With a name that sounds like it came straight out of a superhero comic book, sophomore high jumper and Singapore native Kampton Kam of Penn men's track and field has made his greatest superpower time management as he balances competing, working, and relaxing over the summer.
As a kid, Kam had always been active, participating in various activities such as swimming, table tennis, badminton, rock climbing, and rollerblading. Despite his enjoyment of those hobbies, Kam’s discovery of his innate gift for the high jump made track and field a bigger priority as time went on. As just a nine-year-old participating in his school’s yearly track and field competition, he beat not just the students in his grade, but also the kids in the grade above. And as Kam refined his craft, he fell more in love with the sport.
“[I really enjoy the feeling of] carrying the bar when you're in the air,” reflects Kam. “It's sort of like a feeling of floating as you get higher and higher. So that's what really draws me to the sport.”
At 17, Kam would receive the opportunity to compete internationally for the first time, representing Singapore at the Southeast Asian Youth Championships. In his international debut, Kam placed first and secured a spot to the Youth Olympic Games. This progression from competing at a school-wide level to doing it at one of the biggest international stages for young athletes was a surreal moment for Kam. He has found success at the national level and currently holds the Singapore high jump records for the U18, U20, U23, and men’s indoor.
“I think the lesson that I learned looking back is just to keep pushing ahead,” reflects Kam. “And it doesn't matter who your competition is. It could be anyone's game at that day.”
Since entering college, Kam has faced tough decisions regarding how much time he should be committing to competing versus academics. On one hand, one of the driving reasons behind him choosing to continue his athletic endeavors at Penn is the institution’s reputation for strong academics, notably the prestige of the Wharton School. On the other hand, Kam knows that his days as an athlete are limited and wants to get the most out of them as possible. This past May, Kam had to pass up on competing at the Southeast Asian Games due to conflicts with his final exams.
Over the summer, Kam has once again had to work to balance his athletic ambitions with what is best for his future career prospects. During a typical day, he puts in the hours at his internship from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. before then hitting the field for about three hours of practice. To balance out these busy weekdays, he has allocated plenty of time on the weekends to relaxing and spending time with friends.
One worry Kam held entering the summer was the possible time conflicts that would occur between summer competitions and his internship. Fortunately for Kam, he won’t have to choose between an internship and competing just yet. His current internship allows him to work remotely and is very flexible, which has allowed Kam to take time off when needed to focus on his training leading up to the FISU World University Games, which took place in late July and early August.
“It's not easy having an internship while also pursuing something that I'm passionate about,” acknowledges Kam. “So I'm really grateful for this internship because my bosses understand … I’m not sure how this will be for sophomore and junior summer, but I'm hoping that I would still be able to have the opportunity to do both in the summer.”
As the start of the new academic school year approaches, Kam is more than excited to be heading back to campus. After a summer during which he has been extremely focused on representing his nation, he is more than ready to shift his focus toward donning the Red and Blue again. Despite his collegiate career starting off slowly due to an injury sustained early on during his freshman season, Kam has high hopes for the upcoming year. A major goal on his mind is finally obtaining the last Singaporean high jump record that he doesn’t have just yet — the open record.
“I'm really proud to represent Penn,” stated Kam. “It's been a long time coming. And although I didn't do as well this year, I'm looking forward to the next season when I've regrouped.”
At the end of the day, Kam is incredibly honored to be in the position he is currently in, being able to represent both school and country. And much like his role model Armand Duplantis, the current world record holder in the pole vault, Kam aims on continuing to push his boundaries higher, both literally and figuratively.
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