新媒网 · 跨境数据社区

I started doing triathlons to turn my life around, after receiving a reality check from a medical checkup. My friend, an avid triathlete himself, encouraged me to join him. He was a true pillar of support as we trained together for races. What I did not expect was to lose him to cancer within a year. As one last promise to him, I was determined to complete the Ironman race in his honour. Till today, completing a Full Ironman triathlon at 41 years old remains one of my life’s biggest and proudest achievements. As I ran past the finish line, after swimming 3.8km in the ocean and cycling 180km along the coastal roads of Langkawi, I felt like I was on top of the world, like I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. The race was challenging, both physically and mentally. There were many instances where I felt like giving up. At the 184km mark, I could not feel my legs after coming off the bike. But with 42km of running left to complete the race, I persisted and fought through. I had to strategise to make it to finish line – pacing myself and making it past one streetlamp at a time. Exhausted and alone with my thoughts, I held onto my late friend’s favourite saying, “C’mon! You’re not even trying, it’s all or nothing!” Before I knew it, I made it past the finish line. It took me 15 hours, but I did it. I kept my promise to my late friend. Beyond just a hobby, competing in triathlons has given me a second chance at life. It has made me resilient in ways I never knew I could be. Strategy, focus and discipline – these traits were also undeniably instrumental in navigating my role as the Digital Customer Acquisition Lead in UOB, delivering strategic solutions and leading my team in achieving our sales targets. Now in my 50s, I have pulled back a fair bit, but I look forward to the day I can conquer a full triathlon once more." – Lim Choon Yuen, Digital Customer Acquisition Lead, UOB Malaysia “Stories from UOB” is a series that spotlights our colleagues, customers and community partners as they share their rich personal stories, collected over our 90-year history of doing Right By You. #RightByYou #UOB90