Five years ago, Amita Berthier took a leap of faith and packed her bags for Indiana to hone her fencing skills at the University of Notre Dame.
The 22-year-old has since won three SEA Games golds, a team bronze at the 2018 Asian Games and earned a historic qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
On Sunday, Berthier helped Notre Dame secure a third straight team title at the United States National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) fencing championships, and claimed her fourth individual medal - a bronze - in the women's foil.
It was also a final hurrah at the NCAA for her before she dons her graduation gown in May. She is planning to train full time for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Berthier told The Straits Times: "It has not been easy for me - I missed my home, family, comfort food, the weather and all things familiar.
Straddling intensive training and studies as a full-time student is tremendous. It is tiring, hectic and, at times, draining.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 29, 2023 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 29, 2023 من The Straits Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Overcoming debt, adversity to start zi char restaurant
Saddled with $100,000 of debt at age 33 after his first coffee shop venture tanked, Kuala Lumpur-born Danny Chan was unfazed.
What's Singapore like at 4am?
I put my inability to sleep to good use by joining an After Hours tour hosted by non-profit organisation My Community
Why 'complain kings' love to kick up a fuss
If Singapore has a national pastime beyond lining up for food and scoring deals, it is complaining.
Classical game still the king of chess, says Fide CEO
Freestyle chess may be the new kid on the block alongside other popular variants of the game such as rapid or blitz, but International Chess Federation (Fide) chief executive Emil Sutovsky believes the classical format is here to stay.
SUBS SAVE SUB-PAR S'PORE
Lions struggle before bench players make impact in win over lowly Timor-Leste
Ange unconcerned about hurt egos of players
TOUGH TALK
TUCHEL PROMISES A CLEAN SLATE
He says Kane will keep England captaincy as Three Lions are drawn into five-team group
PEP: I WANT MY PLAYERS BACK
Ahead of derby, City boss says he needs Rodri & Co to return instead of new signings
A miserable Manchester derby awaits City and United fans
Manchester derbies rarely fail to deliver. They were once plucky little City kicking against what their fans called the \"evil empire\" of United.
Record-breaking Walsh glad new marks come with money incentives
BUDAPEST - World records continued to dissolve on Dec 13 at the short-course swimming world championships as seven fell, with Gretchen Walsh claiming three of them, including two in 26 minutes.