IN RESPONSE to the commentary "S'pore athletes need to step up their game" (my paper, Aug 12), I believe all the Singapore Olympians have done their best (as opposed to just trying their best) at Beijing.

To me, all of them are already winners. Should they win a medal, that would be a bonus.

In 2004, I made a terrible mistake - I got so angry and disappointed when Li Jiawei failed to win a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics.

But afterwards, I was even more disappointed and angry at myself as I had failed to realise that she had done her best.

I should have put myself in her shoes instead of criticising her performance.

Similarly, swimmer Tao Li is a David to the Goliaths in the competition.

Many thought that she was physically too small (besides being one of the youngest) to even make it to the 100m butterfly final. But she proved her doubters wrong.

What's more important is that Tao, Li and their countrymen have done their best.

I thank all Singapore Olympians for making Singaporeans proud.

Mr Ace Kindred Cheong

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