Skaters unbowed by uphill battle

Their commitment to the sport, despite having to share the commercial rink with ordinary customers, and only able to practice after school, soon placed them in the international spotlight.

Alyssa qualified for the 2020 Youth Winter Olympics in Switzerland, representing Singapore on the country's YOG debut, before Brandon made it to the junior world championships in 2022 in Poland.

Their progress, however, hit an abrupt pause in August 2023, when their only home rink at the mall was closed to make way for a new apartment building.

No ice, no problem — a helping hand from China has kept them skating in the right direction.

As part of a cooperation deal between the Chinese and Singaporean skating associations, coach Zhao Yanzhi, a former Chinese short-track athlete, was sent to coach Singapore's young talent, including the Pok siblings, in 2019.

With limited facilities and her skaters balancing their studies with training, coach Zhao admitted it wasn't an easy task to train them up to the necessary high standards, but their progress speaks for itself.

"When I first arrived, they already had a solid foundation. My role was to refine their basics and build up their strength," Zhao told CGTN before the Harbin Games.

"Over the past six years, they've worked hard and improved tremendously. I wanted to support them as the country's winter sports have been steadily growing.

"I happened to join them at a key stage. The athletes' performances have really surprised me in a good way."

The biggest difference that coach Zhao has made wasn't on the ice, though, according to the siblings.

"They closed down the rink last year (in 2023), so we don't have ice at all," said Alyssa.

"She's been really great, and helped us with the off-ice training, making sure that we get the techniques right.

"So, when we get on ice, we are able to transition and compete with the other skaters."

Brandon added that coach Zhao's strength and conditioning training was particularly helpful as well.

"I think she helped us to be a lot more reflective during our training, so that we have to try to visualize (the right moves) during the off-season, try to remember what we need to do, and apply it to the ice during the race season," he said.

After racing in her coach's home country, and in the cradle of winter sports in China, Alyssa said she was shocked by the enthusiasm of Chinese toward skating.

"Clearly they are very dominant in the sport, and what I'm actually very impressed with is the Chinese fans. It's really crazy," she said.

"They really screamed their hearts out for the skaters. Even though I'm not Chinese, when I heard the crowd shouting the Chinese skaters' names, it's really amazing.

"I feel a little bit emotional as well. It reminds me how proud I should be to represent my country."

Contact the writer at sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn