UNITAR’s Olympian Gymnast Jeremiah Loo: What We Can Learn About Success

When Malaysia announced the list of competing athletes for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, we couldn’t be more proud to hear our very own alumnus, Jeremiah Loo Phay Xing, to be chosen as a national representative for the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics. However, the journey wasn’t entirely smooth. Despite his shoulder injury during the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, he pushed himself forward and successfully made it into the Tokyo Olympics. Being an inspirational figure to us all, here are 5 things we can learn about success from Jeremiah Loo:

It is common for students to be drawn towards a particular course or institution because of their peers or parents. If you are lucky, your choice could turn out to be just fine and you would enjoy a great uni life. However, things may turn sour for a few once they realise the course or uni they enrolled in isn’t what they expected.

The course you choose may not meet industry demands, or you may not have many job opportunities upon completing your studies, or the university you enrol in lacks certain elements that can be beneficial to your higher education journey.

If the following few red flags pop up during your course of study, you should consider switching to a different uni for the sake of your future.

1. Set Goals

Every success story begins with a clear goal. During Jeremiah’s study at UNITAR, he had to juggle his studies in Business Management and gymnastics training. In the midst of his hectic schedule, he was determined to do his best in both aspects. As a result, his educators praised him for having outstanding results.

As long as you set your goals, you can align your focus and move forward.

2.Plan Ahead

After setting your goals, it’s time to create an action plan. Even after the Tokyo Olympics, Jeremiah is already planning for future competitions. Currently, he’s focusing on recovery and rehabilitation from previous sports injuries. Afterwards, he would regularly work out to maintain stamina and physical strength.

Similarly, studying for success begins with planning for success. It means avoiding the scenario of cramming notes the night before a major exam. Some exam success tips for students include reading one paragraph or page a day (which subconsciously encourages more reading), writing a list of questions when going through the notes and giving yourself a break even if it’s just a light read. All these little successes will eventually lead to your very own success story!

3.Be Optimistic

It began with a spark of excitement when the little Penangite witnessed his father and siblings return home from their gymnastics training. From time to time, they would teach him flips and other moves. Not long after, 7-year-old Jeremiah made the choice to follow in his family’s footsteps and believe that he too, can be a great gymnast.

The optimism he had since childhood right up to his adulthood had paved the way for him to compete in international competitions. Likewise, we should know what kind of study will bring us joy, commit to it and think positively even during challenging times.

4.Stay Hungry

There’s always room for improvement in everything we do. Jeremiah knows this well, which is why he looks up to experienced gymnasts even though some of them have already retired. For him, it’s all about doing his best by learning from the success of other gymnasts.

Staying hungry and humble will help us to look for opportunities to learn and grow as a student and beyond.

5.Get Feedback

Last but not least, ask for feedback from your lecturers and coursemates. Great assignments and presentations are not developed overnight. It takes practice and an open heart to be better than yesterday. The gymnast is surrounded by supportive family members, coaches and athletes who will assess and give their honest opinions so that he can excel as an international athlete. Thus, it’s good to hear constructive comments and advice from people around you.

Learning from the success of Jeremiah Loo to enter the Olympics has no doubt taught us about what success is for us students at UNITAR. If you like to hear more about our fellow Olympian and other alumni members, follow us on Facebook and Instagram!