Representing Singapore a win already: Jason Chee, navy amputee turned national athlete
He was a left-hander who had his left arm ripped from him, along with both legs and three right fingers.
Now, just over a year after his tragic accident at sea, Singapore navy regular Jason Chee is grasping a table tennis bat with what remains of his right, non-master hand as he heads to Myanmar to represent his country at the ASEAN Para Games.
“It’s challenging,” admitted the wheelchair-bound 30-year-old, speaking last week at a media preview of Singapore’s closing ceremony performance at the Games. “My right hand is quite weak.”
One would not say the same about his sheer willpower and fighting spirit.
In the middle of 2013, Chee, who holds the rank of Military Expert 2, began training his right hand to play table tennis with the aid of prosthetic fingers.
The former weapons systems supervisor went on to clinch two gold medals in the National Disability League a mere three months later.
And this week, Chee finds himself draped in the red and white of Singapore, set to make his debut on the biggest regional stage for the nation’s disabled athletes.
But the rock-steady individual is far from cowed by the swiftness of his call-up or the magnitude of the occasion.
“Win or lose, it doesn’t matter,” he told Yahoo Singapore. “To represent Singapore is a win.”
Sport for life
Chee did, however, admit that if he were to win a medal, he would be “very happy”.
A competitive streak still runs deep in the former primary school paddler, who started in table tennis as early as five years old.
Like most athletes, Chee harboured dreams of playing for Singapore someday, especially after watching national players like Feng Tianwei and Li Jiawei on television.
He switched to badminton in secondary school and later pursued other activities on a recreational basis, but it was only after he had his life turned upside down in December 2012 that he truly rediscovered his love for sport.
“It helps me remove negative thinking, to be positive and have self-esteem,” said Chee, who trains three times a week. “It’s very important that I keep myself busy with a healthy lifestyle.”
Sport has gifted him purpose and ambition, too, with Chee continually reiterating to media – and no doubt himself – that the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil is his “big dream”.
“This ASEAN Para Games is the first step. I want to gain as much experience as I can and learn from my opponents,” he said.
“If I can obtain a medal here, then I will try for Commonwealth Games in July, Asian Games in September and next year’s Para Games in Singapore.”
“Step by step… If I can win medals, then I know I have the potential to try out for the Paralympics,” Chee added.
Eye on the horizon
But of course, it’s not all about the medals for Chee, who determinedly declared, “I will play table tennis for life.”
He shared that his progress in the sport is one of four major life goals he keeps in mind.
“I have to go back to work,” said Chee. “I also want to resume my UniSIM studies at the end of this month and get my degree in mathematics.”
“And I want to fully recover, with prosthetic legs, and be able to walk.”
Powering these targets is an exceedingly simple but effective motto he has adopted from Day One: “If I don’t give up, I will achieve my dreams.”
The Singapore soldier’s dreams extend beyond the personal as well, as he hopes to tap on his time in the spotlight to spread a message to others like him.
“I want to encourage all disabled Singaporeans to be positive like me, and if they can, to take up sports too,” said Chee.
It is his wish for others to experience sports the same way he has: as a healing salve, soothing the pain of having so much taken from him.
And the road to recovery has seen Chee’s heart and spirit grow big, full and eager to return the favour.
He explained, “Wearing the Singapore jersey means a lot to me. It’s my nation; I want to do my nation proud.”
“Since my accident, Singaporeans have been so helpful,” Chee added, referring to the hundreds of blood donors who came forward to contribute while he lay in critical condition after his mishap.
“Now I want to give back to society, represent Singapore and do something."
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