Quah Zheng Wen found herself grappling with disappointment after two appeals for her inclusion in the Singaporean team for the Tokyo Olympics were turned down. Initially excited about her performance this year and looking forward to the Games, Quah shared how challenging it was for her to be replaced, especially after her experiences with last year's Olympic preparations with China.

Having signed an agreement to compete at the Paris Games, Quah was taken aback when the Singapore Aquatics (SAQ) decided to send another swimmer, Gan Ching Hwee, in her place for the 4x100m medley relay alongside individual events. The confusion stemmed from the way World Aquatics allocated Olympic slots, confirming relay participants like Quah before filling the spots with swimmers who met the "B" qualifying times, as Gan did.

Quah emphasized the need for SAQ to consider all possibilities before asking athletes to commit, suggesting that better communication and transparency between management and athletes would prevent such issues in the future. Expressing concern about the impact on future swimmers' trust in the system, she stressed the importance of ensuring that merit-based qualifications are respected and that athletes have a clear understanding of their positions on the team.