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Joseph Schooling, World Championships, Kazan photo by Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro) –

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Joseph Schooling

Swimming is an extreme sport which requires the use of one鈥檚 entire body to move through the water. It can be varied from swimming for recreation and for competitive purposes with both being low-impact activities with so many mental and physical health benefits for people of all ages.

When swimming in a competitive environment, every stroke is vital and requires elaborate and systematic techniques to emerge the ultimate swimmer and Joseph Schooling is perceived to have mastered the art of swimming in a competitive environment.

Joseph Isaac Schooling born in Singapore on June 6, 1995, is the only child of May and Colin Schooling. He is widely known as Singapore鈥檚 first Olympic Gold medalist and is one of Singapore鈥檚 best-performing athletes.

His heroics were witnessed at the 2016 Rio Olympics where he beat the legendary Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly event in addition to having won against him earlier on at the Longhorns Elite Invite meet in Austin, Texas. Here is a compilation of the top 10 most astonishing facts about Joseph Schooling.

1. Joseph won his and Singapore鈥檚 first Olympic gold medal at 21

Joseph Schooling, World Championships, Kazan photo by Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro) –

Schooling was only 21 years old when he won the Olympic gold medal at the Rio Olympics which was his and Singapore鈥檚 first. Furthermore, he went ahead and won the gold medal for the 100m butterfly final with a record time after clocking an Olympic record time of 50.39s.

2. He is the youngest recipient of the sportsman of the year award

Image by Robo Michalec –

Joseph was awarded the prestigious Singapore sports award at the age of 17 making him the youngest winner in 2012. However, he was unable to attend the award presentation since he was caught up in an examination at school.

He went ahead to win the sportsman of the year in 2015,2016,2017,2018 and 2019.

3. Schooling broke a 33-year national record in the 50m freestyle event

Joseph took part in nine events at the 2015 SEA Games that took place in Singapore going on to achieve gold and shatter Games records in all of them. In addition to that, he set a new record time of 22.47 seconds in the 50m freestyle.

The achievement broke the previous record time of 22.69s set at the 1982 U.S swimming championships  held by Ang Peng Siong for 33 years!

4. Joseph鈥檚 great-uncle was Singapore鈥檚 first Olympian

Men’s high jump event in 1896 Summer Olympics – Wikimedia Commons

Schooling is Olympian royalty as his great-uncle, Lloyd Valberg was Singapore鈥檚 first Olympian at the 1948 Summer Olympics where he represented Singapore in the high jump event.

Schooling acquired the inspiration to participate in the Olympics from his great-uncle Lloyd.

5. Schooling defeated both Phelps and Lochte in the 100m butterfly

Photo of Ryan Lochte during 2008 Olympic Trials (Omaha, Nebraska) photo by tobyandtaishan –

At the Speedo South sectional championships held in Florida in 2013, Joseph defeated six-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte to win the final in the 100m butterfly long course. Moreover, he defeated his idol Michael Phelps twice in 2016, first in a 100 meters butterfly event at the Longhorns Elite invite to meet in Austin, Texas and at the Rio Olympics for the second time.

Michael Phelps has been the largest influence on Joseph’s swimming career, he has stated time and time again. He looked up to Phelps as a young athlete and dreamed of competing with him. When they first met, Joseph sought his opinion and eagerly absorbed his suggestions. He observed how Phelps made history and was motivated to succeed by his example.

6. He broke an eight-year Olympic record at the 2016 Olympics

Michael Phelps in Santa Clara, June 2007 photo by JD Lasica –

Schooling won a gold medal in the 100m butterfly with a record time of 50.39 seconds on August 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro. The time broke an eight-year Olympic record of 50.58 seconds that was set by Michael Phelps at the 2008 Summer Olympics consequently winning Singapore its first-ever Olympic gold medal.

7. Joseph completed his college career with 12 NCAA titles

Photo by Rosie Kerr on

Schooling won the 100, 200 鈥� yard butterfly awards at the 2015 NCAA Division I men鈥檚 swimming and diving championships subsequently defending the titles won at the 2015 NCAA in the 2016 NCAA. Nevertheless, he obtained four gold medals, a silver and a bronze medal at the 2017 NCAA Division I men鈥檚 swimming and diving championships.

Joseph ended his career at the University of Texas with 12 NCAA titles.

8. He broke Kohei Kawamoto鈥檚 Asian record for the 100m butterfly

Image by pettep from

In the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, Schooling set a new Asian record at only 20 years old he broke Japan swimmer Kohei Kawamoto鈥檚 record for the 100m butterfly subsequently giving Singapore its first-ever podium finish.

9. Joseph is the first Singapore native to win a Commonwealth swimming medal

Hampden Park Glasgow Commonwealth Games photo by Groundhopper2000 –

At the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Schooling became the first Singaporean to win a swimming favorite in the Commonwealth games.

10. Schooling loves soccer 

Photo by Connor Coyne on

Being a typical Singaporean boy there is no doubt that Joseph enjoys watching soccer. Despite being a swimmer, Joseph enjoys playing both virtual and real soccer. He enjoys playing the FIFA series. In the same vein, his favorite football club is Chelsea.

Schooling achievements through his swimming career display how more reputable his skills and discipline shaped his talent to become the Maestro he is and achieving such feats and cementing his name in history books. He says, 鈥淚 fail more than I succeed鈥� and indicates that his success came after a lot of self-discipline as it鈥檚 seen before the Rio Olympics when he decided against watching the popular drama series Game of Thrones to keep his focus solely on achieving his professional goals.

Joseph Schooling is one of Singapore鈥檚 finest and best-performing athletes. Intelligent, good-looking and humble are just but a few traits mentioned to what he is. His good reputation surely precedes him from what he has achieved for both his country and himself.