SINGAPORE: This year's MediaCorp Subaru Challenge
winner is 46-year-old technician Aloysius Lim, who lasted 75 hours
and 17 minutes.
Lim drove away with a brand new Subaru Impreza 2.5 MT Sedan after
outlasting hundreds of other contestants in a competition that
tested both physical and mental endurance.
Altogether, 400 people, including 80 from the region, took part in
the contest which began at 1pm on Saturday.
Contestants have to stand and place their hands on the car, and the
last man or woman standing drives away with a brand new car.
Contestants are only allowed a five-minute break every six
hours.
As the days went by, with no sleep, food, water or shelter, the
numbers dwindled till 51-year-old Abdul Hamid Jonie and Lim were
the two men left standing.
Family members tried to keep the men's spirits up by encouraging
them, but it finally got too much for Abdul Hamid Jonie and Lim was
declared the winner.
"I never think of winning the car. But just try my best," said
Lim.
Lim added that the competition was more a mental challenge than
anything else.
"This task is different type of endurance. It's a mental endurance.
It's not running a marathon where you have a final destination. But
this one is stretched. It keeps on stretching."
This is the first time Lim has participated in the event, after his
wife told him to give it a try and it was obvious he was very
grateful to her.
"Without my wife, I won't get it," said Lim as he gave his wife a
kiss to show his appreciation.
Despite skin that was red from sunburns, Lim was still in full
vigour and was even game enough to pose for the cameras.
When asked how he managed to keep going, Mr Lim replied, "My family
played a very important part, their support got me through."
His wife, Sandy Wong, who is a housewife, said that while he was at
the competition, she was having a tough time as well.
"I couldn't sleep because I keep thinking, 'he is suffering' and I
felt my heart break every time I see him out there," she
said.
On reaching the first aid tent, Mr Lim admitted to fatigue and even
hallucinations.
"I was hallucinating about contestants getting into the car!" said
the 46 year old.
Fortunately it did not affect Lim's chances, as Dhalia Zunnaiddin,
Vice President of English Programming for MediaCorp Radio revealed
that contestants in previous contests who succumbed to
hallucinations ended up being disqualified because they inevitably
moved their hands on the car.
Paramedics on the scene said that hallucinations can occur as the
contestants endure long periods without sleep.
The record for the Subaru Challenge was set by Singaporean George
Lee in 2008, at 81 hours and 32 minutes. Last year's winner,
Mohammed Anuar, lasted 77 hours and 43 minutes.
-CNA/wk/fa/rl
i'm impressed!!!