My career in jet ski racing began as a dream to race motorcycles. As a child of 10, I developed a keen interest on watching the European motorcycle grand prix. My hero then was the ever dominant Wayne Rainy as he displayed his skills, and his determination to be the best.

I wanted to be a champion just like he was. My parents strictly opposed the idea of me riding a motorcycle, but thankfully my neighbors taught me how to ride one. At the age of 11, I learned to shift gears -- I was hooked, I loved the acceleration and the speed. For years I persistently asked my father to buy me one. Until one day at about age 12 he decided to buy a jet ski instead so the family could all enjoy it together. Jet ski has all the attributes of a motorcycle in a safer environment -- the water.

Considering I was a pale sickly child plagued by asthma back then, I immediately got to stand up on the jet ski at my first try, which amazed my father. We would ride an outdated jet ski every weekend which exposed me more to the sun and the water which improved my weak condition almost drastically as the sun and the sea became my home.

Until one day, the current national jet ski champion (Ritchy Santos) set up a race course for him to practice and to my curiosity, I immediately tried it and felt competitive on the race course, feeling just like my idol Wayne Rainy.