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Dr William Tan recognized with the Public Service Star

One can hardly miss the indomitable spirit in Dr William Tan, who has been featured in the local papers quite frequently for his incredible feats and charitable contributions. Be it becoming the first wheelchair-bound individual to complete 10 marathons across 7 continents in 70 days, wheeling non-stop on a treadmill for 24 hours, finishing the North Pole marathon on wheelchair, sky-diving, water-skiing, or sailing, this man has done it all.

Although you’ve not seen him much in action in Singapore for the past couple of years, Dr William Tan has recently been spotted a number of times in our neighbourhoods. Yes, this popular hero, who also doubles as a neuroscientist when he’s free, is moving back, after a long research study period in Sydney, Australia.

And he has not been putting his passion to rest despite the many arrangements to be made. Not only has Dr William Tan participated in the National Track and Field Championship 2007, organized by the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) at Serangoon Stadium back in July, he has also been dropping by to visit friends and upcoming athletes at various events such as the Come and Play Day held earlier this year at Singapore Management University. This Sunday, you can also look forward to seeing him at the first Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore along East Coast Rd, Nicoll Highway and the Floating Platform.

And of course, he was also back to receive the Public Service Star, a prestigious award conferred by our nation during the National Day celebrations in August. This was Dr Tan’s second National Day award, the first being conferred in 2000.

Strangely, it was an award that he had to get used to. “I feel that it was undeserving because it’s my moral duty to help the needy,” said Dr Tan.

And the 50-year-old ultra-marathoner does not intend on retiring any time soon. In fact, you might be seeing him on the tracks more often than ever. “I realized that age is just a number,’ he said. ‘There is no such thing as retirement. I would rather create a legacy.”

References:

Terrence Voon. (2007). Charity is his duty. The Straits Times, National Day Special. Retrieved August 15, 2007, from http://www.straitstimes.com/National+Day+Special/Story/STIStory_147129.html