On 30 July 2025, ASEF, in collaboration with the World Aquatics Championships Singapore 2025 Organising Committee, hosted the Olympic Legends Sharing Session for Singapore International School students. ASEF Deputy Executive Director Zhang Lei welcomed the athletes and students, highlighting the link between sports and ASEF’s mission:

“Sports is not just about winning medals. It is more about celebrating others’ victories, pushing your own limits and learning from each other. That’s exactly what we believe in at ASEF (…) like sports, ASEF’s mission is also about connection, inclusion and learning from diverse experiences.”

During the inspiring talk, Olympic champions Cate Campbell, Melissa Wu, Anthony Ervin and Kosuke Kitajima shared their stories of how they reached the top of world aquatics, as well as the lessons they learned along the way.

The athletes reflected on the key ingredients to success:

Early commitment & community – Knowing what you want and pursuing it. Many began training young, developing discipline through consistent routines and finding friendships in sports clubs.

Family influence – Positive sibling rivalry, role model, encouragement and parental support shaped their motivation and drive.

Balancing school & sport – Not a choice between the two. Discipline in athletics can strengthen academic focus, while education offers balance and perspective.

Emotional resilience – Managing nerves, harnessing pressure to effect and learning from both wins and setbacks are crucial to success.

Support systems & self-reliance – Coaches, families and medical teams help athletes prepare, but in competition, success depends on self?belief and drive.

Enjoying the journey – Winning matters, but growth happens in the process and setbacks are valuable lessons.

During an interactive Q&A, students learned how Olympians structure their daily routines to stay focused, calm pre-competition nerves and push through fatigue even when motivation is low. The athletes encouraged students to value effort, embrace the learning process and believe in themselves – even when results take time.

The Sharing Session celebrated not just athletic achievement, but the values that connect people across cultures and borders – resilience, humility and the power of trusted support systems.