By Gan Ling Kai

HE PROMISED to help his daughter with her homework once he returned from the race.

But he never returned.

Mr Calvin Lee Wee Sing, 42, CEO of Deutsche Telekom Asia in Singapore, died while competing in the 1.5km swimming leg of the Osim Singapore International Triathlon 2009 on Sunday.

His wife, Ms Choo Share Lin, said her husband doted on their 9-year-old daughter Chloe.

'My husband was a very smart guy. He taught our daughter in all her subjects, especially mathematics,' said Ms Choo, 42, an air stewardess with Cathay Pacific.

Before he left for his race, Mr Lee had told his daughter to finish her homework.

'He told her, 'If you don't know how to do it, after Daddy finishes his triathlon, Daddy will come back and teach you',' she said.

'Daddy also got her to pick up sports, such as fencing and playing golf. Daddy said he would play golf with her when she grows older,' Ms Choo added, breaking into tears.

Daddy had big plans for Chloe - all the way till she got into a university, possibly in the US, said Ms Choo, who spoke to the press yesterday at her home in Simei.

For that, Mr Lee, described by his wife as a mild-mannered man, had reminded her to save up.

'Every penny he had, he would give it to the family. If he earned $10, he would give me $9 and keep $1 for himself. He paid for everything in the household,' said Ms Choo.

The couple had been married for almost 12 years. They knew each other since they were 15. 'He was a very responsible husband. He always took care of me and our daughter,' Ms Choo said.

Mr Lee recently upgraded the couple's insurance plans.

'He said that when we grow old, we can't expect our daughter to pay our medical bills. He was a very careful person.'

Yet he wasn't overly protective of their daughter. 'He always reminded me that Chloe's going to leave us one day. That she's going to get married,' said Ms Choo.

But this family man did have a vice. He used to be a casual smoker who smoked only at work.

Yet, for his daughter's sake, he snuffed out the habit last year.

'He wanted to live longer,' said Ms Choo. 'Our daughter is still young.'

Run regularly

A former secondary school swimmer, Mr Lee also started to run regularly after his heavy work schedule became lighter recently.

Last year, his entire family took part in OCBC Cycle Singapore.

In July, he took his bicycle and went to Germany for three weeks to complete a 700km cycling event.

Since January, Mr Lee and his wife were also swimming daily at the Chinese Swimming Club. He took it very seriously - clearing 30 laps of the pool within 35 minutes.

On hindsight, does Ms Choo regret his renewed passion for sports?

No, she said, 'Swimming bonded us together.'

Before he went for the triathlon on Sunday, the couple had breakfast together - his favourite bak chor mee (minced meat noodle).

'I told him to take care and asked if he needed my support. But he said it's okay because all the boys are there.

'And I was supposed to go to Hong Kong that evening, so he told me to stay at home to pack my bags. I never expected that was the last time I would see him,' said Ms Choo, choking back her tears.

Mr Lee's team-mate, Mr Alan Yeo, said they had chosen a relay over an individual event as it was the first time the team had joined a triathlon.

It was also the first time Mr Lee had competed in the open sea.

Mr Lee was to swim 1.5km, Mr Yeo was to cycle 40km, and Mr Earnest Chia was to run for 10km. All three had trained extensively, said Mr Yeo.

'We think we were prepared. We were not there to win, but really to have fun. We just wanted to complete a triathlon together,' he added.

They didn't go for special check-ups before the race, but they had been going for annual medical tests provided by their company.

Mr Yeo and Mr Chia, both 42, are directors in the same company.

They are aware of the risks of such competitive sports, said Mr Yeo. They called themselves 'F3' to remind themselves about their age.

'We called ourselves Fit For Forties. And we could even use it as Fit For Fifties,' he said.

The trio were in high spirits when they got to East Coast Park at 10.45am for the registration, joking and giving each other hi-fives.

It was a life marshal who first noticed that Mr Lee was struggling, at 1.06pm. A jet ski was quickly sent out to get Mr Lee to shore.

Race organiser Triathlon Association of Singapore said that by the time Mr Lee was brought ashore, he was foaming at the mouth and unconscious.

He was rushed to Changi General Hospital, where he died. At press time, the cause of death had not been confirmed.

Mr Lee's wake will be held till Thursday.

This article was first published in The New Paper.