SINGAPORE: He is studying economics at the University of Texas, and is about 16 months away from completing his bachelors’ degree. But when Joseph Schooling heads back to Austin on Friday (Nov 25), he could well make the decision to turn professional, and give up on the collegiate sporting career that has nurtured his rapid impr ovement from an Asian to a global star.
The 21-year-old admitted in an interview Thursday (Nov 24) with Channel NewsAsia that leaving school is something he has been contemplating.
Asked what had prompted this, Schooling said: “I don’t know, there’s a lot of things going on.
“Swimming has such a short life span, you’ve got to make use of your opportunities while you can. A year and a half is a lot of time, but we’ll see.
“I’ve really got to go back, sit down, think hard about it. It’s a huge decision. For right now, I’m still focusing on school.”
That last sentence would be reassuring for his mother, May, who told this reporter to tell his son to “stay in school”.
Day 6 since the swimmer touched down at Changi Airport last Friday was again a whirlwind of activities, and if Schooling was tired, he was not letting on that he was.
Beginning at a downtown Mixed Martial Arts gym where he learned a few grappling moves, and described it as a lot of fun, Schooling’s official duties ended at an awards dinner where he finally received the S$1 million reward for his win in Rio de Janeiro.
On his second trip home since making history as Singapore’s first Olympic gold medallist, the young man continues to see the power of his appeal, the marketability of that megawatt smile, and how he is able to connect with all fans young and old.
At an event at Sentosa’s One Degree 15, he made sure all his young fans went away with a photo, a signed book and an encouraging word. He did the same in an MRT train decked out with his photos and inspirational quotes, bringing to life The Schooling Effect for fellow commuters.
Following that, at the Kallang Wave Mall, he again engaged with many young fans, as he formalised a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, donating proceeds from the sales of his book and limited prints to the foundation.
Asked if one day a future champion might take out a photo taken with him, much like the famous one he took with Michael Phelps in 2008, Schooling said he certainly hope that would happen.
“Michael has been such an inspiration to so many people, and being put in that context is a real compliment, a real honour,” he said.
“I’d love for people to see me in that light on day. That’ll be pretty neat. That means I did a good job.”
Tuesday’s golf fundraiser, with Schooling as the main draw, netted more than $500,000 for the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA). The SSA’s coffers will be further swelled by another $200,000 when the association takes its mandatory 20 per cent cut from his Olympic reward.
Schooling’s appeal in Singapore is unquestioned, and he is beginning to wonder if he is able to make a similar impact on a global scale, and perhaps start repaying his parents for the well-documented US$1 million (S$1.42 million) that Colin and May spent to base him in the United States to develop his talent.
That could go some way to explaining his remarks before Tuesday’s charity golf event teed-off. It ruffled some feathers when he questioned whether more could be done to support local athletes through their development years.
Reminded that his parents’ investment could well have returned nothing, Schooling agreed, saying: “That’s what life is about. Life is a risk. You succeed or fail, they go hand-in-hand.
“I’m glad it turned out this way, and I’m glad I used this opportunity well. I just got to keep working right now.”
Asked if he had in mind a gift for his parents for all they have done for him, Schooling wants a “super nice family vacation”, which would include taking his father golfing at the Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland. Alternately, he would want to bring Colin to play three of the best courses in the United States.
“If there’s any chance I can get my Dad on to Augusta National, Pine Valley or Pebble Beach … those are the three courses he wants to play while he can. We’ll see if we can make it happen,” Schooling said.
