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A little nudge from your partner is sometimes all that is needed to adopt a more active lifestyle.
That was how Madam Wan Kam Tai, 70, took up pickleball and then went on to dragon boat racing. The nudge came from her husband, Mr Lam Hong Ngiap, 65.
Pickleball is a raquet sport played with wooden paddles. It is a combination of badminton, tennis and table tennis.
Madam Wan, a retired school bus driver, had led a mostly sedentary lifestyle until about six years ago, when her husband, who is a pickleball interest group leader at Boon Lay Community Centre, coaxed her to join him in the sport. In the beginning, he gently corrected her playing techniques – to prevent injuries – and made her rest if she felt tired.
Madam Wan said in Mandarin: “I had a lot of aches and pains when I first started because I had been inactive for a long time, but they disappeared over time.” She now plays pickleball three times a week and has participated in competitions too.
Four years ago, Mr Lam, a school bus driver, persuaded Madam Wan to join him in dragon boating. They now hit the waters once a month and when they are preparing for dragon boat competitions, they train once a week.
Two months ago, the couple, who have four adult children, took part in the People’s Association Active Agers' dragon boat race. Although they did not win, they enjoyed the experience and have no regrets about taking up the sport. “I feel healthier, more relaxed and have made new friends. Everyone tells me I look younger and I feel happy,” Madam Wan said.
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