SEIZE THE DAY

Since stepping onto skis as a 3-year-old and competing actively after 10, Sasha Christian had been working her way up the ranks in wakeboarding and waterskiing events. Taking part in competitions such as the Asian Beach Games, Wakeboard World Championships and the World Games, she soon made a name for herself with some impressive results.

But her big break came much later — at the 2011 SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia, where her sport was making its maiden appearance. Sure, she had been all over the world — to places like China, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Qatar and the United States — for bigger and more international meets. But the Palembang assignment was different.

On the rare opportunity to be part of a major Games, she recalls, “I was excited and all fired up. There was more pressure because I wanted so badly to shine.” This was understandable as hers is a “minority sport” and its inclusion in major competitions is never a given. “In a way, I took it upon myself to use this platform to raise the profile of wakeboarding in Singapore by doing well,” she says.

She did just that with some fine performances. With a routine that included advanced tricks like the air raley and 360-degree rotations, she set herself apart from her rivals, cruising to victory well ahead of teammate Kalya Kee and Philippines’ Samantha Bermudez. Coming into the competition in Palemang, she knew her reputation as the 2007 wakeboarding world championships girls’ bronze medallist would count for little if she succumbed to pressure and under perform. “Doing well in this meet mattered as this was the first time I was really part of Team Singapore,” she says, adding that the feeling of being part of a big national team was “very special”.

Her results yielded some tangible benefits for her sport, with more people showing interest. Their support, she says, has been important whenever she feels she is not able to perform her best. Being in a sport with plenty of literal and metaphorical falling, Sasha has learnt how to continue pushing on through difficult times. “There have been instances when I fall on tricks that I know I shouldn’t. It can be frustrating and it feels like I’m not making progress. But I’m learning to train my mind not to let negative thoughts consume me,” she explains.

As part of her growth, she looks to fellow wakeboarders — including USA’s Dallas Friday — for inspiration, especially when she fell and hurt her knee a few years ago. “When I was down and out, Dallas’ name was the first to come to my mind. She has faced a lot of injuries over the course of her career. Yet, no matter what, she gets back on the water and gives 110 percent. I always remind myself that if she can do it, so can I,” says the former Singapore Sports School student.

That determination has served her well, particularly at the 2014 Asian Beach Games in Phuket, Thailand. Posting a new national record, she won the women’s waterski slalom event as she beat South Korea’s Han Ahreum and Indonesia’s Ummu Thoyibhatus Sholikah. She also clinched bronze in the wakeboarding event, finishing behind China’s Han Qiu and South Korea’s Yun Hee Hyun. While these results are encouraging, Sasha remains focused on her goal of raising her sport’s status by doing well in more mainstream competitions — like the 2015 SEA Games where both the slalom and wakeboarding events will be contested. Keenly aware of the need to “seize the day”, she knows she and her team mates have their work cut out in their quest to promote their sport.

Ultimately, she is driven by something deeper and more personal. “I know I can be better and I don’t want to stop until I feel that I’ve reached my maximum potential,” she says, adding, “In sports, I want to know I’ve done my best and that I’ve done all I can.” Along the way, she would have left some pioneering marks, including raising the profile of an underrated sport.