Beberapa jam lagi, bermulalah temasya sukan termashyur dalam sejarah dunia, Sukan Olimpik Tokyo 2020.

Masih teringat temasya pertama ChongWei melibatkan diri. Lokasinya? Di tanah asal Olimpik, Greece. Tahunnya? 2004. ChongWei masih muda, hanya 22 tahun.

Atas nasihat jurulatih, saya melepaskan peluang menghadirkan diri di upacara pembukaan. Bukan di Greece saja malah di Beijing dan London. Sebabnya permulaan game pertama dijadualkan ngam-ngam selepas upacara pembukaan.

Hanya di Rio, ChongWei sempat menghadiri upacara pembukaan sebagai pembawa Jalur Gemilang. Takkan terlupa saat-saat tersebut. Tergenang mata ChongWei masa itu. Betapa bangganya ChongWei masa itu. Tergenang mata jugak mengenangi detik-detik tersebut.

Kembali ke 2004 Greece. ChongWei tidak beraksi dengan cemerlang. Berjaya menewaskan pemain Hong Kong NgWei di pusingan pertama tetapi kalah di pusingan kedua kepada ChenHong. Temasya itulah Malaysia pulang tanpa sebarang pingat. Masa itu, penerimaan kekalahan masih okay lagi. Sebab minda tahu, masih ada tournament lain boleh menang.

Tetapi turning point ChongWei ialah apabila saya tengok perlawanan akhir kawan baik saya, Taufik melawan SeungMo. Tidak pernah saya tengok Taufik main sebegitu mati-matian! Lagilah tak pernah tengok Pak Taufik menitis air mata sebegitu di gelanggang. Saatnya Lagu Indonesia Raya dilaungkan dan bendera Indonesia dinaikkan semasa upacara hadiah, sekali lagi Taufik menangis dihadami emosi kebanggaan. ChongWei yakin saat itulah antara saat paling bangga Taufik dalam kariernya. Saat itu juga mengubah persepsi saya.

ChongWei mahu merasakan kebanggaan sebegitu. ChongWei bertekad. ChongWei bersungguh-sungguh training. ChongWei mahu pingat emas Olimpik. ChongWei mahu bendera Malaysia dikibarkan. ChongWei mahu sangat lagu “Negaraku” berkumandang di pentas Olimpik.

Setiap hari training mati-matian. Bangun paling awal, balik paling lambat. Arak tak pernah sentuh. Rokok pantang dicuba. Makan pun jaga.

2008 Beijing. LinDan dibelakangi ribuan sokongan penonton tempatan. Terlalu handal. Tidak apa. Cuba lagi 4 tahun depan.

2012 London. LinDan lagi (siot betul)! Kali ini sengit. ChongWei menghabiskan segala tenaga yang ada. Sampai kosong gas tong. Rubber game, kalah 21-19. Tidak putus asa. Nak lagi. 4 tahun lagi.

2016 Rio. Kali ini saya menang LinDan. Tapi emas tetap tidak kesampaian. Badan sudah ibarat kata Malaysian…. Koyak. Kalah pula kepada ChenLong di final. Tapi hati masa tu masih tak mau give up. Nak try lagi sekali. Last sekali di Tokyo.

The rest ... you guys know the history. Minta maaf Malaysia. Sangat-sangat minta maaf. Tidak terdaya membawa balik pingat rahmat itu untuk rakyat Malaysia.

Kepada warrior-warrior Malaysia di Tokyo, ingatlah pedoman dari kuda tua ini. Olimpik Games is the biggest sporting event ever. You should be proud of yourself for being there. Go all out! Remember all the hard work you been through to reach this pinnacle. Do your best! For you, your family, your country, your people back home, who are helplessly fighting our own battle. For Hope. For people of Malaysia. #DemiMalaysia

Reading changed my life; it is my escape from reality; something all readers can relate to. Throughout my high school years, I had social anxiety – inherently shy and hardly could start any conversation; I was helplessly battered by an inferiority complex and lacked the energy to sustain intellectual discussions with people. I would avoid going to the canteen during recess, so I hid in the English access room that I was in charge of and read the books available there.

I was, for lack of a better word, a novice, but I don't regret it, not a bit. Reading made me a better person, and ironically, it also helped with my social anxiety. I read all genres. I know about many things and able to connect with people from different walks of life. It opened my mind to new insights from individual wells of knowledge that only made my life better.

Readers are leaders. Reading makes you intelligent. And reading also makes you a better speaker. You don't “waste time” by reading; you add value to it. You clock in. If you really had time to kill, you'd be napping during the eclipse.

#readingcorner #bibliophiles #booksonbooks #socialmediainfluencer #charmed #anxietysupport #readingislife #readersareleaders #malaysianblogger #malaysianindian
#bookstagrammers #booksandbooks #wellnessjourney #selfcareroutine

It is the end of 2020.
This year has changed the lives for all of us.

Personally, it’s been the toughest year for me. Helplessly watching the f*ing cancer destroy my father day by day. Taking away his smile & laughter, his powerful knowledge, his strength, his passion. His love.
Forever changing my life.

Don’t know what to expect in 2021, but love, cherish and make time for your loved ones, your good friends and yourself.

Let’s make 2021 the year for health, kindness and inspiration.
Wishing everyone a wonderful, healthy and safe new year! ❤️

UNDISPUTED | Skip "insane" LeBron James helplessly when the Lakers get blown away by Suns in Game 6

#undisputed #undisputedfs1 #skipbayless #shannonsharpe #skipandshannon #shannon #skip
#firsttake #espnfirsttake #espn #stephenasmith #maxkellerman

Steve Mariucci "backlash" Big Ben shine helplessly with Steelers removed, Browns advance Divisional

Ryan Clark "unbelievable" Big Ben shine helplessly with Steelers removed, Browns advance Divisional