Mr Woon Sui Kut

Born in 1929, Mr Woon Sui Kut attended Telok Kurau Primary School and Raffles Institution (RI). As a boy, Woon and his friends would play hide and seek in the pool of Chinese Swimming Club because the water was dark blue and not very clear. The boys would jump into the pool and take turns to search for one another in the water.

The Birth of a Swimming Champion

Woon actually joined competitive swimming by accident. When he was in RI, a classmate signed him up for a swimming time trial.  Being a good sport, Woon went for the time trial and beat two school swimmers and this started his competitive swimming career in the school team. Besides swimming, Woon also competed in the 400m and High Jump events.

Aspiring to be a PE teacher, Woon enrolled into Teacher Training College (TTC) in 1950. On 9 march 1952, TTC organized the 1st Swimming Gala at Chinese Swimming Club. Woon won the 50m, 100m , 200m, 400m and 1,500m freestyle events and became the undisputed TTC Swimming Champion. His total of 25 points was 15 points more than the 1st runner-up.

TTC Swimming Champion (1952)

Pioneer in Singapore Schools Sports

Upon graduation from TTC, Woon returned to his alma mater, RI and taught there from 1953 to 1954. He then went on to teach in Victoria School (VS) from 1954 to 1963. During this period, he took on other appointments such as Honorary Secretary of Singapore Combined Schools Sports Council and delegation leader of Combined Schools Swimming and Water Polo Teams. 

In 1956, Woon led the Singapore Combined Schools Water Polo Team to Indonesia for a competition tour. The Water Polo Team was unbeaten in all matches and even beat Indonesia’s National Water Polo Team that was preparing for the Melbourne Olympics in the same year. As a result, Indonesia withdrew its Water Polo Team from the Olympics.

Woon firmly believed that Singapore Schools Sports played a very important role in developing young talents and raising national sports standards. Many young swimmers and water polo players under his charge would go on to don national colours and compete for Singapore in regional and international events.

The Singapore Combined Schools Sports Council was established in 1959 and Woon was appointed its first Honorary Secretary. As a full-time teacher in VS then, Woon took on his role with commitment and passion. In 1963, Woon joined the Ministry of Education (MOE) PE Inspectorate and continued to serve as Honorary Secretary until 1980.    

Active Advocate for Sports

Besides actively developing the Singapore Schools Sports scene, Woon also contributed to sports at the national level. He served in the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), 1970 – 1998; Singapore Life Saving Society, 1972 – 2006; and Singapore Swimming Association (SSA), 1964 – 2008.

In 1975, Woon led the Singapore Swimming Delegation to Beijing to participate in the China Invitational Swimming and Diving Friendship Meet, the first of its kind in China. This Meet was significant as it helped countries to establish friendly relations with China through sports competition.

Meeting Deng Xiaoping at the China Invitational Swimming and Diving Friendship Meet (1975)

King Neptune

Woon joined Temasek Junior College (TJC) in 1981. During his 3½ years of service at TJC, he helped develop a swimming programme that catered to students of different abilities. His vision was for every TJC student to be able to swim. To ensure the success of the swimming programme, Woon had to lead by example and he taught swimming 3 times a week.

By 1984, TJC had become well known for its swimming programme. In an invitational swim meet, TJC emerged champion and beat traditional powerhouses such as Raffles Junior College and Anglo-Chinese Junior College.  On 25 May 1984, "King Neptune" as Woon was affectionally known, was given a fond farewell by the staff and students of TJC when he retired from MOE.

Move to Live, Live to Move

After his retirement in 1984, Woon continued to contribute to sports at various national and international platforms. Besides serving in SNOC and SSA, Woon also served in the ASEAN Swimming Federation, 1976 – 1981; Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (AASF), 1984 – current; and Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA), 1980 – 2004.

Currently, Woon is the Vice-President and Chairman, Technical Swimming Committee of AASF. At the age of 83, he travels around Asia to inspect swimming facilities and ensure that they are competition ready. Woon’s next big commitment is the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Korean, where he is a technical advisor for swimming.

References

1. Interview with Mr Woon Sui Kut by PESTA (April - June 2012).

2. Aplin, N. (Eds.). (2009). Perspectives on Physical Education and Sports Science in Singapore: An Eye on the Youth Olympic Games 2010. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).

3. Straits Times (1952). Woon Sui Kut is TTC Swimming Champion. Straits Times, 9 March, 1952, p. 19.

4. Teo, E. (2001). A History of Physical Education in Singapore since 1819. 
   (Unpublished manuscript, NIE/NTU).

5. Wee, T. B. (2010). Physical Education and Sports in Singapore Schools (Part 1): Through the Last Millennium. Biblioasia 6 (2), pp.13-18. National Library Board

6. Wee, T. B. (2010). Physical Education and Sports in Singapore Schools (Part 2): Developing National Sports Talent. Biblioasia 6 (3), pp.15-21. National Library Board