HE was only 15 and barely two years into the sport.

Yet Darren Lee, who was a maroon-belt (one level below a black belt), managed to defeat an older, black-belt taekwondo opponent in a friendly match.

Come August, Lee, 43, will be heading to the Beijing Olympics to referee the taekwondo event.

Although it will be the third time that taekwondo has been included as an event in the Olympic Games, it is the first time that a Singaporean referee has qualified for it.

Lee told The New Paper that he owes his success to his family, especially his wife and two children, aged six and 13.

If not for their unwavering support, Lee would not have come this far.

Lee's eyes turned moist as he spoke of how his family has supported him financially and mentally in his pursuit of the Olympic dream.

He said: 'I almost gave up halfway. I felt bad about spending so much money on myself when I had to travel to different countries at my own expense for the selection trials.

'Even my mother chipped in for my trips. I spent about $18,000 in all.'

Lee currently holds a six-dan black belt in taekwondo and has officiated at the SEA Games and World Championships.

The highest level achieved in Singapore is an eight-dan, said Lim Teong Chin, general manager of Singapore Taekwondo Federation.

Lim, who also coaches Lee, said: 'We have nine international referees in Singapore. Only Darren and his brother went for the Olympic selection trials.

'The whole selection process is very taxing mentally and financially. We are happy for Darren that he has achieved his personal goal.'

Unfortunately, our taekwondo players did not make it at the Asian qualifying rounds.

DEFEATED

Lim said: 'We have very strong players, but sometimes we meet the much stronger opponents during the qualifiers and we were defeated.'

Last August, Lee and his older brother, 47-year-old Thiam Poh, who is also a taekwondo coach and referee, attended a training camp in Korea.

At the end of the week-long camp, Lee was selected together with 53 other international referees for another trial in the United Kingdom.

His brother was unfortunately not selected for the UK trial. But he decided to chip in for Lee's travelling expenses.

Lee attended more continental selection games for the Olympics in Europe, Africa and Pan America before he was told that he had been chosen for the Olympics test trial in Beijing early this year.

The trial, called Good Luck Beijing, was held in February.

Lee recalled: 'The four-day trial event was run just like a real Olympic event. The hall was filled with spectators and it was broadcast 'live' in China. Security was very tight.

'The Olympics is the highest level (to reach) for all athletes. It's definitely my highest achievement in the sport.'

Just being selected to attend the trials was the happiest moment in his life.

A sports health consultant in the day and a taekwondo coach by night, Lee often gets invited to referee international events.

This time, his trip to the Beijing Olympics will be fully sponsored by the organisers and he will be getting a nominal allowance on event days, he said.

The small-built man, standing at 1.66m tall, is also the coach of ex-national SEA Games silver-medallist Chen Peiqi.

When he was young, he used to play basketball for our national youth squad.

But his victory over a black-belt opponent spurred him to take taekwondo more seriously.

He felt that he did not have the height to be a good basketball player hence he decided to focus on taekwondo.

Lee started coaching in 1985 and got his refereeing licence two years later.

As a referee, Lee has managed to pick up pointers from the contestants.

His greatest challenge comes when he has to make immediate and honest decisions during a match.

Lee said: 'A good referee needs to be physically fit, clear-minded and possess good eyesight.'

To prepare himself for the trip, Lee has been constantly updating himself on the latest developments in the sport.

He also runs three times a week.

To the young taekwondo members, Lee has this to say: 'If you are willing to do it, you need to train hard. The rewards will come - eventually.'