By Student Blogger Choong Jia Xin
Opportunity is NO Where?
I dare say ‘Opportunity is NOW Here!’
The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) was definitely an unforgettable experience that I will cherish. I always believe that we should live life to the fullest and I felt that sense of fulfillment as I volunteered in the Youth Olympic News Service (YONS) for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).
Based at the International Convention Centre (ICC) to cover sports like Fencing and Handball, YOG was indeed an eye-opener and I had an amazing journey. It was most interesting to work and befriend people on the YOG workforce from different parts of the world.
I was excited to find out that the Infostrada Sports news service team, known for their coverage of the Olympics e.g. Beijing 2008, Torino 2006 and Athens 2004, would be the
official news service team for YOG. I was in the good hands of friendly senior reporters ever ready to guide me in my volunteer work as an enthusiastic junior reporter.
Initially, I was worried as I had limited knowledge in the field of news reporting. However, after going through the interview for YONS, excitement overcame concerns as I felt better prepared after taking the Communications and New Media (CNM) course, Introduction to Media Writing. I was exposed to terms and styles frequently used in media writing and this was vital as YONS has a high standard of professionalism to maintain when it comes to publishing news to the media. The SYOGOC also conducted two-hour weekly training sessions for six weeks before the Games started. This helped to ensure that YONS reporters would be well-equipped with knowledge on the Games as well as our jobs.
During the Games, there were definitely moments that I would like to relive. One of those moments was when I had the chance to interview China fencer, Lin Sheng, who emerged the winner of YOG’s Cadet Female Individual Epee Gold Medal Match. Fencing is a European dominated sport and I was filled with pride as I saw her strike for her final score. It was a great moment for all Asians, not just the Chinese. Furthermore, during the interview, I was very surprised by how humble and selfless she was about her success. It surprised me even more to know that she is only 16 years old. Lin Sheng is indeed a unique character whom I am so glad to have been acquainted with during YOG.
All in all, I think YOG has been a great experience. It gave me the opportunity to learn, practice journalism hands on, meet new friends and grow as an individual.