Syncing to focus and discipline
July 22, 2025
Vivien was grateful for the support provided by the University, which allowed her to continue her pharmaceutical studies while balancing the rigorous demands of artistic swimming.
Asked by a friend to give artistic swimming a try at age 10, Vivien Tai Wen Ting gamely said yes — and eventually went on to make a splash in the artistic swimming arena.
Performance at the farewell of Toa Payoh Swimming Complex (I am right in front)
After she qualified for the national team, one of her earliest memorable achievements was a gold in the team free routine at the 2017 SEA Games. She then went on to captain the team at the 2023 Asian Games, where they placed fifth – Singapore’s best-ever team showing at the regional competition.
Team Free Event at the 2023 Asian Games (I am second from the left)
Juggling the intense training with her Bachelor of Pharmacy studies was no walk in the park. During weekdays, Vivien would spend her days at school before heading off for training in the evening. The pace hardly let up on weekends – she would train from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays, and from 8am to 1pm on Sundays.
Team Technical Event at the 2023 Asian Games
“There were days I wanted to give up. But the responsibility that I owed to the team is what kept me going on hard days,” she shared.
With Team NUS waterpolo at our weekly Wednesday trainings (I am in the front row, second from the left)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she would even attend online classes by the poolside to be on time for training. She is grateful to her professors and schoolmates, who would check in on her if she missed any classes or needed to catch up on her schoolwork.
Came in 2nd in the duet free event at the 2021 Junior International Championships (I am on the left)
“I knew I had to plan ahead and manage my time well. In university, it’s very hard to catch up on a backlog, so I could not afford to fall behind,” she said.
Individual photo of me at Singapore Aquatics Appreciation Night
NUS also made provisions for her when competitions clashed with her exams. For instance, she took her final examinations during the summer vacation break in 2023 due to her Asian Games commitments. “That kind of understanding was so crucial,” said Vivien.
Me and my team winning gold in the team event at the 2017 SEA Games. (I am second from the left)
She has since retired from competitive artistic swimming and is now working as an event operations executive at Singapore Aquatics while continuing to coach on the side. Nevertheless, she holds dear the precious lessons from her training days. “Artistic swimming taught me fortitude, time management, and empathy — especially on the bad days, when emotions are running high, you have to try to consider all points of view. These are qualities that go far beyond the pool”.
Performance for our friends and family before we headed off for the 2023 Asian Games (I am second from the right)
Vivien is confident that the breadth of her experiences will serve her well when she embarks on the journey towards obtaining her pharmacy license in the near future.
Individual photo of me at the Asian Games closing ceremony
On 17 July 2025, Vivien will be graduating with a Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours (Distinction).
Source: NUS News
