Helena Wong Kar Mun
Encyclopedia
Helena Wong Kar Mun is a Singapore
weightlifter. Wong competes in the female 53 kg weight class. She debuted at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
which was held in Delhi in Oct 2010. She made history at the Games by becoming the first ever woman weightlifter to be selected by Singapore to take part in a major athletic event. She was placed 8th at the Games, her first international competition.
Toa Payoh School for her primary and secondary education. She was active in sports since young. She represented her school in judo and was a house captain in her upper secondary years. In her late teens, Wong decided to specialise in sports and in 2005, she opted to study sports at Nanyang Polytechnic
.
Wong continued her sports specialisation after she graduated from the Nanyang Polytechnic by choosing to focus in sports despite her equally keen interest towards business and economics. She gave up offers to study business and economics in Singapore’s local universities and ventured overseas to study sport science in England’s Loughborough University
in autumn 2008. Wong is expected to graduate in June/July 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.
In 2008, Wong was hired by Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education
(ITE) as a Teaching Associate. She is also their scholar under the ITE’s Associate cum Scholarship Scheme.
strength and conditioning coach Thomas Yule
.
She met Cyril Martin, a senior weightlifting coach with British Weightlifting (BWL) at the English Weightlifting Championships held at Lilleshall
in February 2010 and started training under his guidance soon after at Atlas Workout Warehouse in Alfreton
, Derbyshire
. Wong credits Martin’s tutelage for her selection by the Singapore National Olympic Council
to represent Singapore at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
within a year after getting into the sport. Wong "didn't really believe it" when Singapore National Olympic Council selected her to represent the sport and the country as she was just a beginner.
SNOC Secretary-General, Chris Chan remarked that, "We took note of [Wong's] steady improvement and thought she would benefit from this New Delhi outing. Her participation would also give weightlifting a welcome boost as the sport enjoys a revival in Singapore." Similarly, Tom Liaw, President of Singapore Weightlifting Federation believes that weightlifters like Wong is contributing to the revival of the sport in Singapore since it was last represented in the 1986 Commonwealth Games
. Liaw believes that "participation in major competitions like the Commonwealth Games is the next step to raising the profile of [weightlifting]" in Singapore. Wong finished the Games with a total of 146 kg (Snatch:66 kg; Clean & Jerk:80 kg) "a commendable 8th" for her debut international outing.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
weightlifter. Wong competes in the female 53 kg weight class. She debuted at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
which was held in Delhi in Oct 2010. She made history at the Games by becoming the first ever woman weightlifter to be selected by Singapore to take part in a major athletic event. She was placed 8th at the Games, her first international competition.
Early life and education
Wong is the elder of the two siblings in her family. Wong attended Convent of the Holy Infant JesusConvent of the Holy Infant Jesus
The Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools are a group of eleven all-girls Catholic schools in Singapore. The first CHIJ school in Singapore was established at Victoria Street in 1854, by nuns of the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus. Today, the group includes six primary schools, four secondary...
Toa Payoh School for her primary and secondary education. She was active in sports since young. She represented her school in judo and was a house captain in her upper secondary years. In her late teens, Wong decided to specialise in sports and in 2005, she opted to study sports at Nanyang Polytechnic
Nanyang Polytechnic
Nanyang Polytechnic is a Singaporean polytechnic located in Ang Mo Kio next to Yio Chu Kang MRT Station, Singapore.-History:*Established 1 April 1992...
.
Wong continued her sports specialisation after she graduated from the Nanyang Polytechnic by choosing to focus in sports despite her equally keen interest towards business and economics. She gave up offers to study business and economics in Singapore’s local universities and ventured overseas to study sport science in England’s Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
in autumn 2008. Wong is expected to graduate in June/July 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.
In 2008, Wong was hired by Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education
Institute of Technical Education
The Institute of Technical Education is a post-secondary institution in Singapore that provides pre-employment training to secondary school leavers and continuing education and training to working adults....
(ITE) as a Teaching Associate. She is also their scholar under the ITE’s Associate cum Scholarship Scheme.
Sporting career
Wong took up weightlifting by chance. She joined the gym in her university to keep fit and to escape the cold of her hostel room. Wong started off self-coaching from the internet and books from June 2009 to February 2010 after being introduced to the sport by UK AthleticsUK Athletics
UK Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of athletics events in the UK as well as athletes, their development, and athletics officials....
strength and conditioning coach Thomas Yule
Thomas Yule
Thomas Lister Yule is a retired male weightlifter, who was born in South Africa. He represented Great Britain at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, where he was disqualified in the men's heavyweight division after three false snatches...
.
She met Cyril Martin, a senior weightlifting coach with British Weightlifting (BWL) at the English Weightlifting Championships held at Lilleshall
Lilleshall
Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency....
in February 2010 and started training under his guidance soon after at Atlas Workout Warehouse in Alfreton
Alfreton
Alfreton is a town and civil parish in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, England, adjoining the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire districts. It was formerly a Norman Manor and later an Urban District. The population of the Alfreton Ward was 7,928 at the 2001 Census...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Wong credits Martin’s tutelage for her selection by the Singapore National Olympic Council
Singapore National Olympic Council
The Singapore National Olympic Council, or commonly SNOC, is a registered society, recognised by the International Olympic Committee...
to represent Singapore at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
within a year after getting into the sport. Wong "didn't really believe it" when Singapore National Olympic Council selected her to represent the sport and the country as she was just a beginner.
SNOC Secretary-General, Chris Chan remarked that, "We took note of [Wong's] steady improvement and thought she would benefit from this New Delhi outing. Her participation would also give weightlifting a welcome boost as the sport enjoys a revival in Singapore." Similarly, Tom Liaw, President of Singapore Weightlifting Federation believes that weightlifters like Wong is contributing to the revival of the sport in Singapore since it was last represented in the 1986 Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
. Liaw believes that "participation in major competitions like the Commonwealth Games is the next step to raising the profile of [weightlifting]" in Singapore. Wong finished the Games with a total of 146 kg (Snatch:66 kg; Clean & Jerk:80 kg) "a commendable 8th" for her debut international outing.
Competitive Results
| Event | Competition | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | ||||
| 53 kg Women | British Colleges and Universities Championships | Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Hallam University is a higher education institution in South Yorkshire, England, based on two sites in Sheffield. City Campus is located in the city centre, close to Sheffield railway station, and Collegiate Crescent Campus is about two miles away, adjacent to Ecclesall Road in... , Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles... |
11 Mar 2011 | 1st |
| 2010 | ||||
| 53 kg Women (Under 23) | British U23 Championships | Olbury College of Sport, Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles... |
30 Oct 2010 | 1st |
| 53 kg Women | XIX Commonwealth Games | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... , India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
5 Oct 2010 | 8th |
| 53 kg Women | British Seniors Weightlifting Championships | The Hunter Centre, Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
26 Jun 2010 | 2nd |
| 53 kg Women | English Weightlifting Championships | Lilleshall National Sports Centre, Lilleshall Lilleshall Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency.... , Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles... |
20 Feb 2010 | 2nd |