SEA Games 2025 - I've Actually Made It Here. It Wasn't Luck. Not a Fluke. Just Years of Work Finally Aligning: Amir Rusyaidi

Hana Basir
19 hours ago
6 min read

From stuggling to break through at the National School Games to representing Singapore at the SEA Games. Amir Rusyaidi shares with Sportplus.sg on his gritty rise to the top

For Amir Rusyaidi Osman, standing on the podium was never a given — it was built, not born. Through his school years, he often ran in the shadows of champions, and even in adulthood, while training and competing overseas, he’s had to confront challenges far bigger than results — including heart complications that threatened to halt his progress.

It was belief, hard work and faith that got him to where he is today—a national record holder and soon to make his debut at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

This December in the bustle of Bangkok, the 23-year-old men’s road mile record holder will step onto the SEA Games stage for the first time, competing in the 1500m event.

And amid the inevitable fanfare and frenzy the city is sure to bring, what Amir will feel most is a quiet, unmistakable sense of arrival.

“I realised that after everything I’ve gone through over the last decade—the setbacks, the stagnation, the health issues, juggling school and work, I’d actually made it here,” he said. “It wasn’t luck. Not a fluke. Just years of work finally aligning.”

“Representing Singapore isn’t just about stepping onto the start line. It’s about honouring the people who helped me get here—my coaches, my family, my teammates—and giving the best, most disciplined version of myself. If I’m going to wear the country’s colours, then the least I can do is make sure I represent Singapore with integrity, intent, and effort every single time.”

Finding His Stride Away From Home

Unlike many of his teammates who have the opportunity of training together in Singapore—and in similar conditions to Thailand—Amir will arrive in Bangkok forged by a very different environment — thousands of kilometres from home, balancing a full degree in Perth, Australia with the full-time demands of elite sport.

“Truthfully, it’s been quite topsy-turvy,” he shared candidly.

“I’ve had to manage burnout from juggling a lot at once, getting sick from the changing seasons, adapting to a different environment, and the occasional homesickness. On top of that, I’m balancing a full university workload, part-time work, and living completely on my own so everything requires a lot of intention and discipline.”

He has, however, found his home away from home.

“I’ve been blessed with a really strong setup here. Coach Tony and the Perth Distance Project crew have been incredible. The best part is that most of the guys are fitter than me — genuinely national-record-level athletes. Training with people who are stronger than you forces you to level up quickly.”

This environment, he said, accelerated his growth more than anything. Still, he has one foot firmly in Singapore. He joined Coach Khai’s national group in June when he was back in Singapore for the school’s winter break, and in those brief weeks, something clicked.

“Training alongside guys like Thiruben and Oliver is motivating. The training style with Coach Tony complements what Coach Khai is doing for me on the strength and speed side. The guys I train with in Perth are, in many ways, a level above me aerobically, and that pushes me every single session,” he shared.

“It's like having the best of both worlds. I get a strong aerobic environment in Perth, and when I return to Singapore, I get access to some of the best middle-distance speed in the country. Both groups play a role in my progression.”

Faith, Fragility, and the Days That Hurt

When you combine structure, routine, health scares a full-time degree away from home and even running his own athletics page called Inside Track SG, it’s inevitable for painful days to come—it’s human. Yet his love and passion for athletics has always been there—quiet and steady. For Amir, it’s his faith, his circle, and the belief in his long-term vision that keeps him pushing through adversity again and again.

“I remember why I’m here. My parents made sacrifices. I’ve had health scares. I had a heart inflammation last year and bronchoconstriction while fasting this year—that reminded me how fragile things can be.”

Ultimately, Amir has always chosen gratitude.

“I chose this path. I wanted to see how far I could go. And I know I’m working toward something meaningful.”

And finally, his moment arrived.

In April earlier this year, Amir shattered the national road mile record — the fastest mile ever run by a Singaporean, on road or track. Previously held by Soh Rui Yong, Amir broke the record at the Ballarat Mile by a large margin of 11 seconds, clocking a time of 4:19:55.

With road miles typically slower than track miles, Amir’s feat was even more remarkable — it surpassed Lui Yuan Chow’s track mile national record of 4:20.83.

“It was a confidence anchor,” he said simply. “Not because I’m suddenly ‘a record holder’, but because of how I ran it. I had raced twice in the days before, the course wasn’t easy, and I still executed it well.”

That performance didn’t change his SEA Games goals, but it changed something else: belief.

“It reminded me that I’m capable of running with intent, even when things aren’t perfect. It reassured me that the work is paying off. It strengthened my belief that I belong at this level.”

A Slow-Burning Rise

Amir isn’t the typical national athlete story — no early stardom, no National School Games (NSG) glory.

“Not being a top finisher in NSG taught me how to fail early,” he said. “It forced me to ask why I was doing this sport, what I loved about it, and whether I would keep showing up even when the results weren’t glamorous.”

“It gave me a chip on my shoulder. Not out of envy — out of hunger. Being the best at 14 doesn’t guarantee anything at senior level. What matters is who stays long enough, who keeps improving, who keeps fighting.”

Amir’s biggest challenges were navigating National Service while trying to rediscover his love for running, moving to a foreign country and amidst all that, dealing with heart and respiratory inflammations which forced him to be sidelined on more than one occasion.

“The sessions were never the problem. It was trying to hold the rest of my life together so that I could show up for the sessions,” he shared.

“I’m very aware of the blessings and support I’ve had, and I’m grateful for all of it. I’ve been blessed to have coaches who guide me, a family and social circle who supports me, and Singapore Athletics who invests in my potential. But at the same time, I think people sometimes forget that I wasn’t a prodigy or a “chosen one” in this sport. I was never the kid everyone pointed to as the next big thing. I’m just someone who made the most of the circumstances I had and kept going.”

His message to younger runners who never made NSG finals?

“Relax a bit — and enjoy the journey,” he said. “You don’t need NSG medals to have a future in this sport.”

“I wasn’t a school champion. I didn’t even make finals some years. Your story isn’t locked in at 13 or 17. Everyone develops at their own pace. Some of us just bloom later. You’ll surprise yourself with how far you can go.”

Carrying the Singapore Flag in Thailand’s Capital

Representing Singapore, for Amir, isn’t symbolic. It’s a responsibility.

“It means a lot. I’ve always believed that if I stayed committed and kept improving, I would eventually get the chance to put on the Singapore vest on the regional stage,” he said.

“Plenty of people work just as hard as I do. Some of them even missed out so that I could go. I don’t take that lightly.”

In wanting to honour the sacrifices of his loved ones, his coaches and himself, Amir set himself goals for his first ever SEA Games.

“Something in the mid-3:50s would put me top five all-time for Singapore and set me up for bigger targets next season. But the SEA Games isn’t about a magic number. It’s about showing up, staying present, and executing.”

And while he’s given himself these goals as an elite athlete, Amir’s priority lies in being present and running his own race.

"The pressure only comes if you let the moment become bigger than it is. At the end of the day, it’s still just 3 and ¾ laps around a track. I’ve done that countless times,” said the 23-year-old.