Today is the first day of competition for swimming and it is also Singapore's National Day!! This morning, we had a small National Day celebration breakfast and I had the honor of leading our national contingent in saying our pledge. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty cool.

 

After the breakfast celebrations, my team and I headed off to the village pool to get in our morning session. I'm feeling alright in the water right now but in the words of UCLA's assistant coach, Erika Hansen, 'feel is irrelevant' or in other words, it really does not matter how I feel in the water.

 

What i love most about meets is the pure thrill of competition — the excitement that runs through your veins when you step up on the block and look over at your competitior in the next lane and think to yourself 'bring it on!!'

 

I love the fact that character always beats reputation, that it doesn't matter who is ranked higher or has done more yardage or who feels great in the water today or even who is actually the faster swimmer. What matters most is who wants it more, who is going to lay it all out on the line and just swim, balls out, leaving everything behind in the pool. Character always beats reputation!

 

I swim the 100 breaststroke tomorrow and surprisingly I am not nervous, well maybe a little nervous but it's more nervous excitement! I can hardly wait to get out there and just race!

 

So wish me luck Bruin family because when I'm out there racing, not only will I be representing Singapore, I will also be there swimming as a Bruin!