Wrapped in a Harimau Malaya jacket and a quiet confidence, Ashley Chin is the picture of determination. Friendly, grounded, and articulate, the 27-year-old athlete carries the air of someone who’s weathered her fair share of battles on and off the ice.
“I’ve been skating since 2009,” she begins. “To me, it’s not just a sport. It’s who I am.”
Today, Ashley juggles a full-time job as an Advertising & Promotions Manager, dabbles in content creation, and still carves out time for relentless training – all to keep her skating dreams alive. Hers isn’t a story of overnight success, but one of sheer will, unwavering focus, and a fearless plunge into the unknown.
Speed, sacrifice, and Seoul
Unlike the graceful pirouettes of figure skating, Ashley’s domain – short track speed skating – is a high-octane race of precision and power. “It’s like Formula 1 on ice,” she explains. “There’s no glitter or choreography. It’s raw speed, millisecond decisions, and calculated risk. I was hooked from my very first glide.”
In a country where rinks are few and far between, Ashley trained wherever she could – mostly at Sunway Pyramid – but soon realised it wasn’t enough. “We only had access to ice once a week in Malaysia,” she recalls. “If I wanted to be the best, I had to train with the best. And that meant going to Korea.”
And she did. For four years, Ashley immersed herself in the home of Olympic champions, enduring twice-daily, four-hour sessions, six days a week. “It was brutal. Like an army camp, but on ice. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything – it changed my life.”
Before her move, Ashley had already begun teaching herself Korean, thanks to her love for K-dramas. That ‘obsession’, as she calls it, paid off. “Language was my lifeline. It helped me connect, integrate, and feel like I belonged, even when everything else felt foreign.”
Falling, then rising again
Winter sports may not be common in tropical Malaysia, but that hasn’t stopped Ashley from charging headfirst into international competition. “It’s always overseas – always cold. You might have only a day or two to adapt, so it’s not just about competing. It’s about surviving the cold, physically and mentally.”
Balance is the name of her game, both on the rink and in life. “If one thing slips – training, work, rest – it all unravels. So I treat my schedule like clockwork. Time management is everything.”
Her discipline bore fruit at the 2017 SEA Games, held on home ground. “It was surreal. The crowd, the rink, the energy – it all came together. When we won gold in the relay, it felt like my crush just said yes to my love letter. That’s how intense the joy was.”
But not every chapter was triumphant. Just before flying to Korea for a qualifying round for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Ashley broke her ankle. “I needed six world cups to qualify, and the night before my flight – I fell. My world crumbled. I was scared I’d never skate again.”
Physiotherapy sessions followed. So did self-doubt. But Ashley pressed on. “I just needed to be back on the ice. That was my goal. Fall eight times, get up nine. My parents were my rock through it all.”
Off the ice, still in motion
Beyond the rink, Ashley is equally driven. She leads the A&P department at her family business, Smart Rental, and helms CSR efforts at Sambong Future Foundation, a non-profit championing access to education for B40 students.
“Our company runs an eco-friendly laptop subscription model. When a device is returned, we refurbish it and donate it to underprivileged students,” she explains. “I manage that whole cycle –finding donors, matching students, ensuring they get support. Because if we don’t help, who will?”
Helping children is close to her heart, and that sense of purpose carries over into everything she does.
Skating toward the future
Now a role model to many, especially young Malaysian girls interested in winter sports, Ashley doesn’t sugar-coat the path ahead. “Be ready to sacrifice. Be ready to hurt. If this sport speaks to you – if your heart beats faster just thinking about it – then don’t let anything stop you. Passion makes you fearless.”
As for what’s next, she’s laser-focused. “I’m training for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand. My eyes are on that ice. I’m preparing – mentally, physically, emotionally – for what’s to come.”
You can support Ashley in her cause to fund the futures of B40 students here.
Follow her on Instagram @hyeminkiim for updates on her upcoming championships.
For more inspiring people stories, click here.
Photography by Imran Sulaiman
Special thanks to Sunway Pyramid Ice Skating Rink management