Thursday, October 23, 2014
Artsy stuff will definitely catch our attention.
Love paintings yet we can't draw.
Prefer original soundtrack (OST) to Kpop.
Learnt Spanish.
Play piano.
Appreciate the beauty of natural landscape.
Couldn't take spicy food.
Enjoy watching orchestra concert.
With the aforementioned interests, I realise we have a lot of similarities.
 |
| our masterpiece haha |
 |
| Interviewed by KBS - our 1st time |
 |
| lunch @ Insadong |
Laptop is such an essential gadget for me to carry out my tasks.
Many thanks for your understanding and kindness; that was such a tremendous help!
Oh, did I mention that she's nurse?
There are quite a number of books on the shelves in the room that I was staying which I really wanted to grab it and start reading.
Nursing, medicine and home care elicited my interest as I am a St. John Ambulance first aider.
What's more, there are Spanish language books and other popular literature on the shelves.
Have a quick dinner, shower (and continue my work on the laptop) then rest were the only routine whenever I return to the house after spending whole day long at the stadiums, however.
I was too exhausted to flip through the book although I really wanted to.
My initial plan was staying at her place for 13 days and then explore across the province.
Yet I've never thought that I will be with her until the last day of my flight, on the 21st day.
Namdong Sorae Wetland Ecological Park
 |
| Incheon Asian Games Mascots |
 |
| Happy Birthday Grandpa Yoon! |
 |
| Scrumptious lunch ❤ |
I was lucky to witness the opening ceremony of the King and the Ground Culture Festival at Hwaseong Fortress (UNESCO World Heritage) in Suwon where the 6-minute splendid fireworks concluded the night before I return to Malaysia.
Thank you Do-Hyun for the ride and trip around Suwon!
Thank you Do-Hyun for the ride and trip around Suwon!
 |
| Breakfast by Margarette's Mum |
 |
| How blessed to have it before leaving :) |
I'll treasure the moments with you though we didn't get to spend much time together throughout the 21 days.
Thank you for your great hospitality and arrangement!
My great pleasure meeting you and your brother; thanks for showing around :)
Aiks.. Didn't get to bid my farewell to my another host whom I hardly met: Hyunsoo who works in ICU midnight shift.
Fond moments with my Korean host (click to view)
Anyway, here's the clip of moments we spent together in this period. :)
psst... there was over hundred photos taken though we only got to spend a few days together.
❤ photography, preserving the precious times
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Published on 2014 Incheon Asian Games official blog on October 2, 2014: http://blog.incheon2014ag.com/iag-people/
With the participation of over 13,000 athletes and officials, as well as around 7,000 media outlets spanning 45 countries for such a grand event, another unspoken yet highly important component underpinning the success of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games are the 30,000 people who have been associating in various parts of the Games.
Including volunteers who play a massive role in ensuring the smooth operation and running of this large-scale sporting event, all the people have been working hard for the succecssful hosting of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Now let’s hear their views on their work.
Incheon Asian Games blog writers, “IAG Crew”
 |
| Benjemar-Hope F. Flores, the Philippines |
- Why did you apply for the IAG Crew?
“More than anything else, I feel privileged to be given a chance play my part in such a historical event for all of Asia and for my country as well. I applied to the IAG because I can represent my country by covering the games and writing relevant articles to promote various sporting events” – Benjie Flores, IAG crew from the Philippines. He was one of the torch bearers during the torch relay ceremony of the IAG.
 |
| Nick Bedard, Canada |
“It gives me an insider’s perception on how international games are organized. I took this gig because it will give me the necessary experience to advance in my field which is sports media. For me, the 2014 Incheon Asian Games is a big stepping stone.” – Nick Bedard (on the left), IAG Crew from Canada who covers basketball games. He is also the editor of www.basketballbuddha.com.
“I really wanted to do something for the Asian Games because this is such a big event for the world. So I do want to be a part of it.” – Diana Huh, IAG Crew from South Korea.
 |
| Naoko Dasuze, Japan |
“Volunteering is part of my life. I receive a salary that is sufficient to live then I have no need to work for something I don’t want to do. Being part of IAG Crew was a perfect opportunity for me because 1) I’m a sports fanatic and had long wanted to be part of a big sports event; 2) I’d been studying Korean for a while so it was a great chance to brush up my skills while doing a home stay.” – Naoko Dasuze (left), IAG Crew from Japan.
 |
| Norris Pritam, India |
“Volunteering keeps me with the games even though I may not be an athlete, official, journalist or anything. Many people go for sports can’t perform well at the highest level, so volunteering gives them the chance to recall their younger days by meeting sports people and journalists and people connected with the games,” expressed Norris Pritam (center) who is a former national runner from India. He has been appointed as the IAG Crew. In Incheon, he is working as a journalist, reporter on radio and photographer for the IAG.
- What did you earn from being a member of the IAG Crew?
“It gave me an opportunity to share the diversity of Asian games. It helped me find amazing friends from around 45 countries. It has been a golden opportunity for me to let the world know about sports, culture and traditions of Pakistan. People in my country consider me a true ambassador of Pakistan in Korea. The exposure is just amazing and I am enjoying it,” shared Fakhar.
“Many ways! Firstly, because I’m a freelance photographer there was no way I could receive a media pass for AG without being part of a media organization, this has given me such a huge opportunity…to be part of the Games, to feel part of a team and to feel totally accepted considering I live in a non-Asian country. I’m honestly not usually a team player; I usually prefer to work on my own, but I’ve LOVED being part of the team, loved having other members to talk to and it’s so special that we all got to attend the Opening Ceremony together…..so many experiences that I’ll never forget and always be thankful for,” said Elisa.
 |
| Nick Bedard (left), Canada |
“It’s given me a good insight on how international sporting events are organized. I’ve learned a lot of inside information on how things run to make the games successful.” said Nick.
“The dedication, commitment and hard work of Korean people are indeed a key to success to hosting and running of IAG. I am an eyewitness of the struggle that the Korean people have endured to make it a success,” stressed Fakhar.
 |
| Some of the IAG Crew members |
Volunteers
 |
| Kang Young Lae |
“I started to work as a volunteer in 1988 for the Seoul Olympic Games. For me, it is for the good of people and countries. This is a lifetime experience in my life. I am passionate towards sports and volunteering. Thus, I applied to volunteer.” – Kang Young Lae, a volunteer for the 17th Asian Games. He has actively volunteered in numerous sports games and received his pins and badges from various countries, as shown on his lanyard. The countries include Qatar, Macau, Iran, Iraq, China, United Arab Emirates and more!
“At first, I didn’t know about squash. After joining the Asian Games, I learned about sports history and the cultures of India and some Arabic countries,” Kang Young Lae conveyed. He also got to know the development of squash in India and the Arabic countries by mingling with athletes and officials during his duty for the games.
 |
| Kim Soo Young, South Korea |
“Responsibility. I major in politics and international relations in Korea. During these Games, I can meet lots of people from other countries. Every day, I converse in English so I think my English is gonna get better. You know, I really love sports so during this game, I get to know the specialities of athletes and games and all of these are really interesting and interactive to me. This is the first big event in Incheon. So it’s not just for me, but for the city - it will be a great experience for the next international event,” said Kim Soo Young, from South Korea. She stays in Seoul but applied to live in Incheon during the games for her ease of work.
As a matter of fact, the volunteers are striving to provide high-quality assistance in the games despite some circumstances like language barrier, as pointed out by some of the media. Personally, I do find that the local volunteers—especially those stationed at the Yeorumul Squash Courts and Tennis Courts—are doing a great job. I spend most of my time at these venues and see their wholehearted volunteering day in and day out.
 |
| Jo Min Ji, South Korea |
Jo Min Ji is one of the most dedicated volunteers at the squash courts. Every time I went to the courts, she was there greeted me at the entrance regardless of early in the morning or late at night. She never fails to smile and greet those passing by. This photo was taken at night when the squash events had officially ended.
 |
| Some volunteers are encouraging others by doing their best regardless of their age. |
Thoughts on the local volunteers…
 |
| Diana Huh Dami, South Korea |
“I rarely had a chance to talk to them in person. However, I saw many of them when I go there to watch the matches. They were kind and helpful. Recently, there is a controversy that some volunteers are not helpful because they just want to see the matches and meet famous athletes in person. However, I can see manypeople are very proud of what they are doing and trying to do their best,” expressed Diana Huh.
“They have been very helpful. I was lost a couple of times while looking for the venues, and it was a good thing that I was able to ask for directions from the local volunteers. They have been very kind and accommodating,” said Benjie.
“Some of the volunteers have been helpful but perhaps they needed a little more training to be more organized. For instance, at the badminton venue, the volunteers just sit at the information desk and didn’t know how the matches were proceeding, so they couldn’t answer questions that the spectators had,” commented Naoko.
“Well, volunteers are there and they are very warm and respectful. But I think they have not been trained properly. Most volunteers are young and have very little experience of working in a big sporting event like the Asian Games. Therefore they needed good training, especially the volunteers who have no clue about sports. For instance, one day at the shooting venue I asked one volunteer the way to the 10m range. She looked at me as if I was talking French or Latin! She had no clue about shooting. What is the purpose of having such volunteers? But it is not their fault,” said Norris.
 |
| Kamarul Arrifin, Malaysia (photographer) |
“They are very helpful, but sometimes it’s a little bit difficult for me to communicate with them,” commented Kamarul Arrifin, photographer of The Star publications from Malaysia.
“They are very helpful, but some of them are not good at English. If you can find someone who can speak English, they are extremely helpful!” expressed Tsui Ka Lok, iCable Sports reporter from Hong Kong .
“Local volunteers have been great!!! At first they were quite reserved and quiet….but now they are all very chatty and enjoying being part of such an amazing event,” said Elisa Alcoba from Uzbekistan who resides in London. She is covering tennis for the Games.
“The volunteer network of IAG is the biggest network I have ever seen in my life. Of course they are helping people as much as they can,” Fakhar told.
 |
| Max Lee Ho Yin, Hong Kong (squash) |
“They are friendly. You can ask for anything from IAGOC and they will try their best to fulfill our request. Sometimes they don’t really speak much, but they provide help around the squash courts,” added Max Lee Ho Yin, the Hong Kong top-seeded squash player who just bagged bronze medals in both men’s singles and team event.
 |
| Ivan Yuen Chee Wern, Malaysia (squash) |
“They are very nice and very friendly,” articulated Ivan Yuen Chee Wern of Malaysia, who gets along well and found chatting with the volunteers at the venue when I approached him for interview. He is a rising squash player who clinched a silver in men’s team event during the Asian Games.
Thank you,volunteers!
“I think the most memorable experience I had with them was in watching them perform during the opening ceremony. Even though it is an indirect encounter, I felt touched just by watching them perform as one community in front of the international audience. It is just amazing to see children, adults and old people alike, doing their share in hosting the Asian Games. I know they really put a lot of effort in practicing and preparing for their presentations,” Benjie, highlighted.
“The people I’ve met here in Incheon from different countries are really cool. It’s a great experience to pick the brains of reporters from different countries to see what views they have on different situations. I’ll forever remember that,” expressed Nick.
“I haven’t had any chance to get a big help from volunteers directly. However, I saw them smiling all the time to the people and speaking English enough to help people from other countries as well. It was quite impressive to me,” Diana told.
“Last night I left the Main Press Centre at 12:40 at night. There was no taxi in sight. There was a young volunteer passing by. He came to me and asked whether I needed help. He called the radio taxi and explained to the driver the directions to my hotel. I was quite touched by this gesture,” Norris remarked.
 | |
|
“The volunteers cheered for the Hong Kong team during the football match versus Afghanistan and I was really touched. I am surprised that some of the volunteers are able to help out with general inquiries in Chinese and English,” Tsui told.
“I have lots of memorable experiences!!! I’ve gotten to know all of the volunteers here at the tennis venue pretty well. I have a friend in the scoring office and the girls working in the media room are always sweet and kind. The security guards have been great and everyone is so polite and friendly! I also found the ladies at the squash courts very sweet, too. They kept holding my hand every time they were talking to me. Everyone has been fascinated that I’m from London and that I come here especially to be part of Asian Games,” Elisa shared her experience.
“There are a number of experiences I have been through with the IAG volunteers, which include asking for the right way to catch a bus, stadium or any specific place and, believe you me, I have found them professional in attitude and behavior. This always makes me proud for being one of them,” Fakhar articulated.
“I did feel the warmth when they greeted me and wished me good luck. After the game, they talked to me and I feel like they were supporting and watching me, so I feel good,” Max Lee told.
“With their support, friendliness, and everything, it’s really nice to be here. They are so helpful and all these make me feel the warmth. No complaints!” Ivan Yuen expressed.
 |
| Kang Young Lee, South Korea |
The foreign media, volunteers and athletes expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the efforts by the native volunteers.
Comments on the Asian Games
On the other hand, a few issues were raised during the interview by the media and athletes were deemed inadequate in the Games. But most were satisfied with their stay.
“The Asian Games is one of the best tournaments that I’ve ever played,” Max Lee commented.
“I’ll definitely apply to volunteer again if there’s another opportunity!” Kim Soo Young added.
Volunteers receive small gifts as a token of appreciation for all of their hard work operating the Squash courts.
｜The Official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ㅣThoong Kit Yee
- Edited by Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee
- Edited by Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee
 |
| “Keep up the great job, volunteers!” the writer Kit Yee lastly added with her own pictures with 2014 IAG volunteers. :) |
Monday, October 13, 2014
Published on 2014 Incheon Asian Games official blog on September 21, 2014: http://blog.incheon2014ag.com/malaysia-go-for-glory/
Four years ago, the Malaysian team recorded best achievement in China with a haul of 9 gold, 18 silver and 14 bronze medals during the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.
Chef-de-mission Datuk Danyal Balagopal and flag bearer Datuk Nicol David at the flag-handing ceremony by the Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (Photo courtesy of Bernama)
This year, eight gold medals are on the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) wish list. The eight gold medal target was declared by the Games chef-de-mission Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah who spearheads the South Korean-bound 421-member representation after the flag-handing ceremony by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the target was set after careful evaluation of the perspectives and recommendations of the National Sports Council (NSC), National Sports Institute (ISN) and OCM. Malaysia pares down the Asian Games line-up to 425 athletes and officials, competing in 25 out of the 36 sports at the Games. Although the bar is slightly lowered this year, the OCM is sending the best athletes to Incheon after a poor performance at the recent Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
Dato’ Lee coy on future and gets ready for Asiad (Photo courtesy of Bernama)
Hope is high for these sports: Badminton, Bowling, Cycling, Karate, Sailing, Squash and Wushu.
“To be honest, it will be tougher at the Asian Games but I definitely hope to come back mentally stronger. With Lin Dan also featuring (in the Asiad), it will definitely make the competition more interesting. I’m hoping to make a good comeback but, more importantly, I hope the whole team will stand up and fight together,” said the world No. 1 Shuttler Dato’ Lee Chong Wei who will compete in the Asiad.
“It’s always been me… so, hopefully things will be different this time. The doubles are also going through some changes and I hope that the new partnerships will do better in Incheon,” added Chong Wei. For a long time, Chong Wei has almost single-handedly laden the burden with the burden of bringing honour to the country. He is now steeling himself for the Asiad after failing to win the title at the recent World Badminton Championships.
Dato’ Lee Chong Wei will clash with Chen Long again in the men’s semi-finals. They are set to light up the Incheon Asian Games.
Datuk Nicol David after the 10th title in the Hong Kong Open (Photo courtesy of AFP)
On the other hand, World No. 1 Squash athlete, Datuk Nicol David, who has three Asian games singles titles to her name, expressed the high chances of retaining the team title in the Asiad.
“My preparation leading up to the Asian games had started before the Commonwealth Games, so, I and the other teammates had a time off to prepare for the Asian Games. So far, I feel my condition is very good to face the games,” the 31-year-old Nicol said. Nevertheless, she is still wary of her opponents in spite of sounding upbeat on securing the individual gold medal in the Games.
Loh Jack Chang, Wushu (Photo courtesy of Jack Chang)
Besides that, Loh Jack Chang, the Wushu gold medalist in 2007 and 2009 Southeast Asian Games, expressed that the Asian Games is the most important event in his sports career.
“Actually I didn’t put any expectation in the Asian Games. I will just treat it as an enjoyable and precious moment in my sports career. I will do my best and strive without regret,” said Jack Chang, the experienced three-time medalist in World Wushu Championships from 2009 – 2013.
“I am ready for the game,” he said.
Jack Chang will be competing for the Taolu disciplines (Taijijian and Tajiquan) which is one of the eight golds targeted from Wushu.
(Photo courtesy of http://theasiangames.blogspot.com/)
“The country has gone through some tragic moments due to a number of major tragedies. Through success at the Asian Games, we can help cheer up the people to a certain degree,” Khairy commented.
“The games will be challenging for sure, but our athletes have trained hard,” Danyal said. “I tell them that whatever they do, they must give their best”.
“The first batch of athletes: bowling, sepak takraw, shooting, squash, weightlifting and wushu will be departing for Incheon on Sept 15. The OCM Secretariat staff and officials from the NSC and ISN will also travel with them. From then on, we will have teams leaving in batches depending on when their events start,” stated Danyal.
Malaysia’s squash queen Datuk Nicol David is the flag bearer for the 17th Asian Games. Sports which delivered gold medals in 2010 were bowling, cycling, karate, Wushu and squash. Let’s wish them best success in the Asiad.
Malaysia boleh!
This article was written by an official member of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games bloggers, IAG Crew. Some contents might be different from official position of the Organizing Committee.
｜The Official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ㅣThoong Kit Yee
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Published on 2014 Incheon Asian Games official blog on October 2, 2014: http://blog.incheon2014ag.com/squash-malaysia/
Malaysia squash team wrapped up a remarkable performance by achieving two golds, two silver and one bronze as the squash events came to an end on September 27, 2014 at Yeorumul Squash Courts.
Malaysians (from top left) Azlan Iskandar, Ong Beng Hee, Mohd Nafiizwan bin Mohd Adnan and Ivan Yuen Chee Wern of men’s team; women’s team include Datuk Nicol David (from bottom left), Delia Arnold, Low Wee Wern and Vanessa Raj Gnanasigamani posing with their medals after the victory ceremony.
The women’s team presented their incredible reign at the Asian Games, winning over India 2-0 while the men’s team secured the silver medal and lost 0-2 to India. Delia Arnold started off the Malaysia women’s team finals, taking down Anaka Alankamony in three sets, scoring 11-9, 12-10 and 11-2 in 43 minutes. World-renowned Datuk Nicol David then defeated Dipika Rebecca Pallikal 11-7, 11-6 and 11-3 to secure the gold. The final match lasted for only 29 minutes.
With this victory, Malaysia has won six of the seven gold medals in women’s squash since the introduction of the event into the Asian Games in 1998.
“I’m happy we’ve won back-to-back team gold medals because this is a real team effort,”
commented Nicol, referring to her teammates Delia, Low Wee Wern and Vanessa Raj.
The opening match of the men’s team went down 8-11, 6-11, 11-8, 4-1 to India. It was played by Mohamad Azlan Iskandar against Sandhu Harinder Pal Singh, and lasted 58 minutes.
Malaysia men’s squash team taking selfie: Azlan Iskandar (from left), Ong Beng Hee, Mohd Nafiizwan bin Mohd Adnan and Ivan Yuen Chee Wern (Photo courtesy of The Star)
Ong Beng Hee played out of his skin with the hope of reversing from a game down by winning the opening set brilliantly but Saurav Ghosal manage to dip deep and win over the match in a grueling 88-minute clash by 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-14 and 11-9.
Saurav Ghosal (from left) and Ong Beng Hee during the men’s singles semi-finals (Photo courtesy of Malaysia Squash)
“We are really disappointed not to get the gold. It was so close and, at the same time, we credit India’s number three player who played very well to beat Azlan.”
“I gave everything I could today, but was a little bit unlucky not to win the fifth game. Probably, the pressure came down one me a little bit after Azlan lost. As team captain, I was really disappointed that my teammate and I did not get the gold today,” commented Ong Beng Hee who bagged his sixth medal in the Asian Games.
The men’s team retained the silver medal that they achieved back in 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, however.
It was a thrilling all-Malaysian women’s singles final when squash queen Datuk Nicol David edged Low Wee Wern 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 and 12-10 in the summit clash to claim gold. It was a neck-and-neck battle between Datuk Nicol and her compatriot Low Wee Wern—the closest of all their meetings. Nonetheless, it was the 24-year-old Wee Wern’s best-ever performance against the 31-year-old Nicol.
Low Wee Wern (from left) and Datuk Nicol David celebrate silver and gold medals in the women’s singles. (Photo courtesy of Malaysia Squash)
“I’m really glad to have won… it was tough. Wee Wern really put everything into the match and she gave me a good fight,” said Nicol, a seven-time world champion. Datuk Nicol David rose to become not only the Malaysia’s most successful Asian Games athlete after earning her 5th gold medal in the women’s squash individual, but also as the most successful squash player in Asian Games history.
“It was unbelievable to win. I was not focused on the record, just trying to win the match,” expressed Nicol at Yeorumul Squash Courts after the first all-Malaysian Asian Games women’s squash final.
“It’s probably the best I’ve played against her,” said Wee Wern, who is now ranked fifth in the world and also the individual bronze medalist from Guangzhou four years ago.
Low Wee Wern playing against Nicol David in women’s singles final (Photo courtesy of Team Malaysia)
In the men’s singles, veteran Ong Beng Hee put up a tough fight before losing to Saurav Ghosal 9-11, 4-11 and 5-11 in the semi-finals. He picked up the bronze medal in the event.
Ong Beng Hee (from front) playing against Saurav Ghosal (Photo courtesy of Berita Harian)
Ong Beng Hee won his first gold medal in the 2002 Busan Games and again in the 2006 Doha Games, as well as bronze in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.He is the most successful Malaysian men’s squash player in the Asiad, who bagged six medals since his participation in Asiad in 2002.
The 34-year-old Ong agreed that he is at the tail end of his career, but retirement is not on his mind at least for the next three months with the World Open in Doha approaching this upcoming November.
He expressed his hope that the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) and National Sports Council (NSC) will discuss the program for the future of squash players, like Ivan Yuen and Mohamad Nafiizwan Mohd Adnan, for the development of young players.
“We both won’t be around but there are still two good young players: Ivan Yuen and Mohamad Nafiizwan. But what about their back-ups? We need another one or two good players to help Malaysia win medals.”
“I think the coaches will have a lot to think about now. They cannot rely on me and Azlan again and I might retire. SRAM might have to think about funding for the young generation to get the necessary exposure and proper coaching,” he added.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin taking a selfie with the women’s squash players: Low Wee Wern (from left), Datuk Nicol David, Dipika Pllikal and Au Wing Chi (Photo courtesy of Sinar Harian)
Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin expressed that the squash delegation has met the gold medal target set by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
Team Malaysia has retained its title as the top nation for squash events in the Asian Games since 2002.
Way to go, squash Malaysia!
This article was written by an official member of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games bloggers, IAG Crew. Some contents might be different from official position of the Organizing Committee.
｜The Official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ㅣThoong Kit Yee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
