Amber Chew Jia Qi
National Duathlete / Dietician
We are thrilled to announce Amber Chew as our January 2023 brand ambassador! A dietitian by qualification, a karate-ka and Sensei (karate coach) as well as being a passionate duathlete, 27-year old Amber hails from Johor and currently works in Kuala Lumpur.
Q&A With Amber Chew Jia Qi
1. Have you always been active in sports?
I’ve been active in sports since 9 when I started out with karate. Karate has been my first sports all the way until I came to KL for my tertiary education. Occasionally I played other sports for fun too like volleyball, track and field and cross country back in secondary school.
2. How did you get involved in duathlon?
I came across the word of triathlon and duathlon when I started to be active in running back in 2018. Some runners who are also triathletes introduced and encouraged me to try out duathlon as they saw my potential in long distance running. At the time, I planned to join duathlon only by 2021 but as the pandemic hits, my plans changed. I’m blessed to come across coach Rupert Chen from RC Coaching who took me into the elite team and trained me up from zero for duathlon events by the end of 2020.
3. What do you hope to achieve in 2023?
Having the opportunity to bear our national flag and to fight for the name of our country on the international stage has been my dream ever since I started this sport seriously. This 2023, when Sea Games will be held in Cambodia tentatively in May, I will give my best to fight for a place to represent Malaysia in the duathlon category.
4. What is your biggest motivation to keep pushing your limits of performance?
Instead of saying motivation, I would say I’m more inspired to give my very best and to push my limit higher because of the people around me who continuously showed me that everything is possible as long as you keep showing up. It’s the passion and understanding that we all shared that matter. I’m also curious about how far I can go if I keep going and so I want to see it through.
5. What are your top three nutrition tips?
As an athlete with a dietetics background, I’d say first, staying hydrated is important as dehydration can affect our performances greatly. Second, taking enough carbohydrates and proteins. Endurance sports need carbohydrate as the main energy fuel for the long hours of training and race. Protein is required for muscle building and recovery. Last but not least, moderation is key. Eat things at moderation and make food your good friend. There is no need to take one particular food excessively just because it’s claimed to be good or avoid certain food group just because it’s known as junks, you can eat everything guilty-free as long at it is in moderation.
6. How has Beet It Sport helped your sporting performance?
I’ve heard of the benefits of beetroot and Beet It Sport in improving performance and I’m truly impressed by how well it works on me when I first tried it out on a long bike followed by a long run training. I could clearly feel the difference in my endurance as my muscles were less tired after long hours of training compared to my previous similar sessions. I was also able to push myself at a higher effort for longer durations as I continue to incorporate Beet It Sport in my training sessions and races. It has been a great magic weapon in my sporting journey!
7. Anything additional you would like to say about Beet It Sport?
I highly recommend everyone to try Beet It Sport out as it is proven and supported by science! A small bottle could be your great helper in making a leap in your performance!
