Even with four concurrent boccia matches at the Chatchai hall, national boccia athlete Jovin Tan would be hard to miss with a neon orange beanie, diamond earrings, and a wheelchair with wheels that sparkled when he moved.
The ASEAN Para Games debutant in boccia, who had dyed his hair red before the Games and admits he enjoys standing out, was the last man standing in the men’s individual BC1 field as he picked up yet another shiny addition – a gold medal – after three days of intense competition.
The newly-crowned champion had just beaten world no.15 and home hope Witsanu Huadpradit 4-1 in an enthralling encounter, to the delight of the Singapore supporters in the stands.
Tan had fallen to the same opponent 7-3 just 24 hours earlier, but that defeat had done wonders in preparing him for the all-important decider.
“I have not played against many of these players before. So I don’t know their style, their strength and their weaknesses,” Tan said, having beaten world no.2 and Paralympic bronze medallist Muhamad Afrizal Syafa in the semi-finals.
“When I first played with Witsanu the other day, I committed more mistakes than him. So I reflected on that and thought about how to really improve. Today I was focused on playing my best and not being affected by any distractions.”
The four-time Paralympic sailor, who began playing boccia in 2022, secured a promising 3-0 lead after the first two of four ends.
But in the third end, Witsanu took the game to the Singaporean with some quality shots.
Tan was undeterred as he displayed his own qualities, with both sides taking turns trading advantages and one-upping the other with each successive shot.
It took Tan an impeccable six and final shot to take his lead to a virtually unassailable 4-0 heading into the final end, where Huadprit scored a solitary consolation point.
“It was a truly competitive match because every player took turns to show their abilities. But the last shot that I took, in fact, I was nervous. I told myself to stay calm and focus and just do the best I can,” the admin assistant at Chapman CG said.
It was also a full circle moment for Tan, 11 years after he took sailing gold at the Singapore edition of the Games.
“It has been quite a long time since I have actually been to a major Games like this. So it’s a good start. But definitely there will be more to come, more to learn, more to improve,” said Tan, who last featured at a major Games at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
With a boccia gold in hand and a 2015 sailing gold back home, Tan took the opportunity to encourage more people to try their hand at new sports.
“Nobody becomes a champion overnight, and it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. So I think what I can say to people out there is just to believe in yourself. Give yourself a chance to be exposed and try new things, because if you never try, you never know,” he said.
Also bringing back a medal was reigning Paralympic silver medallist Jeralyn Tan, who beat Thailand’s world no.37 Subin Tipmanee in the women’s BC1 individual bronze medal match 8-1.
“I feel a bit sad (about bronze), but I will just keep going, and I am looking forward to the Asian Para Games this year,” the 2023 APG silver medallist said.
The boccia medal rush continued in the afternoon’s matches as Nurulasyiqah Binte Mohammad Taha beat Indonesia’s Dewi Suci Kirana 6-1 to win the women’s individual BC3 gold, while compatriot Toh Sze Ning took the BC3 bronze after beating Thai opponent Rattana Juthamat 5-3.
Aloysius Gan was triumphant in the men’s individual BC3 gold after dispatching Chanthakhat Withun of Thailand 3-1 in the final.
