FEB 23, 2004 RJC teacher killed on eve of adventure race
By Goh Chin Lian
A RAFFLES Junior College teacher, who was preparing for an adventure race, died in Malaysia on
Saturday when he was flung off his mountain bike.
Mr Ho Swee Haw, 34, was cycling downhill over a bridge when he saw a 1.5m-deep hole and
braked suddenly.
He landed in a ditch and was barely conscious, one of his two female team-mates for the race told
The Straits Times late last night. She declined to be identified.
He was riding ahead of them as they went to a site to test their skills in white-water rafting, when
the tragedy happened in the early afternoon of the eve of the race in Perak.
Mr Ho suffered head and chest injuries. He died at Tapah Hospital at 4.15pm. His father and sister
have left for Malaysia.
Meanwhile, fellow cyclists here were struggling to absorb the news yesterday, as they mourned the
loss of a 'very dedicated racer' and 'a strong rider'.
Said Mr Max Mager, general manager of the Singapore Amateur Cycling Association: 'He's outgoing and
adventurous and was one of our top mountain bikers.'
Mr Ho taught mathematics at the junior college and was the teacher in charge of its cross-
country runners.
During his national service, he was a physical training instructor.
He has been a familiar face at cross-country races for several years.
The bachelor also helped his family to run Cycle Craft, a bicycle shop at East Coast Road which is a
key supporter of the association's mountain biking races.
On Sundays, he would often be on his red Scott mountain bike, cycling on a trail in Bukit
Timah Hill.
In fact, his last race was on Feb 15, when he came in third in a race for male cyclists organised by
the association.
Last night, his two team-mates returned to Singapore, driving his car.
Said one of them: 'I'd known him for three years and we'd raced together twice. This would have been
our third race.
'He was a wonderful team-mate, always ready to help.'
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