Give Schooling a stern warning, and let's change how we handle our athletes
He trained to be in peak form to take on some of the world's best butterfly sprinters at the Commonwealth Games in July.
And delivered silver in the 100m fly in Glasgow.
He recharged quickly, returned to the pool and worked hard through a much shorter but possibly even more intense programme, to get ready to take on the continent's best butterfly sprinters at the Asian Games in South Korea.
Once more, Joseph Schooling delivered, this time with medals in all three butterfly disciplines - gold in the 100 metres, silver in the 50m and bronze in the 200m.
His parents Colin and May may be nervous after it was reported yesterday that their 19-year-old son had allegedly returned to the Athletes' Village in Incheon, South Korea, drunk on Saturday morning after a night out, hours after the swimming programme had ended at the Asian Games.
They will wonder over any fallout, and any possible major distraction as he continues to work towards glory at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Chef de mission Jessie Phua said in a statement that an investigation will be opened once the Games are over on Saturday.
There are some questions over how the whole incident has been handled - why was it not nipped in the bud and handled last Saturday, and why did it only come to light more than 48 hours later, and only through back channels?
It also throws up question marks over the strategy employed by Team Singapore officials to handle and take care of our athletes.
As for the errant trio, I believe Schooling, Roanne Ho and Teo Zhen Ren deserve only a stern warning for leaving the village without permission.
It is a rule, they should have abided by it, and a tough ticking off is necessary.
Ho, 21, and Teo, 20, will not be in as much of the spotlight as Schooling, who is now Singapore sport's poster boy after his exploits in recent months finally saw the official stamp of world-class emerge next to his name.
After a gruelling few months where he has had to live and breathe swimming, either in training, or in competition against some of the world's top athletes, surely he deserves to let his hair down.
And even party hard.
The intensity of it all, the expectations of friends, family, coaches, country, and Schooling's desire to deliver, both for himself and everyone else, meant pressure like never before.
He came through, he shone, and then wanted to let off steam.
Ho, Teo and Schooling did wrong by not getting an official green light to do so.
Maybe the three swimmers snuck out of the village because they didn't think they would be allowed out on their own.
That's where the Singapore National Olympic Council and Sport Singapore come in.
Maybe it is time for a new approach in the management of athletes at events like the Asian Games.
Once the football tournament or track and field programme or swimming programme is over, adult-athletes should be allowed to enjoy nights out on the town, with a stated time to return to headquarters.
That may be too simple a strategy, but Phua is experienced, she is robust, and I'm sure she will be exploring ways to tighten, and loosen, the grip officials have over highly-coiled athletes looking for release once it's all over.
Having athletes wander off for late nights at clubs or bars or other establishments - as is the wont of young men and women - in foreign cities without any official's knowledge raises a safety concern, it happened on her watch and she will want to get to the bottom of it.
And recommend a system that works for future Games.
I understand the recent incident has prompted the decision for a quick return of Singapore athletes and teams, as soon as their events are over in Incheon.
The hockey men wanted to play a couple of club friendlies, some athletes wanted to enjoy another K-Pop festival at the closing ceremony on Saturday, but those hopes are dashed.
If true, it is a knee-jerk reaction, because sport must always also be about fun.
There are those who will say Schooling should be punished severely because he embarrassed the nation.
But many have come out in support of Schooling on The New Paper's social media platforms, a poll conducted by our Online team has seen an overwhelming number of Singaporeans urging the authorities not to go overboard in dealing with him.
That is heartening. Ho, Teo and Schooling will learn from this, as they continue on their journey.
Let's handle this incident quickly, and maturely. And let's get our systems right.
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