Chitchat Malaysians also celebrated Schooling's win

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

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IPOH, Aug 14 — While Singapore spends the weekend toasting to their Olympic hero, a joyous cheer can also be heard some 560km up north in Ipoh.

Joseph Schooling had defeated the greatest swimmer of all time, Michael Phelps, in the 100m butterfly final yesterday to secure Singapore’s first Olympic gold — a historic feat that brightened the day of his maternal aunt Yim Kam Ling, 58.

“I’m the happiest aunt in the world. My phone has been buzzing with friends and family sending their love and support for my nephew the whole morning,” said Yim, who teaches music.

“I was unable to watch the finals because I was teaching at the time. But my heart is bursting with joy. I can only imagine how his parents feel,” she said yesterday.

Yim said her 86-year-old mother Yeoh Soon Poh had watched Schooling live on television.

“I called her to tell her about the good news but she said that she had seen the race live on television.”

She said Schooling would visit Ipoh when he had long breaks. His mother May, 61, was born and raised in Ipoh.

“He would swim at the Ipoh Royal Golf Club, the family’s pool and at Ipoh City Council swimming complex.

“He loved swimming when he was a child. He basically lived in the pool,” she said.

“To him, a day without swimming would be considered strange.”

Yim said Schooling knew what he wanted and went for it.

“I have never seen a boy that age who was so focused and disciplined. Even when he was here on holiday, he would go swimming as early as 5am.

Schooling’s success was especially meaningful as he managed to overcome negativity from some detractors back home.

She said some called for him to return to Singapore to complete his National Service.

“He was the first Singaporean athlete to receive a deferment because he was training for the Olympics, and some people wanted him to go back. I am so glad that he proved them wrong,” she said.

She said the family tried their best to attend his events, adding that she had last met him during the SEA Games in Singapore last year.

“How I wish I could have been there with him in Rio. But even though we were not there in person, we were with him in spirit.”

She hoped she would be able to see him in action during the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur next year.

“I would tell him to go on and chase after his passion. Go Joe go!”


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