business magnates | leadership icons | sporting heroes | science pioneers |culturalfigures | philanthropic champions
“Humans are not meant to fly, but that has always been my dream. Now I can fly in a
tunnel, so I’m glad to ind this sport.” – Kyra Poh33
Malaysia
Nicol A. David (b. 198 3)
Squash player
Considered the best female squash
player, David has held the world
no. 1 ranking for a record 1 08
consecutive months (2 00 6–2 01 5);
won the Asian Squash Championship
nine times, and obtained the Women’s
Squash Association (WSA) Player of
the Year award seven times.
34
Singapore
Kyra Poh (b.2003)
Indoor skydiver
One of the youngest indoor skydivers,
Poh defended her junior freestyle
gold medal at the 2 01 7 Federation
Aeronautique International
(FAI) World Indoor Skydiving
Championship, Canada. In February
2018, she bagged two golds at the
Windoor Wind Games in Spain.35
Japan
Yuki Kawauchi (b. 1 987)
Amateur marathon runner
A special mention for the amateur
athlete, who came in irst in the
2018 Boston Marathon in a time of
2:15:58. he full-time oice worker
races every weekend. In 2017 he
participated in 12 marathons,
compared to the usual two by
professional marathoners.SOURCE © SHUTTERSTOCK SOURCE © IFLYSINGAPORE SOURCE © SHUTTERSTOCK37
China
Lin Dan(b.1983)
Badminton player
“Super Dan”, as Lin is known, had won every major
titlein the badminton world by 2017, at age 35,
including achieving “Super Grand Slam” status by
age 28. he two-time Olympic champion, ive-time
World champion and six-time All England champion
is known as the “greatest badminton player of all time”.
He regards the Malaysian singles player Lee Chong
Weiasbotharivalandafriend.36
Phillippines
Manny Pacquiao (b. 1 978)
Professional boxer & senator
“Pac-Man”, one of the world’s most accomplished boxers,
has competed professionally since 1995. Not only is Manny
the irst boxer to win the lineal championship in ive
diferent weight divisions and a major world title in four
weight divisions (lyweight, featherweight, lightweight
and welterweight), he is also the only eight-division world
champion in the history of the sport. Pacquiao is currently
serving as a senator of the Philippines.SOURCE © SHUTTERSTOCK SOURCE © SHUTTERSTOCK