Mrs Glory Barnabas

Mrs Glory Barnabas was born in 1941. She studied at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (PLMGS) where she represented the school in netball and athletics at district level. Aspiring to be a PE teacher, Glory enrolled in Teachers’ Training College (TTC) in 1961. Her foray into competitive athletics was by accident. In the 1962 Inter-Varsity and Polytechnic Meets, Glory was asked to run the women’s 4 x 100m only because a friend had fallen ill. To her astonishment, she was placed as the last runner. During the race when the baton was handed to her, the TTC team was in 2nd place. Within seconds, she overtook the lead runner and helped TTC to clinch the gold medal!

Glory went on to become a national athlete and won many medals for Singapore at the SEAP Games (now known as SEA Games) and Asian Games. Through her participation and accomplishments in athletics, Glory embodied passion, commitment and lifelong pursuit of excellence.

Glory outrunning her bigger competitors at an inter-club meet in 1970s

Passion, Commitment and Lifelong Pursuit of Excellence:

Glory represented Singapore at the SEAP Games from 1965 to 1977 except for 1971 when she was away in the UK studying PE on a British Council Bursary.

After her retirement in 1977, Glory went on to compete in the World Masters Athletics Championship from 1981 to 2007 except for 2001 when she led her Junior College band to Switzerland for an international competition. Some of her achievements include winning the 400m W40 Gold in 62.2sec (1985, Toronto) and the 200m W45 Gold in 27.6sec (1987, Melbourne).

She also competed in the Asia Masters Athletics Championship from 1981 to 2010, winning many medals in the sprints. In 2004 (Bangkok), she attempted and won Gold in triple jump with a distance of 7.36m. In 2006 (Bangalore), she won Gold in high jump.

Practising her stride-form at the Farrer Park track in the 1980s.

Glory started her teaching career in Charlton Primary School in 1961. In 1986, she was posted to Tampines Junior College (TPJC) as Head of Department (PE). She helped set up the PE Department in this new Junior College and continued to serve there until her retirement in December 2003. While her accomplishments on the track are readily acknowledged, her quiet service in teaching PE for 40 years should also be celebrated.

Glory is as passionate and committed a sportswoman as she is a PE teacher. Healthy and youthful at 70, she teaches PE and Character and National Education at Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) Katong today. She is a Co-Form Teacher of a Secondary Four class and is still actively involved in Co-Curricual Activities (CCAs). Besides training the netball girls in fitness conditioning, she also coaches the track athletes three times a week at Bedok Reservoir or Bedok Stadium. As a pioneering female PE teacher who started teaching in 1963 and continues to teach PE and coach sports today, Glory inspires PE teachers and students as a role model of Passion and Commitment.

Recollection by former student, Ms Emily Huang:

Mrs Barnabas was my PE and Track & Field teacher when I was a student in TPJC (1994 -1995). Although she was a sprinter, and I was a middle-distance runner, she always showed interest in my training and development as an athlete. She also cared about my progress as a student. Knowing that I followed a very intense training programme, she would always ask how I was coping with my school work. As the Track & Field teacher, Mrs Barnabas would encourage and motivate all the athletes at every training session and at competitions.

I attribute my development as an athlete to her constant motivation and encouragement. Mrs Barnabas helped me to achieve my fullest potential as a student-athlete. I will always remember how Mrs Barnabas led by example and practiced what she preached. It was not unusual to see her training at the school track every morning before flag raising.

Mrs Barnabas's passion for running and sports left such a lasting impression upon me that it was a natural decision for me to become a PE teacher after my ‘A’ Levels. She has impacted many lives and made a big difference with her whole-hearted dedication and commitment as an educator, and I'm proud to say that I am of them!

About Ms Emily Huang

Ms Emily Huang attended School of Physical Education (SPE) from 1996 to 2000 as a trainee PE teacher. Upon graduation, she was posted to CHIJ Katong Convent where she taught for 9 years. She received the 2007 Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA) in recognition of her passion and commitment in the teaching profession. At the end of 2009, Emily bumped into Mrs Glory Barnabas near CHIJ Katong Convent and invited her to teach PE in the school.  Emily is currently Head of Department (PE & CCA) at Yishun Town Secondary School.

Teaching PE in 2012: Glory demonstrating push ups with a gym ball to her Sec 5 class.

Recollections by present students:

"Mrs Barnabas is always willing to share her experience as an athlete through advice on all things related to PE. It may be a simple suggestion on our diet or a simple tip on preventing injuries. She never fails to guide us. As students, we tend to take certain activities for granted, like warming up, but she tries to explain its importance and never fails to relay the perks of staying fit and healthy." - Ashmika Prasad, CHIJ Katong Convent, Sec. 206, 2011

"Mrs Barnabas taught us how to take good care of our bodies and the importance of stretching before exercising. She also taught us the importance of taking good care of our ankles. She makes PE lessons fun by letting us play games."
- Megan Yeo, CHIJ Katong Convent, Sec. 206, 2011

References

Colours of Passion: Retrieved on 22 December 2011: http://lastingstrides.com/lastingstrides/Book/coloursofpassion.pdf

The Straits Times (1989). Glory Barnabas: Singapore sprinter. The Straits Times, 30 July 1989, p.7.
Interview with Glory Barnabas, Ms Emily Huang, Ms Priscilla Humphries, Ms Ashimika Prasad, Ms Megan Yeo