Elite Athlete: Daniel Chan – Sailor
Daniel Chan: Sha Tin College’s Star Studded Sailor
In the realm of rising stars at Sha Tin College, we have the honour of celebrating one of our bright young stars Daniel Chan – a youthful and earnest sailing athlete. His journey in the sport is a shining example of dedication and tenacity. The challenges he faces as a student-athlete paint a vivid picture of his unwavering commitment.
Daniel, who proudly sails under the Hong Kong banner began building his foundation and laying the groundwork for his technical skills at a summer camp at HKSF level 1 & 2 at the young age of 13. From there, he ventured into the competitive waters of racing at the onset of 2020 and has been charting a successful career ever since.
Representing his city is a duty that Daniel embraces with honour. This experience has not only honed his skills but also exposed him to a diverse range of coaches of different nationalities and backgrounds to enrich his understanding of the sport.
Juggling academics with his rigorous training schedule has been a demanding but rewarding journey for Daniel. To facilitate the schedule of a full time athlete, Daniel undertakes the 3-year IBDP programme, which allows him to devote around 25 hours a week to a rigorous schedule of sailing, gym and theory lessons. According to Daniel, effective time management and a clear vision of his priorities are absolutely essential to maintaining this balance.
Despite his irregular schedule, there is no doubt Daniel finds fulfilment in his sport – his participation in the Asia Games remains his most cherished memory to date. Of course, spending six weeks away from school for training and competition during the transitional period to the IBDP programme is definitely not the easiest to adjust to.
To mentally prepare for a race, Daniel follows a simple yet potent routine. He listens to a variety of music to shake off nerves and to cheer himself up for the competition. A pregame ritual of performing three push-ups before every race, coupled with some meditation helps him get into the zone.
Daniel’s long-term ambition in sailing is to clinch a podium in an international regatta. He believes that being a student-athlete has imparted invaluable life skills such as diligence, dedication, and resilience.
The SABRES community hopes for the best for Daniel in his future pursuits, and we eagerly anticipate his achievements as a student at Sha Tin College. We are incredibly proud to have him represent both our school and our city!
Interview by Dorothy Yeung and Cyrus Tse
Written by Dorothy Yeung (Deputy Head of Media, Sports Media Team) and Cyrus Tse (Apprentice Deputy Head of Media, Sports Media Team)
