Stephenie Chen, a seasoned national kayaker, has demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout her career despite narrowly missing out on an Olympic debut in Tokyo. At the 2021 Asian Olympic qualifiers in Pattaya, Chen finished second in the K1 500m event, missing the sole Olympic spot by a mere 0.038 seconds to Kazakhstan’s Natalya Sergeyeva. The following day, she placed third in the K1 200m, trailing Japan’s Yuka Ono by 0.067 seconds, with only the winner securing a place. Kazakhstan had already qualified in this category, denying Chen the opportunity to compete in Tokyo.

These close defeats, coupled with injuries and intense training demands, have shaped Chen’s journey in the sport. Reflecting on the experience, the 34-year-old acknowledged emotional challenges but emphasized her determination to persevere. Following the qualifiers, she spent three weeks in quarantine at the Grand Hyatt Singapore during the pandemic, a period she regarded as unexpectedly beneficial. The isolation offered her time to reflect on her career and goals, ultimately reinforcing her commitment to kayaking.

Chen’s introduction to the sport began in 2009, inspired by her older sister. She joined her junior college team and quickly progressed to the national junior squad. Since then, she has earned six gold medals at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and a silver medal at the Asian Games. In 2024, she finally made her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, where she achieved a historic appearance in the C final.

Her sustained involvement in the sport has been supported by her family, particularly her parents and sisters—Sarah, Andrea, and Abigail. Training from a young age often involved early mornings and travel from their home in Boon Lay to training venues such as Kallang and MacRitchie Reservoir.

Currently preparing for the Asian Games in Nagoya, Chen has been based on the Gold Coast in Australia since 2023. Her training routine includes approximately ten water sessions weekly, covering distances between 8km and 15km at Varsity Lakes. This intensive overseas training requires sacrifices, including missing personal and family events, though Chen describes these as deliberate choices rather than losses.

Looking ahead, Chen has not made definitive plans beyond the Asian Games but remains dedicated to competing at her highest level. She candidly acknowledged the emotional ups and downs that come with the sport and the ongoing process of adjusting goals and strategies. For Chen, overcoming setbacks involves honest self-assessment and adapting as needed while maintaining trust in the process to keep moving forward.