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My UM

Drum roll please. Bum! Brrum! Brrrumble! We are happy to announce the new “Frog King” has swum to UM’s new campus!

Have you ever seen this muscular young man on the campus? He is Terrence Chao, a first-year undergraduate from the Department of Communication, who is hailed as the new“Frog King” in Macao. He received a certificate of merit from the Macao SAR government at the age of 14. He is the first athlete from Macao to break a record at a national sports meet. After competing at various meets non-stop since this summer holiday, including the National Student Sports Games in July, the Hong Kong International Open Swimming Championships in August, and the Asian Games and the FINA/MASTBANK Swimming World Cup: Hong Kong in September, this “Frog King” has finally swum back to UM.


Unexpected Wins at National Student Sports Games

This “Frog King” has made quite a splash at the 12th National Student Sports Games (NSSG) held in Shanghai. He made front-page news after winning the championship in the 100m breaststroke category and the 200m breaststroke category at the NSSG, where he also broke three Macao-held records and one record of the National Student Sports Games. He felt flattered and overwhelmed by the publicity. “Haha I think it was a little over the top,” he says. “The front page is normally reserved for ads only.” Asked what he thinks might have contributed to his surprisingly good performance at the competition, he answers, “Thorough preparation. I started preparing for the event a long time ago, and after graduating from high school, I was able to devote myself to training 100%, and these helped to prepare me physically and mentally so I was able to achieve the best possible state.” But like many athletes, Terrence’s athletic career has not always been smooth sailing. He has had his share of ups and downs. At the just-ended 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea, he failed to do himself justice even at his strongest individual event. But he didn’t let this setback bring him down. “Actually I knew all along that I was not the best,” Terrence says. “Beyond mountains there are mountains. I will keep working harder, and I hope at the upcoming FINA swimming World Cup events, I can gradually get back to where I was at the NSSG. ” Perhaps it is this healthy dose of detachment from both success and failure that has made Terrence into who he is today.

 

Enjoying a Busy Life

Terrence’s life as an athlete is incredibly busy, with daily training of at least two hours, Monday through Saturday, and one competition almost every month. But he enjoys every minute of it. And he has managed not to neglect his studies. He was always among the top 20 per cent when he was in secondary school, and he was recommended for direct admission to UM’s Department of Communication (which had been his first choice) with entrance exam exemption. Interestingly, his choice of major—communication—turned out to be influenced by his passion for swimming. “I have often given interviews to the media before and after major events, which not only taught me how to handle such situations, but also planted in my heart the seed of interest in the media industry,” says Terrence. Although he has often had to take time off class to attend competitions over the past months, his passion for studies has not decreased one bit. “Pretty good so far,” he says. “I enjoy the classes. For example, I find Dr Lei Chin Pang’s Introduction to News and Journalism and Dr Leong U Tong’s Interpersonal Communication particularly engaging.” As for the next four years, Terrence has a simple wish—to enjoy his life at the university just like everyone else.