SEA Games 2025: High jumper Kampton Kam returns to Games with silver-medal leap
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Singapore's high jumper Kampton Kam after winning a silver medal at the SEA Games on Dec 12.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
- Kampton Kam won silver in high jump at the 2025 SEA Games with a 2.19m jump, Singapore's first medal in the event in 30 years.
- Ang Chen Xiang secured silver in the 110m hurdles in 13.75 seconds, improving his national record, but couldn't retain his gold medal.
- Gabriel Lee broke a 16-year-old triple jump record with a leap of 16.09m, earning a bronze medal at the SEA Games.
AI generated
BANGKOK – Having missed the previous two SEA Games – first due to surgery for a collapsed lung, then with school exams in the United States – high jumper Kampton Kam faced a last-minute scare when food poisoning threatened to rule him out of the 2025 edition in Thailand.
But the 24-year-old overcame his stomach problems on Dec 12 to win his first Games medal and Singapore’s first in the men’s high jump in 30 years.
At the Supachalasai National Stadium, Kam leapt 2.19m to claim the silver ahead of Filipino Leonard Grospe, who also registered the same height but settled for bronze on countback.
Thailand’s Tawan Kaeodam won the gold in 2.22m.
On battling through food poisoning to win a silver medal, Kam, who even found the energy to fire up the crowd before his jumps, said: “It started two days ago, and I was just consistently going to the bathroom. I think I was a little dehydrated today, had a little headache starting off...
“I tried my best, and I’m proud of myself for... not giving up and giving a good fight. I’m glad to come back with the medal for Singapore.”
The Republic’s male jumpers last won a medal at the 1995 edition in Chiang Mai, where Wong Yew Tong claimed the silver in a national record of 2.22m. Wong’s mark stood until it was bettered by Kam’s 2.25m in April.
This is Kam’s second appearance at the Games after his 2019 debut in the Philippines.
He missed the 2022 edition in Vietnam, after undergoing surgery for a collapsed lung
In 2023, he could not compete in Cambodia as the meet coincided with his examinations at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Despite overcoming physical struggles and ending a long-standing medal drought, Kam felt that he could have done more.
He said: “I’m feeling a lot of emotions. I think I’m satisfied, but it was a little disappointing. I was close. I know I could have won it today.
“I just wanted to do Singapore proud. It’s been a long time since we had a medal in the high jump. I thought I could go for the gold. I know this will be fuel for me to keep going and push and hopefully bring home the gold medal at the next editions.”
A day earlier, another decades-long jumps record fell when Gabriel Lee broke Stefan Tseng’s 16-year-old mark of 16.04m in the men’s triple jump after leaping 16.09m to clinch the bronze.
Also on Dec 12, national hurdler Ang Chen Xiang failed to retain his 110m men’s hurdles gold, finishing second in a national record 13.75sec.
It was the fourth time that the 31-year-old has bettered his national record in 2025, with his previous mark of 13.77sec set in June.
Singapore’s Ang Chen Xiang with his silver medal after the SEA Games men’s 110m hurdles final at the Suphachalasai National Stadium on Dec 12, 2025.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
The Philippines’ John Tolentino won gold in 13.66sec, with Malaysia’s Armin Zahryl Abdul Latif taking the bronze in 13.85sec.
Ang, a paediatric resident at the National University Hospital, said he was still happy despite not matching the joint-gold he won at the 2023 Cambodia Games, Singapore’s first victory in the event since 1967.
Ang said: “I’m very happy. I think most people, and myself included, were hoping for gold medal. But I always like to say that it’s really not in my control (if) other people run faster or slower than you. I can only control my race and my own lane.
“And I’m very, very thankful that I really focused on my race this time, and managed to execute what I wanted to. It is bittersweet because I was really hoping to retain the gold, but very thankful for the good race run here.”
There was also a national record for Games debutante Kerstin Ong, whose 13.47sec in heat 2 of the women’s 100m hurdles saw her improve on her previous mark of 13.86sec set in August.
In the final, Ong finished seventh out of eight in 13.85sec.
Indonesia’s Dina Aulia won the gold in 13.21sec, while her compatriot Emilia Nova (13.27sec) took the silver and Vietnam’s Huynh Thi My Tien (13.43sec) clinched the bronze.
Singapore’s Kerstin Ong (centre) en route to setting a national record in the SEA Games women’s 100m hurdles on Dec 12.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Ong, 28, broke into tears in the mixed zone while speaking to the media.
She said: “I was a bit emotional even getting into the start line, because this really means a lot to me.
“I mean, I wish I did better. I had high expectations of wanting to do well. I think I still did well but I wish I did better.”
Ong, who became a full-time athlete in the lead-up to the Games after quitting her full-time job at a marketing agency, vowed to come back for more.
“There’s lot more to come, this is not going to be my last Games,” she said.
“I want to go on to 2027 even 2029 in Singapore. So I’m definitely gonna work a lot harder for it.”
