Practice pays off for social worker as he wins London trip to see Spurs
Sheer hard work and determination have helped Daryl Low secure a "deadline-day move" to Tottenham Hotspur. Well, sort of.
The 31-year-old Singaporean was trying out the AIA Instagram Header Challenge for fun, but when the deadline was extended from March 24 to April 4, he got serious.
The objective was to keep the ball up as many times as possible with the header challenge filter and post a recording of one's participation in Instagram Reels. As there was no limit on multiple entries, Low played the game for two to three hours a day.
His efforts paid off. On April 4, just half an hour before the 11.59pm cut-off, the social worker recorded a score of 103, which earned him two tickets and a trip to London to watch his beloved Spurs play Leicester City on Sunday (May 1) at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It is double joy for Low as he will take his wife, 29-year-old social worker Lee Chen Qi, along and extend the five-day trip by a week to make it their honeymoon. They got married last June, but were unable to travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On visiting London and Spurs for the first time, he said: "I had already planned to travel there to watch a match, but the pandemic happened. Hence, this prize is such a pleasant surprise for us.
"I hope to be able to see some of my favourite players such as Harry Kane, Son Heung-min or even ex-player Peter Crouch. We would also love to try all the British food and see the different sites there like Borough Market."
Low, a Spurs fan since 2008, felt that his experience with heading as a defender helped him with the challenge, and hopes Spurs can keep their heads at the business end of the season. With five games to go, Tottenham are fifth and two points behind fourth-placed Arsenal in the battle for a Champions League spot next season.
He said: "With the managerial changes earlier in the season, I didn't have much hope about the team making the top four, given how the other challengers were spending and strengthening.
"But Antonio Conte finally joined, and brought in good players like Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur. Everyone looks motivated and they are playing attractive, attacking football again. Recent results show that we cannot take any team lightly, but I hope Spurs can beat Leicester at home and eventually qualify for the Champions League."
The AIA Instagram Header Challenge was part of the insurer's promotional activities for the Grant a Wish with AIA Better Lives Fund initiative that was launched on Monday (April 25).
This is the second fundraising initiative in support of the AIA Better Lives Fund established by AIA Singapore in 2021 to help disadvantaged children, youth and their families to live healthier, longer, better lives.
During the Spurs-Leicester match, Tottenham will wear special edition "AIA Better Lives Fund" shirts which will later be signed by the players and auctioned, with proceeds going towards the fund and the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Well-wishers may also donate at this website.
AIA Singapore chief executive officer Wong Sze Keed said: "AIA Singapore remains steadfast in our commitment to build an inclusive Singapore for generations to come. We are grateful for the continuous support of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, our long-standing partner who has a shared purpose in giving back to the community.
"On behalf of AIA Singapore, I would also like to thank all Singaporeans for their generous contributions towards the AIA Better Lives Fund and helping us to realise our mission in securing healthier futures for individuals, families and communities in Singapore."
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