Staying True to Beliefs, Commitments & Schedules. 10 Questions with Ng Wei Quan

In the first real test of the new PURPOSE World Triathlon racing tri suit with Hydrophobic quality, the kit performed spectacularly over the long-distance half Ironman race. Worn by Ng Wei Quan from Singapore who placed 3rd in his category at the Ironman 70.3 Da Nang recently. 

PURPOSE: How are you feeling after the race?

Wei Quan: Feeling awesome! It has been almost three years since we raced an ironman race, and it felt good to travel overseas to race.

Honestly, I only prepared for this race two months prior as travel borders were closed back then, and race dates were confirmed only two months before. 

Currently, I am focused on recovering from the race (taking rest to the utmost advantage) before starting training for my next race again.

PURPOSE: How was the result? How did you do?

Wei Quan: I knew I had a chance to be in the top 5 in this new Age Group. Surprisingly I did better than expected by coming 3rd in my Age Group, and even qualifying for my 2nd World Championship 70.3 in Utah. 

However, I declined that slot as I will be busy with work commitments in November. My swim was 35:52, bike timing was 2:27, and I ran 1:42 for the half marathon. I came in at 4:51 – 20th overall for the individual.

PURPOSE: Did you expect the outcome?

Wei Quan: I expected to come under sub 5 hours. However, I felt I could have done better in the race as I did not have proper nutrition on the bike.

This had made me overeat gels on the run and vomit at 14km. Although, I would not change my race strategy as I was biking strongly in the front pack with some monster bikers.

PURPOSE: How was your preparation? How long? Any setback?

Ans: I have been training during Covid Season, mainly indoor training on the bike during lockdowns in Singapore and more regularly outside once reopening was announced.

Also, I have been working quite a lot on my swim in the last two months, and I have swum more consistently than ever, which is why my swim was better than expected! 

One of the setbacks was when I landed in Danang. Something was wrong with my bike stem, which caused a little scare. Thankfully they managed to replace that stem.

PURPOSE: What can or will you improve?

Wei Quan: I would like to improve my swimming as it is still my weakest link. I will also look to get back my run fitness as it used to be my strongest leg.

My run training has not been consistent as I have struggled to learn how to run strong after the bike leg. This means I will need to put more effort into my run training before my next race. 

Mentally, I will also want to improve on my mindset by going into longer races like this so that I do not have a mental breakdown in the middle of the run leg.

PURPOSE: It was a long 2-year hiatus from any race. How did you stay mentally ready?

Wei Quan: This was not easy. Many times when I am training indoors, I always question why I train so hard. There are times whereby I felt like giving up and also not training so hard. I always remembered my goal. And that is to go below 5 hours for the half ironman. 

Also, I have been training hard on the bike but have not been able to show my training in races, which is why I told myself to stay focused for this race and show it in this race. I am glad I did that as I biked pretty decently.

PURPOSE: What’s the next race? Is any major international competition on the horizon?

Wei Quan: My next race will be a Malaysian National Duathlon race, as well as Powerman in October in Putrajaya.

While the focus on triathlon will always be there, the next year will be focused on improving my run as well as bike strength for the SEA Games Selection for 2023.

PURPOSE: What was your race day arsenal? Shoutouts to your sponsors?

Wei Quan: I wore the PURPOSE Hydrophobic World Triathlon Tri Suit without any swimskin, rode a FELT IA16 triathlon bike and also ran on Alphafly. I am an ambassador of Tailwind Nutrition which helped me greatly during the bike. 

PURPOSE: How did the PURPOSE racing kit perform? Impressions, opinions?

Wei Quan: I like the PURPOSE racing kit because the Hydrophobic technology allows me to swim faster in the ocean.

While I am a relatively weak swimmer, such help from the suit will allow me to gain some extra timing on the swim leg so that I can better perform on the bike and run legs. The suit is also quite breathable which is suitable for Southeast Asia Region weather.

PURPOSE: What’s next for you as an athlete?

Wei Quan: I am hoping to become a more rounded athlete by improving my swim, bike and run respectively so that I will be able to at least compete on the international stage soon. 

I am also looking to train for a full Ironman race next year to try and qualify for Kona.

No stranger to wearing PURPOSE, Wei Quan continues wearing the products even after ending his sponsorship with the brand. We wish Wei quan all the best and will continue to support him in his chase for the Kona qualifications.