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By Lin Xinyi

Singapore's Cheng Jing Hean with his SEA Games gold medal in the Philippines back in 2005. The NSF made his comeback last month and aims to qualify for next year's Asian Games. -- ST FILE PHOTO

AFTER becoming the first South-east Asia Games men's triathlon gold medallist in 2005, Cheng Jing Hean set his sights on competing at the Asian Games.

But a tough decision to focus on his studies saw the 2006 quadrennial Games in Doha pass him by.

Three years on, he has returned to the sport in a bid to represent Singapore at the Asian Games in Guangzhou next year.

'Whenever I see people race, I'm itching to come back,' he said. 'No matter what, triathlon is already a part of me.'

The 22-year-old full-time national serviceman (NSF) started training last month, but expects to increase the mileage and intensity of his sessions after his operationally ready date in February.

Cheng acknowledges that he is way off the peak he was when he won the SEA Games race, comprising a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run, in 1hr 58min 41sec.

He estimates that he would need four months of full-time training to get back to where he left off in 2006.

While he might be lacking in speed now, he is not lacking determination.

'I want to prove some people wrong,' said Cheng, referring to some in the fraternity who have drawn comparisons between him and a national triathlete.

He gets plenty of motivation back home too. His dad, Chang Fong, is a former national cyclist who competed in the 1965 South-east Asian Peninsular Games and 1966 Asian Games, and he wants to follow in his footsteps.

Cheng's comeback was well received by Triathlon Association of Singapore president Mark Tay.

Said Tay of the youngest triathlete to make the national training team at the age of 13: 'He's one of the few triathletes who have the potential and the right physique for the sport.'

Cheng is hopeful that a time of 1:55:00 will be enough to qualify for the Asian Games in November next year. That would have been good enough for a top 10 spot at the last Games, but it falls short of Singapore National Olympic Council's selection criteria of meeting the sixth placing (1:53:02 ) then.

But association and athlete will take matters a step at a time.

Tay said: 'Whether he can make the top-six timing is immaterial right now.

'By coming back and making the commitment to the sport, he has issued himself a big challenge.'