Radical!: 50-year-old man's love for BMX shreds expectations
PETALING JAYA: Despite his age, a man from Shah Alam is defying gravity and proving that his passion for riding BMX bikes never fades.
The 50-year-old IT programmer, Alan Chew, said he was inspired by two movies he watched when he was in his younger years, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Magic BMX (1983), which inspired him to try riding BMX bikes.
"After watching those films, I was hooked. I started riding BMX around 1989 and 1991, but eventually stopped due to life commitments.
"Even after I stopped riding, the passion never left me.
"I hope my story can inspire others, especially older riders or anyone who thinks it's too late to chase their passion," he said, when contacted on Wednesday (April 30).
He said that he had always thought of getting back into it and had waited until 2017.
"I finally decided to buy a new BMX bike and start shredding again.
"Once I got back on the bike, I realised I loved it even more than before, and from that point on, I couldn't stop. It became part of my lifestyle and identity," he said.
He added that he would normally join younger generation BMX riders together, and they have been welcoming.
"We learn a lot from each other. BMX is a shared passion regardless of age," said Chew.
Asked if he was part of any BMX Club, he said that he was not, but "the local BMX community is very small and tight-knit.
"Most of the active riders know each other. Because of my age, I tend to stand out a bit, and I'm proud to show that age is never a barrier to doing what you love," he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
05-05-2025
- The Star
SG actor Dennis Chew graduates from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, offered spot in NUS
Singaporean celebrity Dennis Chew has graduated from polytechnic at the age of 51, and is looking forward to furthering his studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS). On May 2, the Love 972 DJ, actor and host was among 198 full-time graduates from the School of Humanities & Interdisciplinary Studies at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to receive their diplomas at the institution. Dressed in a dark blue graduation gown and sporting a tie, he walked onstage to receive his diploma in Chinese media and communication from the school's director, Sandra Toh, at 4.50pm. His famous friends – local actors Marcus Chin and Mark Lee, who are also his co-hosts on Love 972's radio programme The Breakfast Quartet – turned up to support him. Chew was even name-dropped by the event's guest of honour, Yuen Kuan Moon, who is chairman of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Council as well as group chief executive of telco Singtel. In his speech, Yuen said Chew's story is an inspiration to many. 'Although he already has a successful media career with Mediacorp, he saw the value of upskilling. With the support of his employer, and by sheer determination, he overcame challenges related to returning to school after a long gap.' Chew is the oldest full-time diploma student to graduate in 2025. During his three years at NP, he was awarded the Kongzi Culture Fund's Pei Hwa Foundation Scholarship and the Ministry of Education's Edusave Certificate of Academic Achievement for two consecutive years. The Mediacorp artiste told The Straits Times after the ceremony that he has been offered a place in NUS' College of Humanities and Sciences. He hopes to pursue a bachelor's degree in Chinese studies come August, once he sorts out his work commitments. 'I have attended the Star Awards many times, but this is my first time attending a graduation ceremony and I was very moved,' he said, referring to Mediacorp's annual television awards ceremony. Before enrolling in 2022, he had hosted events on NP's campus. 'But never did I think I would study, let alone graduate, from here.' Unfortunately, his father, who died in February, did not live to witness the proud moment. Chew said: 'Decades ago, when I did very poorly for my O levels and told him I did not want to study any more, he let out a very long sigh and walked to another room. I will never forget that sigh. So, if he saw me today, I think he would feel very happy and comforted.' Calling his poly journey enriching, he added: 'I realised that I am like a frog in a well. There were a lot of things I thought I knew, but I did not. Even now, there is still a lot more to learn.' Being around his batchmates, who are mostly in their late teens and early 20s, has also taught him life lessons. 'When I am with young people, I see their innocence and it changes me. From them, I learn not to be so fussy about some things. So, although I came to study, I also learnt how to live better and be a better person.' Fully aware that they have officially parted ways, he admitted he will miss them dearly. 'We have spent almost every day together for the last three years. But now, some of them will be serving in the army, and others will be travelling. We will have less time to interact and I will feel a sense of emptiness without them.' He added: 'In my life, there have been only two periods which I thoroughly enjoyed – my national service days and my poly days.' Chew also hopes to encourage those wanting to further their education to take the leap, no matter their age or stage in life. 'As long as you can take the first step, you will realise that it is not as difficult as you imagined.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
The Star
30-04-2025
- The Star
Radical!: 50-year-old man's love for BMX shreds expectations
PETALING JAYA: Despite his age, a man from Shah Alam is defying gravity and proving that his passion for riding BMX bikes never fades. The 50-year-old IT programmer, Alan Chew, said he was inspired by two movies he watched when he was in his younger years, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Magic BMX (1983), which inspired him to try riding BMX bikes. "After watching those films, I was hooked. I started riding BMX around 1989 and 1991, but eventually stopped due to life commitments. "Even after I stopped riding, the passion never left me. "I hope my story can inspire others, especially older riders or anyone who thinks it's too late to chase their passion," he said, when contacted on Wednesday (April 30). He said that he had always thought of getting back into it and had waited until 2017. "I finally decided to buy a new BMX bike and start shredding again. "Once I got back on the bike, I realised I loved it even more than before, and from that point on, I couldn't stop. It became part of my lifestyle and identity," he said. He added that he would normally join younger generation BMX riders together, and they have been welcoming. "We learn a lot from each other. BMX is a shared passion regardless of age," said Chew. Asked if he was part of any BMX Club, he said that he was not, but "the local BMX community is very small and tight-knit. "Most of the active riders know each other. Because of my age, I tend to stand out a bit, and I'm proud to show that age is never a barrier to doing what you love," he said.
The Star
22-04-2025
- The Star
Actor Mark Lee and friends dress up as 'little nyonyas' in Emerald Hill parody
Love 972 DJs of radio programme The Breakfast Quartet (from left) Dennis Chew, Marcus Chin and Mark Lee parodying Mediacorp's hit series 'Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story'. Photos: Love 972 FM/Instagram Singapore's biggest show of the moment, the Mandarin drama Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story , wrapped its run on Netflix and mewatch on April 21. And the co-hosts of Love 972 radio programme The Breakfast Quartet – Mark Lee, Dennis Chew and Marcus Chin – have jumped in on the action. They dressed in sarong kebayas to parody the series, a spin-off of the hugely popular drama The Little Nyonya (2008 to 2009). Fellow programme host Chen Biyu was not part of the parody. They posted a clip, titled Pearl Hill Episode 1 , on Instagram on April 15, before following up with Pearl Hill Finale on April 21. In the videos, Lee takes on the role of protagonist Zhang Xinniang, played by Tasha Low in the series. Chew parodies Zhang Anna, the villain and Xinniang's nemesis, played by Chantalle Ng. And Chin plays matriarch Liu Xiuniang, portrayed by Zoe Tay. The three men recreate the opening sequence of Emerald Hill , walking into a room and looking into the camera pointedly, set to the series' theme song, Flowers Falling Like Rain by local singer Kit Chan. Instead of focusing on the complicated relationships of the central Zhang family, the DJs' version starts with Lee, 56, accusing Chew of betraying Love 972 by working for another Mediacorp radio station, Yes 933. Chin, 70, comes in and breaks up the fight. Chew, 51, who has a small role in Emerald Hill as a street storyteller, hosts programmes on both stations. In the finale episode, Lee and Chew continue to fight, this time over the affections of Zuye, a character played by Zhang Zetong who is the love interest of Anna and Xinniang. At one point, Lee calls Chew 'Ne Zha', referring to the Chinese mythological figure from hit animated film Ne Zha 2 (2025). The double bun hairstyle Chew sports resembles Ne Zha's. Anna sports a similar hairstyle in Emerald Hill. Chin enters to break up the fight once more and settles their marriage plans. He betroths Chew to Capital 958 radio personality Pan Jiabiao, and tells Lee he has been promised to Capital 958 DJ Qiu Shengyang, which causes Chew and Lee to break character and burst into laughter. The parody has been warmly embraced, with Emerald Hill cast members Low, Jesseca Liu, Dawn Yeoh and Chen Liping reacting with laughing emoji. Emerald Hill has stayed in the top 10 most-watched series on Netflix Singapore since it premiered on the streaming platform on March 10. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
