Anja Chong

Famous relatives

Her younger sister Nadja has competed at an elite level in short track. Her mother Sonja Chong has served as president of the Singapore Ice Skating Association. (prestige-singapore.com.sg, 03 Jun 2013; thestar.com.my, 15 Mar 2012)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began skating aged nine at a friend's birthday celebrations. She began taking figure skating lessons and eventually switched to short track.

Other information

NATIONAL FIRSTS In 2017 she became the first female Malaysian short track skater to qualify for a world championships, and in 2011 she became the first Malaysian short track skater of any gender to compete at a World Cup event. (anjachaong.com, 21 Sep 2017) HIATUS She took a four-year break from the sport to finish her law degree. Two weeks after completing her final exams, she returned to competitive skating. (Athlete, 02 Dec 2016; anjachaong.com, 21 Sep 2017) OCCUPATION In 2018 she became a director and head of business development for the Portcullis Group, and a director of the Portcullis Institute. (LinkedIn profile, 11 Feb 2019)

Reason for choosing this sport

"It began with a love for the speed and the feeling of being on the ice. It then grew as an appreciation for the discipline and nuance of control, mastery of focus and the feeling of the rest of the world just slipping away."

www.anjachong.com/
www.facebook.com/anjachongofficial/

Most influential person in career	Her mother. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2017, 02 Dec 2016)
Hero / Idol	US short track skater Apolo Anton Ohno. (Athlete, 02 Dec 2016)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Work hard. Do good. Be kind, spread joy." (Athlete, 16 Nov 2017)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning three gold medals in the 500m, the 1000m and the 3000m relay at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Athlete, 16 Nov 2017)