HE ASPIRES to represent Singapore at the Youth Olympic Games one day, and Shane Tan will move closer to that dream at the Milo Ministry of Education (MOE) Youth Tryathlon on March 7.
The Anglo-Chinese School Primary 4 pupil will be among an expected 3,000 schoolkids aged eight to 18 taking part in the inaugural event at Sentosa's Tanjong Beach.
Fun and participation will be the only things that matter in the race, said organisers Racer's Toolbox. Neither times nor placings will be recorded and all finishers will get a trophy.
For Shane, nine, it is a rare chance to hone his budding triathlon talent.
After all, for kids under 16, the only race they had previously was the annual Osim Singapore International Triathlon.
'I'm really looking forward to the Youth Tryathlon,' said Shane, the eldest of three children. 'It will be my first time racing at Sentosa.'
Racer's Toolbox director Ben Pulham, 27, a former pro triathlete who was once ranked world No. 53, said the race is modelled after the successful youth series in his native New Zealand.
Kids will compete individually or in teams across three age groups: 8- 11 (100m swim, 4km cycle, 1km run), 12-15 (200m swim, 8km cycle, 2km run) and 16-18 (300m swim, 12km cycle, 3km run).
Safety will be the top priority. The swim will be held parallel to the beach in waist-deep water. Those without bicycles may use roller skates instead.
'It's about kids doing triathlons for fun,' said Pulham, a product of New Zealand's youth series.
'As they enjoy the sport, they will do more of it and get better at it, and the results will come naturally.'
Top triathlon nations like Australia, Germany and Canada have well- established national youth series that have produced Olympic and world champions.
Over 17,000 kids participated across 11 events in New Zealand alone last year.
Simon Whitfield, the 2000 Olympic winner and 2008 Olympic silver medallist, started the sport at 11 and competed in Canada's Kids of Steel events for five years.
Who knows? Shane might just be Singapore's future triathlon champion waiting to be groomed.
Influenced by sport-minded parents Lilian, a homemaker, and business intelligence manager Richard, both 39, he took part in his first race at the Osim Singapore International Triathlon in 2007.
He finished 17th among 96 boys in the 7-9 years category, completing the 100m swim, 5km cycle, 1km run in 26min 32sec. Last year, using a new racing bicycle, he won in 20:23.
Three times a week, he trains under the Racer's Toolbox youth programme at St Andrew's Secondary and East Coast Park. He also works out twice weekly with a swimming club.
'I do get tired sometimes,' said Shane, 'but I never think of stopping.'
- For more details, visit http://www.tryathlon.com.sg. Registration closes on Feb 21.
EAGER ANTICIPATION
'I'm really looking forward to the Youth Tryathlon, It will be my first time racing at Sentosa.'
SHANE TAN
RESULTS WILL COME
'As they enjoy the sport, they will do more of it and get better at it, and the results will come naturally.'
BEN PULHAM
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