SEA Games in Thailand. Left: Laser runner Marcus Ong, who won a bronze at the 2019 edition, "just wants to do his best" at the Dec 9-20 meet.

(GAVIN FOO)

In December, the 27-year-old will finally make her SEA Games debut, but not just in athletics, after she qualified for both the women’s 5,000m and modern pentathlon events.

She got into modern pentathlon - an Olympic multi-sport contest comprising fencing, swimming, obstacle course racing, laser pistol shooting and running - after being introduced to it in June and decided to give it a try out of curiosity without any expectations.

The running coach will join several other Singaporean athletes who will be representing the country in more than one sport at the Dec 9-20 meet in Thailand.

Gan Ching Hwee and Russel Pang will be taking part in both swimming and open water swimming, while Kathlyn Yeo is competing in both the road cycling and triathlon competitions.

Other athletes who have taken part in more than one sport at the SEA Games include national water polo player Koh Ting Ting, who was a swimmer in the 2009 edition.

On making her SEA Games debut, Low said: “After overcoming many obstacles over the years and having received the boundless support of my friends and family, it truly means a lot to me to have made it this far in my athletic journey.”