Can Singapore's only Olympic champion ever make a comeback?

Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle.

For the first time since his 2011 debut, Joseph Schooling will not represent Singapore at the Cambodia SEA Games in May. After withdrawing from the swim team headed for Cambodia, the Republic’s only Olympic champion said on March 1: “After careful consideration with my team, I have decided to pull out of the SEA Games. This was not an easy decision, but I am currently not at the level at which I hold myself to perform.”

On the back of Schooling’s decision to withdraw, ST’s Hard Tackle dives into the inevitable discussion on whether we have seen the last of our Olympic winner.

Former national swimmer David Lim and Tao Li - Asian Games winner and a former teammate of Schooling's - join ST sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan to discuss Schooling’s current predicament, if retirement is on the cards and how Schooling’s decline could have been prevented. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:20 On Joseph Schooling’s current predicament of training while serving national service 

7:38 Have we seen the last of Schooling at a competitive level?

9:58 Could Schooling be targeting an Asian Games return?

15:40 Understanding Schooling’s regression 

21:00 What lessons can be drawn from this saga?

Read more: https://str.sg/iZxz

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg) & Eden Soh

Edited by: Eden Soh

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