When you hear the name Schooling, it’s inevitable that your first response would be to think of Singapore’s newly minted Olympic gold medallist — Joseph Schooling. But in this story, we have decided to pay tribute, not to the 21-year old who beat the great Michael Phelps, but rather his father Colin Schooling. A parent’s love is an amazing thing and Colin’s unconditional dedication to his son has touched all of us here at Mummyfique and we can think of no better choice for our dad crush this week.
We see where Joseph gets his photogenic good looks from:
Being Eurasian, the spunky man released a video in response to comments branding Joseph as a foreign talent because of his Eurasian heritage. In an interview with the Straits Times, he reveals that his grandfather hailed from England, was an officer with the British Army and married a local Portuguese-Eurasian. However, both he and his father were born and raised in Singapore, and likewise for Joseph.
The Schoolings’ lives definitely changed the minute Joseph reached the finish line in front of the defending Olympic 100m butterfly champion Michael Phelps. Not only was it an incredible moment to behold, it was also a fitting reward for all the hard work and sacrifice that the family had put in over the years.
Chilling with Joseph’s best friend Teo Zhen Ren before watching the historic win:
Watching his reaction as Joseph raced and eventually took the gold medal, it’s as if you can feel his anticipation and pride emanating through the screen.
In an interview with Yahoo, Colin said something that made an impression on all of us: “May and me (sic) wanted to make sure we groomed a young man who respects his elders, has manners and respects his competitors, but never fears them.” And they’ve done so. Joseph presents himself remarkably well. He is humble, down to earth, not fearful yet respectful — truly a role model for the younger generation.
Now known as the father of the man who beat the famous Michael Phelps, we can only imagine how proud he is of his son. We know we are!
To read last week’s dad crush, click here.
To find out more about Eurasians in Singapore and to gain access to two delicious Devil’s Curry recipe, click here.
