When twins Yahan and Yarun first stepped into the pool at age seven, winning medals was never part of the plan. Their mother simply wanted them to enjoy the sport and have fun.
Fast forward to today, and the Year 10 students at North London Collegiate School (Singapore) have just clinched gold medals at the 19th Open Singapore Artistic Swimming Championships – a testament not just to their dedication, but to how their school has supported their journey every step of the way.
“From the very beginning, we never had winning in mind as they simply enjoyed the sport and had fun,” their mother shares. But as the twins’ passion grew, so did the challenge of balancing rigorous training schedules with academic ambition.
Training five times a week, two hours per session, whilst maintaining excellent academic performance requires more than just time management – it requires a supportive community. At NLCS (Singapore), Yahan and Yarun have found exactly that.
“Their coach has been incredibly encouraging and kind throughout their journey,” their mother explains. “Even after mistakes and setbacks during performances, she has never treated it as failures. Instead, she helped them reflect and improve for the next competition.”
This philosophy mirrors perfectly what the twins experience at school. Yarun’s tutor describes her as “an excellent student who consistently demonstrates maturity, ambition and a strong commitment to her learning.” Beyond the pool, Yarun also participates in Mercuri.X, the school’s STEM Racing team, which won the Singapore Nationals 2025.
Through artistic swimming, the twins have developed resilience, discipline, and the ability to work in a team – qualities that extend far beyond the pool. And with the pastoral care programme at NLCS (Singapore), including specialist support from Emotional Guidance Counsellors and Learning Support Professionals, students like Yahan and Yarun can truly run their own race.
