The soon-to-be Olympians are part of the school’s competitive swim teams, and will continue to train under the school’s Head of Swimming, Coach Ivan Bunakov.
GESS – International School’s competitive swim team is no stranger to clinching medals in local and international tournaments. This year, the GESS Wildcats swim team reached new heights as two of its swimmers qualified for the ultimate athlete’s dream – the Paris 2024 Olympics!
Grade 10 students Ada and Phone Pyae Han (Chint Chint) will be representing their home countries – Nigeria and Myanmar – in the Olympic games respectively. Supporting and training them is their swim coach, GESS’ Head of Swimming Ivan Bunakov.
Meet the soon-to-be Olympians – Ada and Chint Chint
Ada and Chint Chint have been swimming since they were eight and nine years old. Both of them trained tirelessly to excel in their chosen sport: Ada had morning and afternoon training; while Chint Chint dedicated around 20 hours to training every week.
Their journey to the Olympics came with sacrifices as well. Once Ada decided to specialise in swimming, she had to make the tough choice of giving up other sports that she enjoyed, such as volleyball and football. “Because of swimming, I learned to make sacrifices to reduce the chances of me getting injured,” she said. For Chint Chint, “time sacrifices” like waking up at 5am and training till 7.30pm in the evening on school days are necessary to help him move closer to his dream, and that “every moment in the pool has been worth it”.
Balancing training and academics is the most challenging part of Ada and Chint Chint’s journey
As their training intensifies for the Olympics, Ada and Chint Chint are experiencing heavier academic responsibilities too. Both swimmers will be transitioning from Grade 10 to Grade 11 in August when a new school year starts, which also marks the start of the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
When asked how she juggles her training with schoolwork, Ada explained, “The relentless training schedule often leaves me feeling extremely tired at school. However, with the support of my coach and knowing that my teammates are also going through the same thing, I know that I’m not alone and that I have people rooting for me. The school has also been extremely supportive.”
Chint Chint found that being an athlete has taught him how to handle stress effectively, a skill which has made his academic workload feel more manageable. “I make sure to stay on top of things by organising my tasks and setting clear priorities. To handle the workload, I often do school work over the weekends and during school holidays. GESS has been extremely understanding, even providing support for my schoolwork when I’m preparing for competitions.”
Both athletes agree that their school friends and team form a supportive environment for them. Chint Chint even described the GESS Wildcats as a second family to him, which is crucial in helping them pursue their Olympic dreams while keeping up with their studies.
GESS will continue to support the swimmers in their passion – through and after the Olympics!
Ada and Chint Chint won’t be alone at the Olympics as the GESS community bands behind them and cheer them on. Coach Ivan has been pivotal in preparing and supporting them through their journey, working closely with both swimmers since their early days in the school team, and will continue to do so as they compete in Paris.
“Our swimmers train rigorously on a day-to-day basis to become better athletes and individuals, so I expect nothing less from them for the Olympics. My advice to Ada and Chint Chint is to always believe in themselves, stay focused, and accept every challenge to find balance between school and swimming,” Coach Ivan said.
We wish Ada, Chint Chint, and Coach Ivan all the best in the Paris Olympics!
This post is in partnership with GESS – International School.
