Swim & dive with frogman 2WO Sia Yew Boon
Naval diver and SAFSA swimmer 2nd Warrant Officer (2WO) Sia Yew Boon is 45, but he shows no sign of slowing down.//Story By Chia Chong Jin
//Photos By Ong Ji Xuan
//Video By Peter Cho
The swimming pool is 2WO Sia's second home. The Project Warrant Officer from the Naval Diving Unit (NDU) excels in all events - from the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle to the 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
2WO Sia began swimming competitively when he was 12. Along the way, he got to know some members of the SAFSA swim team. Seeing his talent, they eventually roped him into the team.
His prowess in the water naturally came in handy in his former role as an NDU diving instructor.
"Being conversant in swimming has allowed me to provide better training for my trainees, in terms of water confidence and swimming skills," explained the Assistant Team Manager of the SAFSA swim team.
Watch the video below, where he talks about how he got into the sport and shares tips on swimming competitively:
In case you can't watch the video, here are the tips that 2WO Sia mentioned:
1. You must have passion for swimming, to be in the competitive scene. The commitment level and training standards are vastly different compared to leisure swimming, so take on the challenge only if you're sure you have the heart for the sport.
2. Just practising in the pool is not enough to become a good swimmer. Complement swimming practice with running to build up your stamina, or head to the gym to work on different areas of your body, especially your core muscles.
