Intro
Aisyah Rafaee is Singapore’s first Olympic rower, representing the nation at both the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. From her early years in netball to becoming a SEA Games gold medalist and two-time Olympian, her story is one of resilience, courage, and reinvention.
In this episode, we talk about the ten-year journey it took for Aisyah to qualify for her first Olympics, the emotional highs and lows of being a professional athlete, and how she’s learned to redefine her identity after sport. From burnout and tears in the boat to finding new meaning in coaching and entrepreneurship, Aisyah’s story shows what it really takes to rebuild after the finish line.
Story Highlights
- Discovering rowing by chance after playing netball
- Taking ten years to qualify for her first Olympics
- Training full-time in Australia after crowdfunding her way there
- Dealing with burnout and identity loss after Rio
- Returning to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics with a new mindset
Quote
“All I remember was like a sense of relief. Oh my God, I did it, ’cause it took me almost ten years to try and qualify.”
About Aisyah Rafaee
Aisyah Rafaee is a Singaporean rower, two-time Olympian, and SEA Games gold medalist. She became the first Singaporean to qualify for the Olympics in rowing, competing at Rio 2016 and Paris 2024. After retiring from competitive sport, she founded 3HP Athlete, where she coaches athletes on mental performance and personal growth. Drawing from her own experiences of burnout, self-doubt, and recovery, Aisyah now helps others find clarity and resilience in both sport and life.
Why This Conversation Matters
Aisyah’s story goes beyond athletic achievement — it’s about the emotional journey of purpose, identity, and self-worth. Her reflections on burnout, transition, and rebuilding highlight what many high performers face once the spotlight fades. This episode reminds us that resilience isn’t just about pushing harder; sometimes, it’s about learning to stop, reflect, and start again.
Turning Points
After failing to qualify for the Olympics multiple times, Aisyah finally achieved her dream at the 2016 Rio Games — only to face burnout and identity loss soon after. The two years that followed were some of her hardest, filled with doubt, emotional exhaustion, and tears on the water. Eventually, she found grounding through mental coaching, travel, and meeting her husband in the US, where she began to rediscover who she was beyond rowing. When she returned for the Paris 2024 Olympics, it wasn’t out of pressure, but curiosity — to see how strong she could become again, on her own terms.
Key Lessons
- Success takes time. It took her nearly ten years to reach her Olympic dream.
- Burnout is real. Rest is not weakness — it’s wisdom.
- Identity evolves. You are more than your title or achievements.
- Growth is cyclical. It’s okay to return to something with a different purpose.
- Mindset matters. Mental strength is built through self-awareness and balance.
If You Enjoyed This Episode
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- Nuray Istiqbal on Reinvention, Identity, and Starting Over — navigating transformation and self-acceptance.
- Heema Izzati on Body, Confidence, and Finding Your Own Power — rediscovering self-worth through change.