Singapore has overtaken Hong Kong in the race to produce top gymnasts after a disaffected 17-year-old launched a “game-changing” training center in the city.
Born in Hong Kong, Riley Lee left the game at the age of 14, two years after leaving for Singapore.
“I was training 25 hours a week and it was a big part of my life, but I didn’t feel like I was getting the benefits I should have,” Lee said.
“I couldn’t find the right environment (to train) … and there was a lot of fear involved because I couldn’t find the equipment to practice the skills safely.”
Still, Lee remained interested in the sport that began at the age of 3, “following every gymnast in every club in every country, looking at the environment, how they trained and their results”.
Noting that Hong Kong, Singapore and neighboring regions were lagging behind the traditional strength of gymnastics, he got the idea to channel his entrepreneurial spirit which immediately saw him earn US$5,000 by selling asphalt to develop the 20,000 sq ft Mokara Gymnastics Academy.
