Sailor Kate Teo during a practice session at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: OIS/Jonathan Nackstrand
Kate Teo was born the year after Singapore hosted the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, but the 15-year-old is familiar with at least one success story from that edition: Audrey Yong’s windsurfing bronze.
Teo and fellow sailor Trevor Ng are competing at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games guided by Chua Tan Ching, who was Yong’s coach at the 2010 edition.
“I did hear about Audrey’s success when I entered windsurfing, She’s really cool, she’s like a legend,” said Teo, who picked up the sport 1 ½ years ago and finished 11th at the Games on 12 Nov. “It did give me a lot of respect for (Chua) because it was like, ‘Wah, he (coached) an Olympic medallist, man!’”
Ng, who was born in 2010, also only learnt of Yong’s feat last year. “I didn’t know our Singaporean had won a medal in windsurfing, so I was pleasantly surprised. I guess that kind of inspired me to take on this challenge. Even though I’m not in a medal contending position right now, I’m very happy with being selected to come here and represent Singapore, so that’s something I’m very proud of.”
Much has changed in sailing over the last 16 years but from Singapore 2010 to Dakar 2026, Chua’s coaching tenets have remained the same.
There are different challenges in coaching each generation, with the proliferation of social media and technology a key consideration today. But for Chua, wearing the Singapore colours at a major Games is a privilege.
“It’s good for the kids. Juggling sports as well as academics is a big challenge especially with the way education is such a big emphasis in Singapore. As much as possible, I try to give them another perspective of how they can live their life in a more balanced manner,” he added.
“It was a good experience with Audrey in 2010 and she moved to greater things after that (Yong went on to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games). It’s a journey and as much as possible, I try to share the journey and life experiences with them so they grow up to be better people.”
Key lessons he has sought to instil in Teo and the 16-year-old Ng include incorporating the saying “practice makes perfect” into their lives, and the importance of multitasking.
“I guess I have learnt better techniques and better ways to teach them, but the skills transfer still remains. There are many other sports which can capture their imagination nowadays … as sport evolves, the transference of skills becomes more precise,” said Chua.
“There are always new sports to try but I think for anyone to improve, you need to take root in exploring the sport and practising. The old adage of practice makes perfect hasn’t changed at all.”
Chua focuses on conveying instructions through encouragement. “Nowadays, you can’t really scold the kids … if you scold them, they will say they’re out of here. So you think of creative ways to show them that this (requires) discipline, but at the same time you have to encourage – encouragement is a big, big thing,” he said.
The veteran sailing coach, who runs SingaporeSailing’s junior and youth programmes, even takes to the water with his charges to demonstrate techniques. He explained: “I make it a point to always challenge them on water physically. I have to show them I can do it. There are certain things I can’t do, but I can still give them a bit of a challenge for a couple of hours. I believe that is the point where I have to demonstrate my abilities and show them that these abilities can transcend time and space.
“It’s good because they keep me going. They inspire me and motivate me to make sure that I am in the know of what’s happening.”
Ng’s assessment of Chua that the latter is a coach who takes action. “He likes to see us making effort. He’s strict but he is nice and he has helped us in this regatta. Coming out there in the hot sun for very long hours just to watch us race and sitting there with his binoculars, it’s kind of nice to know that someone is always looking out for us,” said the teenager, who concluded his Dakar 2026 outing with a 12th-placed finish on 12 Nov.
Chua has been impressed with the tenacity of both young sailors, noting the challenges both athletes faced in honing their techniques while balancing academic commitments in the lead-up to Dakar 2026.
The heat at Saly Beach, where the windsurfing races are held, poses one challenge. The openness of the surrounding area is another, as Chua pointed out that the sailors are taught to look at fixed points to gauge their positions on the course.
“If you look out from the open sea here, there’s no land. So when they come here, they need to increase their intuition and find other ways, not only by looking forward but also backwards and more intently on the rest of the fleet,” he said.
“For Kate, looking at the fleet itself can be daunting because she’s only had so much time on the water. Many people take years to cultivate this.
“For the boys, it’s definitely more aggressive … Trevor realises that every decision he makes has to be spot-on – one wrong decision and he has to fight. It’s always a lot of pressure. They are thrown into the deep end, and they are both managing. I take my hat off to them because they have done well.”
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games takes place from 31 October to 13 November 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.