Singaporean awarded International Olympic Committee scholarship

Singapore Athletic Association is pleased to announce that coach and national athlete Asmah Hanim, has been awarded International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Solidarity Programme scholarship for studies at Semmelweis University, in Budapest, Hungary.

Course Website: International Coaching Course

Nominated by SAA from a list of applicants, Asmah Hanim was selected for her ability, potential and staunch commitment to the development of Singapore athletics.

The 26-year-old took a hiatus from her researcher job to undertake this prestigious 3-months diploma course which started in the first week of April.

Apart from her coaching duties, she’s also an integral part of SAA committee. Currently occupying the post of Honorary Assistant Secretary, this reporter managed to contact her in Hungary for updates on her course.

Q) Care to share with the readers what ICC is, and details of the scholarship.

Asmah: Firstly I would like to thank SAA and SNOC for the opportunity.

ICC stands for International Coaching Course. It is a 3 month intensive, intermediate level course held by Semmelweis University.

The scholarship I got is by Olympic Solidarity, IOC. It offers applicants access to high level further training, experience and knowledge, which they will then use to benefit the respective national sports structures.

Q) What are your plans for imparting the knowledge that you’ve learned from the program?

Asmah: Important thing is to learn as much from the course and will look into ways to impart these knowledge eventually, be it through coaching, sharing sessions etc.

Q) Juggling work and training, plus being on the SAA committee, and now away overseas for the course, I’m sure can get pretty hectic.

Asmah: I saw this as a great opportunity and it is an interest I wish to pursue. Quitting my job was the inevitable since a compromise couldn’t be reached and I did not want to be unfair to the organisation I was working for.

Daily routine consists of training before work, work and training after. It is hectic and sometimes I wonder where I get the energy to do the things I do but I guess when you find the tasks you are doing meaningful, somehow you just find ways to make it happen.

Q) What do you look forward to when you’re at the course.

Asmah: I’m just excited at the thought of being a student again, the opportunity to learn new things, friends to be made and of course, if time permits, a new place to explore!

Currently lesson proper has started. There are 6 of us for Athletics, out of 40 plus for this course. The participants are from far reaches of the globe, from India, Tanzania, Mauritius, Maldives, Zambia, Antigua, St Kitts & Nevis, Dominican Republic, Sri Kanka, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Oman.

I’m the only Singaporean.

There are 8 modules which are examinable and today we started lessons for 2 of those. After lessons for the module end, we will have the exams for the respective modules.

Q) In your opinion, does our local coaches has what it takes to bring the most out of our athletes?

Asmah: Of course. Some of our local coaches are already doing so. However, even though their respective methods might work, opportunities for upgrading and keeping an open mind towards new coaching/training methods will be good too.

Q) Currently being away from Singapore, what are you missing the most?

Asmah: Food!

Hello from Hungary, Budapest

Mr. K shares Asmah’s first week experience whilst in Hungary at the recent SAA gathering.

Coaches, please sign-up to SAA mailing list to keep in the loop for the next application for the ICC scholarship.