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She Didn't Choose Basketball. Now, She's Singapore's First Professional 3x3 Female Player
🇸🇬 Singapore /Sports

She Didn't Choose Basketball. Now, She's Singapore's First Professional 3x3 Female Player

From CNA · (7m ago) English Positive tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Ms. Tan Kang Yi, 25, has become Singapore's first professional 3x3 female basketball player.
  • Her journey began in school due to her height, overcoming academic hurdles to pursue the sport.
  • She transitioned from traditional basketball to the faster-paced 3x3 format, which debuted in the Olympics in 2021.

CNA Today celebrates a pioneering achievement in Singaporean sports: Ms. Tan Kang Yi's emergence as the nation's first professional 3x3 female basketball player. Her story is one of seizing opportunities, overcoming self-doubt, and embracing a sport that, while perhaps not initially chosen, ultimately became her calling.

You could say Ms Tan Kang Yi didn't choose basketball – basketball chose her.

— NarratorIntroducing Ms. Tan's journey into the sport.

Tan's path to professional basketball was far from linear. Her height, a significant asset, first brought her to the attention of coaches in secondary school. However, academic results initially posed a barrier to higher education in sports-focused junior colleges. A last-minute offer from Raffles Junior College, which she almost declined due to perceived academic inadequacy, highlights her internal struggle and the crucial role of her father's encouragement: "If they have accepted you, it shows that they think that you can do it."

It didn't even make sense... Me in Raffles, with my academic results? I thought I would not be able to cope.

— Ms Tan Kang YiRecounting her initial doubts about attending Raffles Junior College.

Her journey continued through university, where she pursued sport science, and a pivotal gap year. It was during this time that a chance encounter with her former coach, Ms. Esther Quek, led her to the dynamic world of 3x3 basketball. This urbanized, faster-paced version of the game, now an Olympic sport, presented a new avenue for her athletic career. From a Singaporean perspective, Tan's story is inspiring because it embodies resilience and the pursuit of passion against the odds. It showcases how individuals can carve out unique professional paths, even in emerging sports, and highlights the growing opportunities within Singapore's sports landscape. Her success not only marks a personal triumph but also paves the way for future female athletes in 3x3 basketball in Singapore.

Why not? If they have accepted you, it shows that they think that you can do it. To him, it was a matter of 'clear your heart and just go'.

— Ms Tan Kang YiQuoting her father's advice that encouraged her to take the opportunity at Raffles Junior College.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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