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Singapore's national swimmer and Olympic gold medallist, Joseph Schooling, will enlist for National Service (NS) on Jan. 3, according to The Straits Times.

On Jan. 2, Schooling also posted several videos of himself on Instagram getting his head shaved at a salon, in preparation for enlistment.

Granted deferment for seven years

The 26-year-old had previously been granted NS deferment for seven years from 2014 to 2021.

Schooling's parents had previously applied to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) for his NS deferment when he was due to enlist in 2014.

His appeal was granted as Schooling was determined to have the "potential to do well" in the 2016 Olympic Games.

Schooling subsequently won Singapore's first Olympic gold medal in the men's 100 metres butterfly at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He was granted an extension of his NS deferment in 2020 to train for and compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he unfortunately did not win a medal.

According to a statement by Mindef on Sep. 16, Schooling's deferment period ended on Aug. 31, 2021, and will be enlisted once the necessary pre-enlistment procedures have been completed. 

Quah Zheng Wen completed BMT

Another national swimmer, Quah Zheng Wen, also deferred from NS but for six years, from 2015 to 2021. 

Quah was enlisted and had completed his Basic Military Training (BMT).

According to Singapore Army's Facebook page on Dec. 6, 2021, Quah said that he found some similarities between BMT and competing on the international stage for swimming.

In particular, Quah said the sense of camaraderie he felt in BMT was a "big help" as it was similar to what he experienced in his collegiate programme for swimming.

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Top images screenshot via Joseph Schooling/Instagram