GO SINGAPORE!

Top & shorts: from France (Similar here) | Shoes: ASOS | Bag: Kate Spade | Necklace: Topshop (Similar here)

So I think it's safe to say that most of us here in Singapore are experiencing fervent national pride because not only did our nation just turn 51 (happy birthday, you saucy broad), we've also just witnessed the first Singaporean to ever win an Olympic* gold medal - Yup, if you've been living under a rock, welcome back - Joseph Schooling, a 21 year boy man just snagged the gold in the 100m butterfly event. Besides setting a new Olympic, Asian and national record, he beat human-torpedo-fish Michael Phelps who has so many Olympic medals he could probably make at least twenty Poseidon spears out of them. And he totally should because that would be dope. He could use the remainder to make a throne.

My Facebook timeline seems as if I've joined a Joseph Schooling fan club so I've seen a couple of great interviews and stories. One that caught my eye was about a bunch of people leaving negative comments about how he's not really Singaporean since he spent most of his formative years in the states training and going to school and all that.

In the same vein, Rihanna's from Barbados but her work was produced in the states. Do you think Barbadians are all "Nahhh she ain't one of us. B*tch better have my money" NO. Because that would be weird. Ok that might not be the best comparison because I'm really exhausted right now so maybe not the same vein after all.

I just think that the idea of nationality goes much deeper than what race a person is, or what accent they speak with, or where they study. It's a confluence of all those things and more, but most importantly, it's also about personal belief. If he is proud to call himself a Singaporean (I am assuming he hasn't said he's not), who are you (nameless faceless anonymous internet person) to deny him that, and who are you to deny your countrymen who are happy to embrace him with open arms this small joy?

Anyway, I'm not angry or ranting. I see the other side of the coin, I recognise that we may not have really been part of the secret sauce that produced this Schooling magic, but nonetheless, in the spirit of the Olympics, let's not squabble over this, let's gather to rejoice in the great sporting achievements, ogle the hotties with the bodies, and marvel at the fact that teenagers are reaching the maximum of the body's potential while most of us struggle to put on our pants in the morning.

MAJULAH SINGAPURA!

* Let's also take the time to recognise that Singaporean Yip Pin Xiu won gold in backstroke for the Paralympics though. Champs all around!