4 sports, 4 sibling pairs: Team Singapore’s athletes share more than a love for sport

NAGOYA – Sibling rivalries can take on a whole new competitive meaning when it comes to sport, whether it is grappling on the mat or fighting over the blanket when rooming together.

There is also love – albeit slowly and sometimes grudgingly – as Team Singapore’s brother and sister pairs share their stories with The Sunday Times on the sidelines of the Asian Games.

Noah and Paul Lim (jiu-jitsu)

After Noah Lim hit the mat head first during his bout on Oct 1, resulting in a trip to the hospital for medical assessment, his older brother and fellow Asian Games jiu-jitsu athlete Paul was one of the first ones to check on him.

Paul, 28, told The Sunday Tmes: “Of course, I was worried for him. It’s his first proper injury, but he is actually quite resilient. I went straight away to the hospital to visit him, his condition stabilised, and I was able to go back and focus on my competition (the next day).”

Grappling, throws and injury are par for the course in their combat sport. They would know because as teenagers, a 17-year-old Paul started his jiu-jitsu journey when he “tried some moves” on Noah, then 14, on a carpet at home.

Rather than putting him off, the impromptu bouts inspired the younger sibling to also take up the sport. Eventually, they both made the national team and even won medals together at the 2019 SEA Games, where Noah clinched gold and Paul a bronze.

Paul said: “Competing as brothers is good because firstly, you carry the family’s name. And it’s like having two lives in competitions. If I do well, he’ll be proud of me, if he does well, I’ll be proud of him.”

Emma and Amanda Yap (gymnastics)

Home was also one of the first gymnastics training grounds for sisters Emma and Amanda Yap.

Emma first went for classes at two as part of a mother-daughter activity, before acting as a “first unofficial coach” for Amanda, giving instructions to the younger sister as she tumbled about at home.

The siblings are now champions, winning silvers in the floor and balance beam events at the 2025 SEA Games.

In an earlier interview, Amanda admitted they were not very close when they were younger because Emma had joined the national team earlier and they “didn’t spend a lot of time together”.

Their bond grew five years ago when they started training with the national team and shared a room during competitions, even though they still bicker over the blanket and clothes.

Emma, 21, said: “We have gotten closer as we’ve trained together, and I learnt more about how she thinks and acts. I also feel much more protective over her now, with all the pressure and also injuries.”

Amanda, 16, added: “She understands me and what I’m going through. If I’m having a bad day and a good cry, I don’t need to say anything and I know she knows what’s going through my head. It’s comforting having someone share the challenges alongside me.”

Au Yeong Wai Yhann and Wai Iynn (squash)

Tears and struggles are part of an athlete’s journey, and while it is comforting to have an big brother or sister to guide the way, sometimes the older sibling has to learn to give the younger family member their own space to grow.

Squash sisters Au Yeong Wai Yhann and Wai Iynn picked up a racket after being influenced by their father, who was a teacher-in-charge of the sport.

Being eight years older, Wai Yhann studied and trained in England before her sister followed in her footsteps.

Tearing up as she talked their relationship, 27-year-old Wai Yhann said: “Having gone through a lot of tough times in the sport, I always want to protect her. But as an athlete, I also know she has to go through all this to grow and become the athlete she wants to be, and if I keep trying to protect her, sometimes it’s going to hinder her.

“So, I’m also learning to let go and let her go about her own journey, but reminding her that I’ll always be there for her when she needs me.”

The mood lightened up when the sisters were asked if they are competitive with each other.

Wai Iynn, who at 19 is making her major Games debut, said: “Not really, just maybe on court when we are in each other’s way.

“There was once when she got so angry at me in a league match earlier this year. We were playing for different teams and it was our first competitive match against each other.”

She added: “It would be nice if we can win something together at the SEA Games, especially the one in 2029 in Singapore, if they have a women’s doubles event.”

Ang Chen Xiang and Ding Hui (athletics)

Hurdling brothers Ang Chen Xiang and Ding Hui’s relationship has evolved from fellow athletes to that of an athlete and coach.

They were first taught by their father, a former national youth hurdler who created makeshift hurdles out of the legs of a old study table and made it a weekend family activity.

The healthy competition spurred Chen Xiang to become a national record holder and a SEA Games champion in 2023. Crucial to his success was Ding Hui coming on as an athlete-coach in 2015, when his older brother was doing medical student placements in various hospitals and needed a dynamic training plan.

Ding Hui, 30, conceded that it was quite a transition to coach his older brother as he had to “remind myself when we are training I am his coach and he is my athlete”, adding that being able to contribute to Chen Xiang’s career has been “tremendously meaningful”.

He said: “I know his history, his strengths and weaknesses, and how his body responds to training especially given his schedule and responsibilities as a doctor.

“I do it because I know how much the sport means to him, and I want to help him see how far he can go. Watching him become the first Singaporean to break 14 seconds in 2022 while he was in national service was the best feeling, as this was something we had worked towards for the longest time.

“I have seen him go on to break 18 national records, bring home SEA Games gold for Singapore and made two Asian Games finals while juggling work as a doctor. Being there for him, and seeing the struggles he went through to achieve this, makes all this success so sweet.”

Chen Xiang shared that even when there are disagreements, he would respect his younger brother’s position as coach and defer to his decisions.

The 32-year-old added: “At the end of the day, the sport is only one part of our relationship as brothers.

“But having a sibling in the same sport means there is always someone beside me who understands what I’m going through. We have trained, travelled and tasted the highs and lows of the sport together. Even as I compete at the Asian level, we have never forgotten how our journey started from humble beginnings.”

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