Scaling new heights: NUS student-athletes graduate with sporting excellence

From left: Kiria Tikanah and Jeannie Su

Jeannie Su: Dancing to her own beat 

Jeannie came in first place in the 2022 Singapore National Figure Skating Championships – Senior Ladies event. (Photo: Jeannie Su)

Jeannie Su has achieved a perfect equilibrium between her studies and sports. The former national figure skater-turned-coach and newly minted Pharmaceutical Science graduate quipped, “I skate to escape school, and I go to school to escape skating!” 

She has also had a passion for dance since she was 14. In 2019, she joined the dance team for NUS Rag & Flag, a signature charity project held during NUS’ freshman orientation each year. 

“Everyone worked hard and did well. Emotions ran high, and tears were shed,” she said. “It was a great introduction to student life.” 

That same year, Jeannie joined NUS’ contemporary dance group, Dance Synergy, where she found that dance enhanced her artistic expression when skating. By expanding her repertoire of movements, she could express herself in new, diverse ways on ice. 

With her interest in healthcare and drug safety, the 22-year-old hopes to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Although she retired from figure skating last year, she continues to stay involved as a coach. 

“I don’t envision coaching as my full-time profession because I studied Pharmaceutical Science. But skating holds a significant place in my life, so I hope to continue coaching as much as my future job permits,” she said.

Kiria Tikanah: Excelling in fencing and academics 

Kiria participated in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games and clinched the Gold medal in the Team Épée category, and the Silver medal in the Women’s Individual Épée category. (Photo: Kiria Tikanah)

Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman holds the honour of being the first Singaporean woman to compete in the épée event at the Olympics. But few in NUS knew this. 

Up until she started gaining some publicity for her maiden outing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 22-year-old NUS Chemistry graduate kept her fencing endeavours discreet. She mentioned it only when explaining her upcoming absence ahead of the Olympics to her professors, who were always patient and understanding. 

When she trained for a month and a half in Budapest, her professors recorded their lectures and rescheduled her exams to accommodate her trainings and competitions. “It was a very stressful time for me, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the university’s support,” said Kiria. 

NUS also helped her to arrange her classes and exams around her training schedule. “I became more independent because I got to decide what I wanted to do, and how to plan my schedule accordingly,” she shared. 

She is grateful for her friends in Chemistry who helped her to enjoy NUS’ vibrant campus life, providing some normalcy amidst her rigorous training schedule. 

“My friends and I would run around to try out different canteens, and try to make it back to class in time,” she said. “They really helped me integrate school life and training.” 

Having graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Kiria will commence full-time training for a year to prepare and qualify for upcoming international competitions, including the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the meantime, the fencing trailblazer intends to sharpen her blade in a number of upcoming competitions such as the Asian Fencing Championships, World Fencing Championships, Asian Games, as well as several Fencing Grand Prix and World Cups in the qualifying season leading up to Olympics. 

Source: Adapted from NUS News