Tokyo 2020 : After spending 2 1/2 years of prepping, TeamSG Para-Cyclist Steve Tee is ready for his Paralympic debut!
(Team SG's Steve Tee and Ang Kee Meng - Photo by Huw Fairclough Photography)
By Raj Kumar
How does a Visually Impaired person, ride a bicycle, let alone train and compete at international events? You can try asking Steve Tee, who back in 2015, first represented Team Singapore at the Asean Para Games as Captain of the 5-a-side visually impaired football team. And 2 years later, he competed in the KL Para Games and won a Bronze medal in the sport of Tandem Cycling! And since then, he's won a ticket to represent the Republic at the XVI edition of the Summer Paralympics.
Steve Tee (left) with pilot Ang Kee Meng, posing with their bronze medal in the Men’s 24.6KM Individual Time Trial at the ASEAN Para Games 2017. Photo Credit: Sport Singapore
In less than 2 years, Steve went from playing his favourite sport (football) and embarked on a new journey in the world of tandem cycling. In this sporting discipline, a visually impaired athlete, called the stoker, is paired with a sighted counterpart, who is called the pilot. Steve’s pilot is former national cyclist, Ang Kee Meng. The both of team were introduced in 2016, and their partnership has since stood the test of time, as they've won several regional medals and are now, on the verge of their Paralympic debut.
(Ang Kee Keng, Coach Athena Han and Steve Tee - Photo by Steve Tee)
Having been confined in Singapore during the Covid-19 pandemic, both cyclists including their Coach Athena Han, jetted off to Wales in mid June 2021, for their final stage of preparations for Tokyo 2020. A year earlier, Steve experienced a major scare when he suffered back injuries twice, in the span of 2 months. He could have called off the Paralympic campaign altogether. But with the right mindset and a supportive team around him, the 40 year old overcame his injuries (after surgery), resumed training and got back into his ideal physical fitness and form by early 2021.
Check out Steve's Zoom Interview (from Wales) with SportSG just a few weeks ago, as he talked about his challenges and how he was able to overcome them, physically, mentally and emotionally. Training fulltime since June 2019, how did he adapt and evolve when the pandemic hit Singapore 8 months later. And what is he and Kee Meng planning to achieve in the 3 events they're competing at the Paralympics?
(Raj interviewed Steve on 28 July, when he was in Wales)
Steve and Kee Meng will begin their Paralympic campaign on Wed (25 Aug) from 1030am onwards, in the Men's B 4,000 meters Individual Pursuit, inside a Velodrome. And we wish the both of them, the best of luck and success in Tokyo :)
The 16th edition of the Paralympic Games is from 24 Aug to 5 Sep 2021. For all coverage and news of the Republic's national athletes who're competing at the Games, check out the official Team Singapore Tokyo 2020 website.
Pledge Your Support here
Show your support for Team Singapore in the Paralympic Games!
Team Singapore athletes have worked hard to qualify for the Paralympics despite the challenges placed in front of them by the pandemic. They've trained relentlessly, all while adapting to the different safety measures throughout their journey, to ensure that they can represent our flag in Tokyo.
Raj Kumar’s been in Singapore’s sports reporting and broadcasting scene since 1997. He was the former Sports Editor and Presenter on Power 98FM (SAFRA Radio) and 938LIVE (Mediacorp Radio). Over the years, he travelled to report on Team Singapore at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympiad, including 4 SEA Games cities. As a familiar voice and face on Radio, TV and online sports, he has produced and hosted more than 650 talkshows and programmes.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Articles
View AllRelated Topics
[BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches, BlogPost 147866574167 A Valuable Experience In Spain for Singapore's National Development Centre U-14 Boys, BlogPost 146915317264 How one magical Kallang night changed the lives of Abirami and Daania forever, BlogPost 80700409988 Strength Training for Seniors, BlogPost 137536455174 Age Gracefully, Start Strength Training, BlogPost 145856643584 FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers: Singapore vs Korea Republic, BlogPost 144608971564 ActiveSG Football Academy sets up centralised development centres to broaden base for young players, BlogPost 144605361831 Hafiz Osman & sons' love affair with the beautiful game, BlogPost 137536455236 The Golden Years, BlogPost 142676085686 Singapore crowned Mirxes Nations Cup 2023 Champions!]