Dad fought till the end: Joseph Schooling

Colin Schooling, father of Singapore's only Olympic champion Joseph, died yesterday. He was 73.

In the past few months, the former national softball player and retired businessman had undergone treatment after being diagnosed with liver cancer in June.

Thanking well-wishers on Instagram, Joseph, 26, wrote yesterday: "Dad fought till the end. Much love to everyone."

Joseph's mother, May Yim, also posted on Instagram: "A loving father, a supportive brother, an outgoing uncle, a loyal friend, my husband. Colin is a character on its own... He speaks freely and passionately, and that is one of the things that I will miss about him."

Colin was a versatile athlete and his uncle was Lloyd Valberg, who was the first Singaporean to compete at the Olympics when he represented Malaya in high jump at London 1948.

Educated at Raffles Institution, Colin dabbled in hurdling and water polo before going on to become a national softball player.

Low Teo Ping, 76, was then the RI Gryphons catcher while Colin was the pitcher. He recounted: "I used to complain because he was a great pitcher and my left palm would be bruised from his hard pitches. His reply was, 'You want me to pitch softly and lose? No way!'"

Low was Singapore's chef de mission at Rio 2016 when Joseph won gold, and he added: "Colin was proud to be a Singaporean and, even when Joseph was still a boy, believed in his son's potential to become a national swimmer Singapore can be proud of."

In 1983, Colin married May, whom he had first met at a Pesta Sukan softball tournament in Penang in the 1960s when she was part of the Perak team and he was representing the Republic in the Pirates team.

After three miscarriages, Joseph was born in 1995.

With their only child showing an aptitude and desire for competitive swimming, Colin and May spared no resources and effort to help Joseph fulfil his potential and realise his dream of becoming an Olympic champion.

On top of spending in excess of $1 million - they sold a house in Perth and cashed out on an endowment plan - to finance Joseph's training stint in the United States, Colin also painstakingly devised swimming contraptions that perhaps one day will take pride of place in the Singapore Sports Museum.

In 2016, Joseph won the 100m butterfly final at the Rio Olympics, setting a Games record while beating American great Michael Phelps.

In February 2017, the Schooling family were named The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2016.

But Colin was clear what mattered most - that his son grew up to become "an officer and a gentleman".

Joseph interviewed his father for the website Wear Oh Where in 2019, and recalled some of his fondest memories with his dad.

There were the sacred "golf games", bowling trips to Kuala Lumpur at a hotel with an "old and rundown" alley, the makan sessions at the Lagoon hawker centre at East Coast Park, and even the regular, simple car rides in which Joseph preferred Colin to May as the driver.

Joseph's last question for his father was to ask what his definition of success was.

Colin replied: "Success is being able to look at yourself in the mirror, and be comfortable with the image that you see reflected.

"So long as you can see yourself and be comfortable, and be happy and satisfied that you have done no wrong to anybody. Just being happy with yourself. I think that is success."

Tributes and condolences arrived after news of Colin's death.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said: "As an elite sportsman himself, he believed in the power of sport. He knew how sports was such a great leveller, could change lives, bridge communities and build society. My conversations with him, long before I came into MCCY, has helped shape my own views on sports."

Singapore National Olympic Council president Tan Chuan-Jin added: "They (Colin and May) had no handbook nor prior examples, took the road less travelled, and made huge sacrifices to invest in Joseph's potential.

"Despite no formal training, Colin's sheer tenacity meant he collected thick compilations of statistics and research over the years, and had these knowledge and information at his fingertips.

"Their belief became Singapore's pride, and they then selflessly shared their achievements with the rest of the country, hoping only that their journey would help lead to more champions. Colin and May blazed a trail and ventured where few dared."

A Schooling family spokesman expressed gratitude for the public's support and words of comfort and added they "respectfully appreciate the privacy given to the family during this period".