At NLCS (Singapore), we believe that an ambitious education extends beyond the classroom. Exceptional enrichment opportunities give students the opportunity to discover passions, develop talents and challenge themselves in new ways, while building confidence, resilience, creativity and collaboration along the way.
For Zijin, that passion is artistic swimming.
What began with a childhood love of playing in the water has developed into a serious sporting journey, taking Zijin to competitions in Singapore and overseas and giving her the opportunity to represent Singapore on the international stage.
In November 2026, Zijin will represent Singapore at the 48th Southeast Asian Age Group Aquatics Championships in Malaysia, competing in the Free Combination Event.
This follows a successful appearance at the 20th Singapore Open Artistic Swimming Championships in September, where she won a Gold Medal in the U12/Youth Free Combination event and a Silver Medal in the Youth Team event.
Beyond the medals and competitions, however, Zijin’s story offers a glimpse into what it means to pursue something that is challenging, demanding and deeply personal. Her reflections reveal lessons about perseverance, teamwork, managing competing commitments and learning to measure progress against yourself rather than others.
We asked Zijin to share more about her journey.
Thoughts from Zijin
1. What first sparked your interest in artistic swimming, and what has your journey been like so far?
When I was young, I loved playing in the water. I enjoyed doing somersaults underwater, and I thought being able to hold my breath underwater was really cool. In particular, when I saw artistic swimmers competing on television, with beautiful make-up, shiny, sparkly swimsuits, music, and the whole team performing amazingly synchronised movements and formations, I found it fascinating. So I wanted to give it a try.
As I trained more, I started to realise how challenging the sport actually is. It requires flexibility, strength, coordination and breath control, as well as musicality, artistic expression and teamwork. It requires a lot of practice and patience, and it is definitely not easy. Over time, I began training more seriously and taking part in competitions. There have certainly been difficult moments, but seeing myself improve and being able to perform together with my teammates has made the journey very rewarding.
2. What are some of your key achievements or milestones that you are particularly proud of?
After training for some time, I started taking part in overseas competitions. I have travelled with my team to compete in Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, without my parents travelling with me, which is something I am quite proud of.
Most recently, from 4–6 September, I competed as part of my team at the Singapore Open Artistic Swimming Championships, where we won a Gold Medal. I was also selected for the 12th Asian Age Group Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, from 21–25 July 2026, and the 48th SEA Age Group Aquatics Championships 2026 in Malaysia from 27–29 November 2026. I am very happy and proud to have these opportunities.
3. What opportunities have you benefited from at NLCS (Singapore), and how have these contributed to your development as both an athlete and an individual?
The way time is structured at NLCS (Singapore), together with the atmosphere created by the teachers and students, has given me a relaxed and supportive environment where I feel free to explore activities that are a little different, without feeling that I have to do the same things as everyone else.
I have also learned that doing well is not only about results. It is about being willing to challenge yourself, manage your time and keep working even when things become difficult. I think these experiences at school have helped me both as a student and as an athlete.
4. How have the school, coaches and teachers supported you in pursuing your sporting ambitions?
My teachers and the school have been very understanding and supportive, especially when competitions or training commitments affect my normal school schedule. When I had to miss lessons because of competitions, my teachers helped me catch up with the work I missed. Knowing that my teachers understand and support what I am trying to achieve makes it much easier for me to manage both school and sport.
5. What have you learned through your sporting journey, whether in terms of resilience, confidence, leadership, teamwork or commitment?
One of the biggest things I have learned is that improvement does not happen quickly. Sometimes you practise something many, many times and still feel that you just cannot do it. But then one day, when you have almost forgotten how desperately you wanted to master it, you suddenly get it right.
I have also learned a lot about being part of a team. Sometimes you need to be willing to take a supporting role. In artistic swimming, having everyone perform their own hybrid to a high quality and having the whole team achieve synchronisation can sometimes be more important than having the swimmer who comes out of the water perform an outstanding highlight. Everyone has a different role, but every role matters.
Through competing in solo events, I have also had to choose and edit my own music and design my hybrids and arm movements. This requires me to have a clear understanding of myself and make choices: should I attempt a more difficult element and take the risk of making a mistake during the competition, or choose something safer but more conservative?
And perhaps one thing you never lack in competitions is the feeling of disappointment. There is always someone who is very good, and there are always talented new swimmers appearing. I am learning to accept this as part of competing and to focus more on my own progress.
6. How do you balance your sporting commitments with your academic life at school?
Balancing school and artistic swimming is challenging, especially when there is a competition coming up.
I try to plan ahead and not leave any homework until the last minute. Actually, physical exercise sometimes helps my brain relax and gives me a break from studying.
I am still learning how to manage everything better. Becoming more organised and responsible with my time is an ongoing challenge for me, and I am still constantly adjusting and learning.
7. What advice would you give to other students who may wish to pursue their own sporting passions and ambitions?
I would say that if you really enjoy something, don’t be afraid to take it seriously and see how far you can go. There will probably be times when training is tiring, progress feels slow, or it becomes difficult to balance everything, but those moments are part of the journey.
Try not to compare yourself too much with other people. Focus on improving yourself, listen to your coaches and teachers, and keep going even when things don’t work out immediately. Most importantly, you should still enjoy what you are doing because that is what keeps you motivated.
A Parent’s Perspective
Zijin first started artistic swimming when she was not yet eight years old. She tried many other activities when she was younger and quickly gave up some of them, so we never expected that artistic swimming would be the one that stayed with her. Her enthusiasm for it has never really faded. We have seen Zijin grow tremendously through her artistic swimming journey.
There are a few things that we feel she has learned from this journey that are particularly valuable.
The first is that finishing something is sometimes more important than making it perfect. With a routine, you first have to be able to complete it, and then gradually refine it. Sometimes, when entering a competition, she may not be completely ready either. She competes with what she is capable of at that moment, and then continues improving from there.
The second is learning to accept that there will always be someone better than you. The result is not always the most important thing. What matters more is being able to see your own progress and recognise where you can improve, rather than comparing yourself with others.
The third is something we have learned as parents: if you want to persist with something that is genuinely difficult, interest and enjoyment are ultimately the most important motivations. A sense of achievement, medals, praise and other external recognition can provide encouragement, but these are often temporary. What really keeps someone going is enjoying the activity itself.
For Zijin, that might be the feeling of control over her own body and experiencing the beauty of movement; the rhythm and sense of immersion when performing hybrids to music and expressing a theme; or simply being together with a group of people who share the same passion, and talking in those terms and slang that perhaps only they understand.
