Last February I went to Singapore for a very short business trip. My schedule was so tight that I only have a one evening to catch-up with friends in the country. Fortunately, Marcus Koh was available at that time who just landed back in Singapore.
For those who do not know who Marcus is, he is the Singapore national yoyo champion and also the single-A “World Yoyo” Champion in 2011.
Over a hearty meal of Bak Kut Teh, we talked about his experiences on how did he start playing with yoyo and his journey on becoming a world yoyo champion. Here’s my short interview with a World Yoyo Champion.
1.How long have you been playing yoyo?
I have been playing for about 21 years already.
2. At what age did you start playing:
I started playing as young as 10 years old
3. How did you get into yoyoing? I started from the super yoyo anime, its a story of a boy who has a dream of becoming a world yo-yo champion, and how he perseveres against all odds to acheive his dreams.
4. In 2011, you won the World yoyo contest. Can you tell us how did you prepare for your routine and what did you feel after the execution of your freestyle?
I prepared for the routine by practicing 4 to 6 hours everyday, I also had to sacrifice going out with friends in a disciplined effort to practice consistently everyday. After the execution of my freestyle, I was not too pleased as I had made mistakes that I did not make at all during my practice sessions.
5. During that time you were still playing for TP. What yoyo did you use to win the World yoyo contest 2011?
I used the Positron
6. Now you have your own yoyo brand, can you share with us the story how and why you started Throw Revolution?
I started ThrowRevolution on 2 things:
1. To be able to design and create yoyos
2. To help grow players into a champion, just like how I did for my yoyo journey.
7. Any message for the new players who’s also aspiring to become a world champion someday?
Play together. Practice together, lose a lot, win a lot, fall a lot, and get back up every time. Believe in yourself, and always be open to new ideas.
