Congratulations to Ben :))))

Monkey had the privilege to host Ben 2 years back in Malaysia
when he was here for the Monsoon Cup *which he won :)))*

It was a hectic 24 hours schedule here as 3 interviews and 3 photoshoots were crammed in at his hotel
I really feel for him, as he SHOULD be preparing for the big race in Terengganu in those few days
instead he was seated in the business lounge at a private corner for all the PR works

"smile Ben, Ok now tilt your face towards the window for better lightings."
then proceeded with an hour interview with the editor of top magazines and newspapers in town
this went on the entire day with different publications

when the final interview came, I thought he won't be able to smile no more
or speak about his life from his childhood again and again and again
how he got into sailing and his energy and spirit, but I was wrong. He was relentless.

"The trick is to persevere and keep working at it until you get the result that you desire. If you keep focused and work hard, everything works out, everything falls into place."
I remembered those words clearly from a Olympic Gold medalist.

in between those interviews, he asked me if he could take some fresh air....coz all these PR works proved to be quite taxing. For a sports person like him, to be stuck in a room the entire day is worse than a dungeon I supposed :P

so I walked him by the pool at the hotel
we chatted a bit and like a moron I kept on telling him, I can't believe it I am with a 3x Olympic GOLD medalist
Sorry I couldn't contained my excitement then :P or perhaps I'm really a moron.

then on 19th May 2012, he was the 1st person to carry the olympic torch in UK
it was an honor :))))
the whole country was counting on him for that GOLD medal
to win a Gold medal on homeground and to make his country proud ain't easy huh?

back to the historical day spent with Ben, it was also then he let out the biggest bomb,
2012 will be his last olympic
I almost dropped my drinking glass then
the Editor's jaw was wide opened
the photographer stopped clicking

and on Sunday, he delivered what he promised

a Gold medal for his country
this is his 4th Olympic Gold medal
so now he has got 4x gold and 1 silver medal to his portfolio
and he's only 35

super ecstatic Monkey & Big Ben

that day, almost 2 years ago...before he flew off for his concluding leg of World Match Racing Tour....he was the Guest of Honor for a dinner my company hosted
*ok ok ok the current Agong of Malaysia was my super Guest of Honor that evening*

he was seated politely with poise on the same table as the Agong together with the rest of guest of honor...sorry I was very greedy to have so many guest of honors on the same evening...but I sat them all together. :))))
30 mins before the event started, Monkey was briefing him on all the VVVVIPS on his table...

"yes that's the King, you need to do this when u greet him"
*Monkey showed Ben the royal greetings*

"and u should address him as Your Royal Highness"
Ben was very very accommodating...
"and then you have the Princess next to you.....and next to the princess you have yada yada yada yada"
well all the formal and royal protocol  bla bla bla yada yada

but he was very humorous and made jokes about everything he experienced in Malaysia. *british humour*

the next morning, before he bid farewell, he thanked us for all the hospitality
my heart felt so heavy because I should be the one thanking him for all the work he did....just because he's the brand ambassador and it's a very heavy responsibility

YES me and my team worked very hard to prepare for all the interviews and the grand event in the evening with 100 top guests but HE worked the hardest...doing something off the water which wasn't his usual thing. But he executed it all with flair on the water and off the water....because 4 days later in Terengganu, he was the overall champion for the World Match Racing Tour.
A tour that spanned across 3 continents before its finale in Malaysia.

It was a big honor to have met such a remarkable person
:)))))))))))

Okie enuff of my long long work-related story
*yes I know, I shouldn't complain about my work, hence I never do :P*
now who's at the airport greeting our Malaysian Hero Lee CW?
:))))))))))))