Chelsea Ann Sim knows a thing or two about overcoming seemingly impossible odds. She was born with two heart conditions that put her at risk of heart failure. For most people, this would make playing sports a non-starter, spelling a lifetime watching from the sidelines.

But Sim picked up taekwondo at 11 and joined the national team three years later. There, she surpassed expectations again with a win at the 2015 SEA Games poomsae event, ending a 16-year gold medal drought for taekwondo in Singapore. 

Now, the 25-year-old veteran has her eyes set on the future as she shifts her focus towards growing the sport. 

What does a typical week look like for you?

My routine is to wake up at 6.30am every day for work. Afterwards, I head for a two-hour training and reach home around 9pm. I train five days a week, consisting of three days of poomsae (a set sequence of fundamental movements) training, and a day each for gym and physical training.

What are the most challenging aspects of juggling work and training?

Initially, a challenge was the fixed work timings from 8.30am to 5.30pm compared to three-hour days as a student. But after two years, I have adapted and managed to juggle both commitments.

I am very grateful to my company, Deloitte, which has supported me over the years. They allow me to have greater flexibility – I start work earlier so I don’t have to rush for trainings. In 2019, I also went on sabbatical to train full-time for the SEA Games.

Poomsae is the artistic side of taekwondo. Athletes are judged on how they perform a fixed set of attack and defence movements. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES

How has the sport grown since you started taekwondo?

Winning a gold during the 2015 SEA Games on home ground had a big impact for taekwondo in Singapore. It was the first ever SEA Games poomsae gold medal, and it put our little red dot back on the world map. 

After that, the popularity of taekwondo, especially poomsae, began to grow. Before, people usually only associated taekwondo with the combat aspect. Not many people knew about poomsae. It is the artistic side of taekwondo, where we perform routines that comprise a fixed set of defence and attack movements.  

Sim shares that her gold win at the 2015 SEA Games helped to increase the popularity of taekwondo, especially poomsae which not many knew of. PHOTO: ST

What about growth in terms of inclusivity?

In the past, there was a stereotype that martial arts are more suited for boys. However, I think over the years this has changed. I actually see quite an equal number of boys and girls taking up the sport. 

Taekwondo is truly an inclusive sport, and not just in terms of gender. We see children as young as three years old. In competitions, we have age categories for those above 65, as well as para categories for people with disabilities. 

What goal are you currently working towards?

This will be my 12th year on the national team. As the captain of the poomsae team, my goal is to help mentor the juniors on the team and help taekwondo grow as a sport. I want to be a guide – lending a listening ear, seeing how they can improve, correcting their mistakes or motivating them. 

Many of them feel lost about juggling both school and the sport, especially when a major examination is around the corner. This is where I will be able to offer some advice, as I went through O Levels, A Levels and university, and have learnt to juggle both commitments.

I’ve also been part of the Singapore National Olympic Council Athletes’ Commission and was recently elected to be on the Taekwondo Athletes’ Commission as well. These allow me to be the voice of the athletes and help voice concerns that they might have.