A little girl’s hope, a champion’s glory

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By Marlynda Meraw

In the heart of Sibu, when the days seemed to stretch on forever and the world was a vast, mysterious place, there lived a little girl named Stephanie Ngu Cai Ern. She was only 11-years-old, still more of a bud than a blossom, a spring chicken in a world too big for her small feet to fully understand.

The echoes of her laughter, mingled with the joyful shouts of her siblings, filled the air of her home, a place where the warmth of family wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. In those callow years, Stephanie only knew the simple joys of childhood, unaware of the remarkable journey that lay just beyond the horizon.

Little beginnings to golden triumphs

Stephanie stepped onto the mats at just 12-years-old, her heart racing with the unfamiliar thrill of her first official competition at the Malaysia Games (Sukma). It was 2016, just a year since she began her journey in wushu, yet there she was, barely past the threshold of childhood, filled with the pure, untainted spirit of someone who had yet to fully grasp the enormity of the world around her.

The vastness of the world dwarfed her small figure, and the weight of what she was about to do pressed down on her like a heavy mantle.

Surrounded by seasoned competitors, she stood tall, her determination burning brighter than her fears. Though the world around her seemed so much bigger, Stephanie carried within her a quiet resolve, a belief that she could hold her own against these giants.

Despite it being her first competition, Stephanie did not return empty-handed. With the determination of someone far beyond her years, she clinched two bronze medals (jianshu and qiangshu) at the end of that Sukma, a remarkable achievement for one so young. But her journey didn’t end there.

In Sukma 2018 in Perak, she returned to the arena with even more resolve, earning a silver in jianshu and a bronze in qiangshu, each medal affirming her growing skills and unyielding spirit. The years passed, with each Sukma, Stephanie’s collection of medals grew—two silver (chanquan and jianshu) and another bronze medal for qiangshu in Sukma 2022 in Kuala Lumpur.

It was only in 2024, after countless hours of training, sweat and tears, Stephanie’s hard work finally bore the golden fruit she had long dreamed of. In her final year of Sukma XXI Sarawak 2024, she stepped onto the podium not just once, but thrice, each time claiming the top podium position for changquan, jianshu, and qiangshu. It was the culmination of the journey that began when she was just a girl, a journey defined by relentless dedication and an unbreakable will to succeed.

A warrior’s spirit in a little girl’s heart

Stephanie had initially picked up wushu out of boredom, following the footsteps of her elder siblings who were deeply immersed in their own extracurricular pursuits. Her natural talent and dedication quickly became apparent, and it wasn’t long before she started attracting the spotlight

When the coaches came scouting for Stephanie, speaking of a future her young mind could barely imagine, one filled with the disciplined grace of wushu and the hopes of Sarawak, she didn’t quite understand what it meant. She only knew that the path they offered was lined with the dreams of those who saw her in something special, something that could shape the future of the sport.

She was a child, and her understanding of the world was still tender and unformed. Too young to fully grasp the weight of the moment, yet just old enough to sense its gravity, she knew that it was a journey not only of choice, but also of necessity.

And so, with a heart as heavy as it was hopeful, she took her first steps down a road that would lead her far from the innocence of her childhood, into a world where she would be moulded into a symbol of pride for the people of Sarawak.

Leaving home for Kuching meant leaving behind the familiar faces and places that had shaped her early years. It meant stepping into the unknown, driven by a promise—a promise to make Sarawak proud.

Homesick yet heartstrong

The loneliness she endured, the countless nights spent away from home, weighed heavily on her young heart. There were tearful nights when she cried quietly, missing the warmth of her family. Each pang of homesickness felt like an ache that wouldn’t fade.

Yet, all those lonely nights, all those years ago, were not in vain. The moment she proudly wore the gold medals around her neck, her heart swelled in joy, knowing that every sacrifice had been worth it.

As she looked up and saw her family in the bleachers, their faces beaming in pride, the distance and heartache melted away. In that moment, surrounded by the love and pride of those who mattered most, Stephanie knew she had given her all for a reason—and it had all led to this.

At just 20-years-old, Stephanie stood tall and proud, her eyes sparkling with the same brilliance as the gold medals she held aloft, the medals glinting in the light, reflecting the hard-earned triumphs and the unwavering spirit that brought her to that very moment.

What drove her forward was her unbreakable willpower, a fierce determination to rise above the challenges that came her way, even during the years when the gold medals were just out of the reach of her fingertips.

It was the grace and precision of a retired Chinese athlete, Lai XiaoXiao, that ignited a fire within Stephanie. The elegance of Lai’s movements, and the mastery of her technique, captivated Stephanie’s imagination—a benchmark she aspired to follow. Stephanie envisions herself not just emulating, but perfecting that form, channelling her dedication into every practice and every challenge, driven by a vision of becoming as extraordinary as her idol.

This easy going, playful girl harbours a dream of representing Malaysia on the grandest stages. Her next ambition is to join the national team, compete in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, and one day, make it to the Olympics. For her, no dream is too grand, no goal is too distant. —DayakDaily

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