Stella Tay, captain of the SMU women's dragon boat team, said it is the toughness of dragon boat racing that appeals to her. "I'm someone who loves a good challenge. So when I heard my friends raved about how tough dragon boat racing is, I decided to join the sport and challenge myself," she said. Tay has even given up an internship with a prestigious organisation this year, because it clashed with her training schedule with the SMU team. It is a sacrifice that she feels is worth it. She said: "The sport has given me so much, both mentally and physically. I'm also a lot more disciplined and confident in the things that I do."