In a region rich with untapped potential, AirAsia continues to lead the way in empowering Asean’s rising stars through its Dare to Dream initiative.
Leading this campaign is Olympic swimmer Ben Proud, fresh off his silver medal triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. As a Dream ambassador, Proud truly represents what can be achieved through unwavering dedication, determination and hard work, inspiring the next generation to never give up.
After almost stepping away from competitive swimming following the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Proud’s comeback is a true testament to his resilience. Following his recent achievement, Proud has returned to Malaysia, where it all began, marking a meaningful homecoming and reunion with his former coach, Francis Kiu, who first guided him into the world of competitive swimming.
The reunion will take place at Coach Kiu’s swimming academy, the Team Q Swim Academy at the heart of Petaling Jaya, where the second edition of Ben Proud’s Talent Pool swim clinic is hosted.
First introduced in 2017, the ‘Ben Proud Talent Pool’ swim clinic offers aspiring athletes aged seven to 19 the unique opportunity to learn from an Olympic medalist.
As part of AirAsia’s ongoing commitment to youth empowerment through the Dare to Dream initiative, the clinic not only focuses on teaching swimming techniques but also imparting long-time life values such as perseverance, goal-setting, and mental resilience.
The clinic serves as a full-circle moment for Proud, who hopes to inspire the next generation of swimmers in the same environment where his own journey began.
Rudy Khaw, CEO of AirAsia brand co. (Abc.), said: “We are more than proud of Ben’s accomplishments at the recent Olympics. I can’t think of anyone more deserving. We started our journey with Ben in 2017 with an aim to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and he showed year after year his strengths through breaking records, winning world championships, Commonwealth Gold and more.
Despite missing out on podium finishes in previous Olympics, Ben continued to break records and never gave up. True to the spirit of Dare to Dream, he kept pushing, never losing sight of his goal. We’re happy to have Ben back in Malaysia where his swimming career first began.
As he returns to his ‘roots’ to give back to the next generation through his Talent Pool swim clinic, we are reminded once again that no dream is too big if you are willing to chase it. Ben’s story is proof of that, and we could not be prouder to have him as our Dare to Dream ambassador.”
