Ardi got his start in competitions where he wassmaller and weaker than his opponents and his focus was on winning Milo powder,The Straits Times said.
When Ardi completed the 50m butterfly final andchecked the result board in the 2012 National School Games at Toa PayohSwimming Complex, his first thought was not that he had won his first goldmedal ever.
Or that he was faster than competitors older andbigger than him.
Instead, he was thinking about the jumbo packet ofMilo powder that medallists received.
Ardi transferred to Aquarian Aquatic School in 2016and has won several medals in the National School Games' B and C Divisionsrepresenting Outram Secondary.
He also represented Singapore in the 2018 and 2019Asean School Games, where he won a bronze in the 200m freestyle - his firstmedal in an international meet. After completing his O levels in late 2020, hejoined the national team, where he now trains under National Training Centreassistant coach Alexander Mordvincev.
This week, he will take his first step towards hisgoal of competing at the Olympics when he makes his debut at the SEA Games inHanoi. Ardi will compete in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle and has alsobeen pencilled in for the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays./.
VNA