MISSION VIEJO, Calif.  Swimmer Nicolette Teo, who will represent her native Singapore in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, grew up in church and said she depends upon her faith while training rigorously for the event of her life.
According to The Christian Chronicle, 18-year-old Teo is up and in the water before 5 a.m. for two hours of practice. She returns from 2:30 to 5 p.m. each afternoon. She also lifts weights and does yoga to train.
"I know it is a full schedule, but I really love the sport and thus enjoy every hour devoted to it," Teo told the Chronicle. In August Teo will compete in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events in the Olympics. She was the youngest competitor on the Singapore squad in the 2000 games in Sydney, Australia.
Teo trains in Mission Viejo, where her family lives and where they attend church. Teo grew up in the Pasir Panjang church in Singapore.
"Growing up in the church has really shaped who I am as an athlete and as a person," she said. "I find myself constantly looking to God for guidance, and I count on the Lord daily for strength."
Teo and her mother, Doreen, moved to the United States in 2002 in search of top-flight swimming competitions and training facilities. Her father, Adrian, said that he "commutes" between California and Singapore.
"Our main objective in Nicolette's pursuit of her Olympic dream is that she develop her character and that she continuously glorify God," Adrian Teo told the Chronicle.
Homesickness has been a challenge for the swimmer, according to a feature in the sports section of the Los Angeles Times. At one point, before her senior year of high school swim meets began, she considered returning to Singapore and giving up on the Olympics.
"I love my church back home in Singapore and I miss all my brothers and sisters in Christ there," she told the Chronicle. "The youth program at Pasir Panjang is especially strong and I definitely miss the fellowship."
Heart-to-heart talks with her mother and friends back home helped her make the decision to stay in the United States and train for another Olympic run.
"I think Nic has learned a lot about herself," her mother told the LA Times. "After we came here, she went through a growth spurt and cultural changes, and I think it brought on the question of, 'Who am I?' She lost a lot of confidence. But it's coming back now, and coming back stronger."
And prayer has helped her navigate the waters  in and out of the pool.
"I find that it is always my faith that helps me through a hard practice or a tough race," Nicolette Teo said. "I find myself saying a short prayer to God asking him for the strength to swim fast, and I say prayers before each race, too."
