Name: K. Mishalenee
Age: 23
Occupation: Student and national netballer
Status: Single
Food: I eat a high protein diet to keep bulking.
Exercise: In a week, I do three court sessions, two gym sessions and one conditioning run.
When you were younger, were you active in sports?
I have always been super active. As a kid, I could not sit still. I was always outside playing street soccer, basketball with friends and any game that involved running, things like block catching. It was pure fun and freedom.
What changed as you got older?
As I got older, I started taking sports more seriously and was more disciplined with my training. Netball slowly shifted from being something fun to something I wanted to pursue competitively. As I got into the national programme, I also got into gym work and conditioning under the Singapore Netball programme, which helped build strength and fitness to complement my game.
How did you get into netball?
My journey in netball started as a CCA in my primary school, I started off as a shooter (now a defender). The competitiveness and camaraderie of the sport were what stood out to me always.
How did the opportunity come to play netball competitively?
It started when I was scouted during the Netball Super League. I was encouraged to play for the league for Fier Orcas. From there, I got recruited into the U21 development squad, where I was exposed to structured training, tougher competition, and the pathway to playing at a national level with the Opens squad now.
What are some of the major comps you have played?
The major comps I have played with the national team were Nations Cups in 2023/24 as part of Singapore A , and last year in 2024 with the Singapore team where we came in 2nd. The highlight was the Asian Netball Championships held in India last year, where the team emerged as champions.
Was that highlight your most memorable experience in netball?
Yes for sure, my most memorable experience is winning my first gold medal for Singapore at the Asian Netball Championships. It felt super surreal and like a dream come true!
You will be taking part in your first Southeast Asian (SEA) Games this year.
I feel incredibly grateful and excited. It’s a dream to represent my country. The journey towards getting selected hasn’t always been smooth sailing, it involves a lot of training, sacrifices, and overcoming self-doubts. But the process has made me stronger and more resilient and it will continue to do so, to challenge to be a better version of myself.
When you were younger, did you experience any incidents that made you feel insecure about yourself?
Yes i think it’s quite common, but I have compared myself a lot to others and at times I have felt inferior , but I have learnt to focus on my own progress and strengths instead of comparisons.
Have you gone through any adversities in life that made you change how you viewed life?
One major challenge was my knee injury a few years back. It was frustrating to be sidelined for a while, but it taught me patience and resilience, and I learned the importance of listening to my body, taking recovery and rehab seriously, and finding other ways to grow mentally and emotionally!
When did you feel the least confident about yourself?
I probably felt the least confident when I was coming back from injury. I doubted whether I could return to my previous level of play. But with support from coaches, my family and a lot of hard work, I regained my confidence. Each small win at the gym and at training helped rebuild my self-belief.
Did you ever struggle with your body?
Yes, for sure, there were moments I struggled, especially when I didn’t fully understand nutrition and training and felt pressured to look or perform a certain way. Over my time under the Singapore Netball programme, I learned that fuelling my body properly and training smart were more important than just focusing on appearance.
Are you satisfied with your body now?
Yes, even though there’s always room to get stronger and have more bulk, I have learned to appreciate the strength, endurance, resilience and definitely height (I’m 1.81m tall!) that my body gives me. Instead of focusing on what I lack, I focus on what my body enables me to achieve.
