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Posted by Sha
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Filed under Announcements, Records
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Photo credit: Cheryl Chan
25-year-old Cheryl Chan has improved her own women 3000 meter steeplechase (0.762m) national record * earlier in March 2020. She ran 11:14.70 minutes at the New South Wales Championship in Australia, eclipsing her old record of 11:16.26 minutes by 1.56 seconds.
The diminutive athlete who has represented the Republic at two editions of the SEA Games (2015 and 2019), has bettered the national mark 10-times since her maiden foray in the 3000 meter steeplechase event back in 2015.
Below is a short interview with Cheryl who is now in her final year of veterinary school. * Her record is pending ratification by SA.
Interview
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1) Was the NR part of your competition goal this year, or was it a surprise
CHERYL, “ Yes the National Record was part of the plan but I was also racing against time to recover from my stress fracture in December from the Sea Games and was fighting my way back to catch the Aussie track season in March.”
2) How’s the COVID-19 precaution has affected your training
CHERYL, “ When I broke the record in February we had no idea that COVID-19 is that contagious and it was affecting so many people. I have thus stopped training and am super conscious of staying home so as not to spread the virus around to someone else who ,might be susceptible to it.”
3) How’s your condition? 100 per cent recovered from your recent injury?
CHERYL, “I would like to think so, mind over matter.”
4) What’s your next goal and next competition
CHERYL, “ Australian Nationals and UniGames in Brisbane”
5) Any mentions that helped in your athletic journey?
CHERYL, “Coach Chu Seow Beng and Coach Nicholas Tay helped me out when I in Singapore during the break. I got back to Sydney and had a month of training myself and figuring things out, and joined the Uni team 2-weeks ago. I’m part of the Elite Athlete Program and the scholarship arranges my strength work which I haven’t done in years due to Uni commitments and having placements all around, so that’s one big change that helped. My friends and family who’ve seen me through the highs and lows of this Sport, always reminding me that I’m a Fighter. But I’ve been working with the two Singapore coaches and we have conversations on training to touch base.”
Cheryl’s 3000 meter steeplechase (0.762m) progression
- 11:14.70 – 8 Mar 2020 at NSW C’ships, AUS
- 11:16.26 – 12 Apr 2019 at UniSport Nationals Athletics, AUS
- 11:18.46 – 9 Apr 2019 at Australia Championships, AUS
- 11:27.04 – 24 Feb 2018 at Bankstown All-Comers, AUS
- 11:33.54 – 3 Dec 2017 at NSW Club & Combined Events C’ships, AUS
- 11:42.20 – 28 Apr 2017 at SG Open, SGP
- 11:45.16 – 12 Jun 2015 at SEA Games, SGP
- 11:55.50 – 15 May 2015 at Taiwan Open, TWN
- 12:07.42 – 28 Mar 2015 at M’sia Open, MAS
- 12:12.57 – 14 Mar 2015 at Series 3, SGP
Follow Cheryl at her Instagram @cheekycourage
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1st Apr 2020
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