Turning the Tide at the SEA Games: How Pang Sheng Jun Fought for and Shared His Redemption with Singapore
- Hana Basir
- Aug 7
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 8
Ahead of SG60 celebrations, Sportplus.SG highlights former national swimmer Pang Sheng Jun—who triumphed over mental health challenges to become a national swimming icon
We may understand that an athlete’s life stretches far beyond the glory we see on TV—that with every triumph comes with countless hours of unseen struggle—but still, it’s hard to truly grasp the weight of all that was endured just to reach that one sacred step on the podium.
For those of us who have never borne the weight of a nation’s hopes, it’s impossible to fully comprehend, making it all too easy to downplay the depth of an athlete’s journey.
For Pang Sheng Jun, only he truly knew the silent battles he had fought, many of which—despite support from his loved ones—he ultimately had to wade through on his own.
And yet, when Pang Sheng Jun stood on the podium at the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on home soil, he made space for everyone to stand there with him.
Sweet Victory on Home Soil
Across a decade of competitions, no memory stands out more for the former Team Singapore swimmer than that very moment in 2015. Walking away with a gold in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay and a silver in the 400m Individual Medley, it was when Pang etched his name into the list of SEA Games champions for a second time, broke a record, and clinched his first ever individual medal at the Games—all in front of a home crowd.
“Hearing the national anthem play on home ground at the 2015 SEA Games was an emotional moment I'll never forget. I remember standing on the podium being really grateful to be able to sing the national anthem alongside every Singaporean in the OCBC Aquatic Center," he shared
"It felt like I shared the medal with everyone who believed in me and cheered for me, and especially for my family who made countless silent sacrifices along the way."
“The 2015 SEA Games will always hold a special place in my heart. Competing on home ground with the entire stadium cheering, it felt like the whole country was behind me and it gave me energy I’d never felt before. Looking back at it still gives me goosebumps.”
What sets Pang’s 400m Individual Medley silver medal that day apart, is that he had actually surrendered all hope of stepping on the podium that day.
“I remember the morning before my race, I didn’t have the best water feel. I honestly thought I was going to flop the race,” he recounted.
“I think that indirectly made things better because I was able to let go of all expectations and just enjoy my race. I swam with a really calm state of mind as I had zero expectations. When I saw my name on the scoreboard with a silver medal, it just felt like I was living a dream, and I enjoyed every moment of it."
"Getting my first individual medal after years of trying, and doing it in Singapore, made the moment even more special. I felt like I could share that feeling with everyone in the stadium.”
Rising From the Depths
Pang, who retired in 2022, made his SEA Games debut in 2009 in Laos where he finished fourth in the men’s 200m and 400m individual medleys. In the 2011 edition, he swam in the 400m freestyle and finished fifth at the finals. Having competed in only one event at the games that year and feeling as though he had underperformed, Pang went to a dark place—which at one point, nearly consumed him.
“I struggled with self-worth and contemplated retirement. It was a silent battle. No one really saw it, but that season taught me to focus on the process of showing up and to trust the process. That has made me who I am today,” he shared proudly.
“I reminded myself why I started and my ‘why’ was simple: to swim for my loved ones who gave me an opportunity and to enjoy the process along the way. I wanted to see where my hard work could take me despite not being the most talented swimmer in the pool, and I’m glad that it has paid off over the years.”
Pang painstakingly rose from the ashes—and in just a year, he finally struck gold.
Pang, along with Teo Zhen Ren, Danny Yeo and Jeremy Kevin Mathews, won the 4x200m Freestyle Relay at the 2012 Southeast Asian Swimming Championships.
It was Pang’s first ever gold medal at a major competition.
“Coming from someone who has cried countless times into my goggles during training when I failed to medal in the 2009 and 2011 SEA Games, the 2012 win felt like all the setbacks and hours in silence were worth it. It was a relay gold, and I was just really glad to share the joy of my first gold medal with three of my teammates, and I’m grateful that they made it happen for me,” he shared.
“It taught me that a single event could completely change a person's trajectory. I’m glad to have trusted the process, although it was a painful one.”
Pang then went on to claim redemption at the 2013 SEA Games, where he won his first gold at the games in the 4x200m Freestyle relay and setting the games record. It was only up from there, as Pang then clinched gold again in the same event at the 2014 Southeast Asian Swimming Championships and three bronzes.
Making Peace and Finding Happiness
Each time he swam, he deepened his impact on the regional scene. There is however, one stage he never made it to despite his best efforts, but that’s something Pang has made peace with. He hopes that Singapore’s upcoming swimmers will remember the most important aspect of swimming—and that’s to look up and enjoy the process.
“Looking back, as someone who failed to qualify for the Olympics, I've come to realise that it's okay not to achieve every single goal you set for yourself. As long as you have given it your absolute best, there will be no regrets. I am in a really happy place now, and that feeling is worth more than any medal. I hope others can find peace and happiness in their own journeys, and run their own race,” shared the now 32-year-old.
“What I truly hope for Singaporean swimmers is that beyond the medals, they find joy in the journey, not just the destination. My medals have long since rusted and I don't miss racing at all."
"What I genuinely miss are the early morning grinds and the memories created with my family. I miss my mom and dad waking up to prepare breakfast and driving me to training, and my sisters joining in to watch me compete at major competitions. I miss the pain I pushed through in every swim set and the complete feeling of knowing I had left everything I had in the pool before retiring."
“We don't have to be at our absolute best every single day. What truly matters is that we keep showing up. The hard work you put in will eventually pay off, and it might not be in the way you expect. It might not be a medal or a trophy, but the discipline you develop from consistently showing up no matter what. That will carry you far in life. To me, success isn't measured solely by the results we achieve. It's defined by the strength and commitment we show through the entire process. It’s about staying strong even on the days we feel the worst, and that is the real victory.”
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