From tears to joy: How Singapore rower Saiyidah Aisyah qualified for the Paris Olympics at 36

SINGAPORE: Back at Tangeum Lake eight years after she made history for Singapore, rower Saiyidah Aisyah had one thing in mind - qualify for the Olympic Games.

And while the goal was the same as it was in 2016, she was now a different athlete.

"I see things in a different perspective," said Aisyah, who turned 36 on Saturday (Apr 20).

"I don't feel old, I feel more experienced, I feel like a big sister to some of the athletes."

Competing in the women’s 2,000m lightweight single sculls at the Asian and Oceania Continental Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea, on Sunday, the Singaporean had to finish among the top five to book her spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics.

But Aisyah finished sixth out of six competitors, and there were tears after the race, she told CNA.

"I didn't know about this qualification rule, so my thought when I went back to land was that I didn't qualify," she recalled. 

"It wasn't my best performance, it was actually one of my worst performances. I was on the pontoon, very upset and crying to my coach, apologising to him."

Eight years ago in Chungju, Aisyah missed out on making the A final at the qualifier, but went on to win the B final and qualify for Rio.

"In 2016, that was one of the best races I've ever done, and this was totally at the other extreme end," she said.

What the Singaporean did not realise was that current qualification rules bumped her Japanese competitor who finished second in the event, out of qualification contention.

This was because Japan had also won the men's and women's double sculls events at the continental qualifier, automatically taking up the country's Olympic spots.

"I know the Japanese girl and it's hard for me to accept it as an athlete. I totally feel her," said Aisyah.

"