2024 marks a milestone for the sports community of NUSS as the Sportswoman of the Year award was introduced for the first time. The inaugural recipient of this accolade is Ms Elaine Yong from the Pickleball Section. In an exclusive e-interview with The Graduate, Elaine shared insights into her impressive 28-year journey with the sport.
At 71 years old, Elaine boasts a remarkable and diverse sports career. During her school years, she excelled in athletics, badminton, and netball. Her talent and dedication led her to represent Singapore in bowling for a decade during the 1990s.
Elaine discovered pickleball by chance in 1996. She recalled, “I was watching television when an advertisement about pickleball caught my attention. I noted down the contact for the Singapore Pickleball Association and reached out to learn more.” Soon after, she began training rigorously, dedicating at least three sessions a week to mastering the sport.
When asked what has driven her passion for pickleball over nearly three decades, Elaine credited her enduring love for the game. More importantly, pickleball has enabled her to travel to many countries to compete where she met many like-minded people, forging lasting friendships and cherished memories. “Everyone can pick up pickleball, it takes less effort compared to most other sports,” she said.
The highlight of her pickleball career was none other than the recent Vietnam World Pickleball Championship, held recently in April where she won an impressive haul of 3 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medals. Despite her remarkable achievements, Elaine remains committed to self-improvement, regularly challenging herself by practicing against stronger opponents.
Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle into her seventies—and beyond—might seem daunting to many, but Elaine plans to stay on the court for as long as possible. Apart from having adequate rest and a balanced diet, she lives by her personal motto: Win friends, not just medals.
