Paris 2024 Olympian Teh Xiu Hong ranked 13th in the women's 25m pistol individual event at the 2026 Asian Games. Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan
Shooting sisters Teh Xiu Hong and Teh Xiu Yi will leave the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games fuelled by the determination to better translate their training to the competition arena.
After the rapid stage of the 25m pistol women’s individual qualifications on 28 Sep, Xiu Hong scored 577 (combined with her score from the precision stage a day earlier) to rank 13th overall. Younger sister Xiu Yi was 14th with her score of 577, as she had fewer X-counts. They also competed in the 10m air pistol last week – Xiu Hong finished 30th and Xiu Yi was 33rd at the Aichi Prefecture General Shooting Gallery. The Singapore shooters have concluded their Asian Games campaign, with skeet shooter Low Jiang Hao scoring 104 to rank 40th in the men’s skeet individual last week as well.
Xiu Yi was disappointed with her Asiad outing as she had been in peak form during training.
“Having such a big difference from training to competition, I’m still digesting what went wrong, what could be better and what I’m supposed to do moving forward,” said the 30-year-old, adding that she had always struggled with the rapid stage throughout her 25m pistol journey.
“Preparation for the rapid stage was going well because I was very confident of my routine, but I think my nerves got to me … during the competition, I actually felt a bit confused and lost. I’m just wondering: Is my routine not strong enough, or has it not become a habit for me to just execute without thinking (too much)? That’s something I have to work on moving forward.”
For Xiu Hong, who made her Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games, this was a “different kind of disappointment”. The 32-year-old has been competing since 2007 and has been through the various triumphs and setbacks that are ubiquitous in every athlete’s journey. These experiences, coupled with the work she has been doing with coach Lee Do-hee over the last few years, have reshaped her perspective of competing.
“When I was younger, I was just competing innocently and when I didn’t get on the podium, yes, there would be disappointment. But coach and I have been trying a lot of new things these few years and she has taught me so much. Even till now, I have not stopped learning – it’s crazy how much I can still learn,” said Xiu Hong, whose accomplishments in the sport include eight SEA Games medals – of which two are gold – and multiple World Cup medals.
“This disappointment hurts, it hurts a lot. But at the same time, it also pushes me and motivates me to want to do better.”
On her most significant lesson of the year, she said: “(It’s) learning that every achievement I have is not by chance and not by luck. Looking back, it just felt like (they were) by luck or chance when I was younger. But now, I feel I am capable – I work very hard and it’s within me. I just need to learn how to bring it out.”
Disappointment aside, there were positives that the sisters took from their time in Japan. For Xiu Hong, it was overcoming bouts of anxiety just weeks before the Games to get her mind ready for the competition.
For Xiu Yi, it was enjoying the convenience and comfort of travelling to an overseas event with her sister. They have gone to numerous local and international competitions together, to the extent that, in Xiu Yi’s words, “it’s actually nothing special”.
But she estimates that they have attended fewer than five major Games together, starting with their first at the 2013 SEA Games.
“It’s convenient,” said Xiu Yi, laughing as she revealed that she often borrows her older sister’s items on these trips.
“On this trip, (she gives) a lot of reminders of when it’s time to sleep or when it’s time to do certain things, because I always lose track of time while scrolling through social media. Sometimes it’s just comfortable to have a sibling with you when you are travelling.”
The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.