Between being a president of two associations, running his own martial arts school and caring for his family, life gets busy for local actor Vincent Ng, and he’s “still learning” how to juggle everything on his plate.
“I don’t think I’ve completely figured out the perfect balance. There are periods when work gets very busy, especially with the different sports organisations and projects I’m involved in,” he said in a recent interview with AsiaOne.
“So, when I have time with my family, I try to be present rather than being physically there but mentally somewhere else.”
Vincent, who turns 51 in December, married non-celebrity Mei Ling in 2017 and had his son Zander — currently the only child — the following year.
During the interview, the former wushu champion said he has come to appreciate quiet time much more as he gets older.
“I got married when I was 42 and started a family, and naturally, my priorities changed as I entered my 40s and now my 50s. When you’re younger, I think you’re very focused on achieving things – your career, your goals, building something and proving yourself,” he said.
But starting a family gave him a different perspective.
“You begin to realise that success isn’t just about what you achieve professionally, but also about the people you’re sharing your life with and the experiences you create together,” he explained.
He feels that every five or 10 years, his mindset and priorities “naturally evolve”.
“Life experiences and maturity change the way you look at things. What was important to me in my 30s isn’t necessarily what is important to me now, and I think that’s a good thing.”
He added: “At this stage of my life, I’m probably more conscious about how I spend my time, what is meaningful to me, and what I can leave behind for the next generation.”
Vincent, who is a three-time gold medallist at the SEA Games, is also Singapore’s first wushu world champion after winning the daoshu event in 1995.
He switched to acting and appeared in Mediacorp shows from 1997 to 2007, establishing his martial arts school Wufang Singapore in 2004.
He left acting to focus on his school and returned briefly in 2022 for the film Deleted — which was produced by local veteran actor Zhang Geping — and recently for the short drama The Executioner.
Vincent also became the founding president of the Mixed Martial Arts Association of Singapore (MMAAS) in 2023, and last month, he was revealed to be the first president of the newly established Mind Sports Federation of Singapore (MSFS).
[[nid:744187]]
He told AsiaOne he “never planned” to be an association president but took up the challenge because he believed in doing his best in the roles handed to him.
“It’s less about doing everything and more about doing things that have meaning. That’s also part of why MSFS is meaningful to me. I’ve spent many years competing and coaching. Now I want to contribute in a different way — building platforms, developing sports and creating opportunities for the next generation,” he said.
“Ultimately, I hope that the things I’m involved in can continue to have an impact beyond me.”
Son ‘quite different’ from him
Zander recently turned eight and Vincent told us he’s learning wushu.
While people assume the boy will follow in his father’s footsteps, Vincent said Zander is “quite different” from him.
“He enjoys chess a lot, so I think he’s quite smart. I think he has potential in mind sports… He’s in primary two so he’s still exploring,” said Vincent.
When asked about his parenting style, he said he’s “like any other father”.
“Just because I’m a world champion doesn’t mean my son has to be a wushu athlete. I let him do wushu because it helps a lot with hand coordination, flexibility and agility,” he explained.
He feels he’s only strict when it comes to “morals and values”, and is open to Zander pursuing his passion because it was how he was brought up himself.
His father was supportive of him doing wushu despite having no history with martial arts, attending his tournaments and sometimes hiding in a corner until the competitions ended so Vincent wouldn’t feel stressed.
His mum was equally encouraging.
“So to Zander, I will support him as long as he’s not doing the wrong thing… I will give him the freedom to explore,” he said.
[[nid:744536]]
syarifahsn@asiaone.com
No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Read the full article here
