Sastre, who recently expressed excitement about a fellow swimmer’s participation in the World Championships, shared her positive reflections on Singapore’s role in her swimming journey. “When he told me that he was going to Singapore for worlds, I was really excited,” Sastre stated. She also highlighted a shared training camp experience in Kuching, Malaysia, noting, “We also whent to the same place for a training camp in Malaysia in Kuching, so that was really cool to share that experience with him.”

Both swimmers have previously competed at the Singapore National Age Group Championships, a fact that sastre believes has been instrumental in their growth as athletes. The discipline instilled by her former Nexus coach, Ivan Bunakov, was particularly impactful. “He taught me a lot about discipline… and I really do think that helped me work hard in the US,” Sastre explained, crediting Bunakov with shaping the “trajectory” of her swimming career.

currently studying at Virginia Tech university,Sastre trains under the guidance of Sergio Lopez,the former coach of Singapore’s sole Olympic champion,Joseph Schooling. Sastre described Lopez as a pivotal figure in her life, stating, “He’s almost like a father figure to me. We’re really close and he’s helped me with a lot in the three years that I’ve been with him. I think that he is one of the best coaches that there is.” This supportive coaching habitat, combined with her experiences in Singapore, has clearly contributed to her confidence and success.