Kerstin Ong Jing Rong: Singapore’s Record-Breaking Hurdler
Born on June 8, 1997, Kerstin Ong Jing Rong has emerged as one of Singapore’s most resilient and accomplished track and field athletes. As the current national record holder in the women’s 100 meters hurdles, Ong’s journey from a playful child skipping tuition to representing her nation on the regional stage exemplifies the dedication and perseverance required to excel at the highest levels of athletics.
Early Life and Introduction to Athletics
Kerstin’s introduction to competitive athletics came through what she fondly describes as “a lucky stumble.” At the age of 10, she was an energetic child who loved running about, but it was a decision at age 12 that would change the course of her life. Wanting to skip her Saturday Chinese tuition class, young Kerstin signed up for the Singapore Sports School Direct School Admission trials. The timing proved serendipitous—the trials were happening on the very day she hoped to avoid her language lessons.
Her natural talent shone through immediately. She made it through the trials and earned a place at the prestigious Singapore Sports School, where she would develop not just her athletic abilities but also the passion and discipline that would sustain her through more than a decade of competitive athletics. Reflecting on this pivotal moment years later, Ong recalled, “I went competitively into this sport because I joined the Singapore Sports School, and my passion and discipline grew there.”
Development Years and Early Competition
At Singapore Sports School, Kerstin found her calling in the hurdles events, particularly the 100 meters hurdles. The technical event, which demands explosive speed, precise timing, and exceptional coordination, became her specialty. She began competing seriously at age 13, driven by what she describes as an incomparable feeling: “The uncontrollable excitement and nerve jitters before a race which I cannot get anywhere else, reminding me that I’m only human.”
Her talent developed rapidly. By age 16, Kerstin was already representing Singapore internationally, marking the beginning of what would become a long career wearing the national colors. This early exposure to international competition provided invaluable experience, though the path ahead would prove far more challenging than she could have anticipated.
Heartbreak and Perseverance: The 2015 SEA Games
One of Kerstin’s most devastating early setbacks came in 2015 when Singapore hosted the Southeast Asian Games. For any athlete, competing in a major Games on home soil represents the ultimate dream—the chance to perform in front of family, friends, and fellow countrymen. Kerstin had worked tirelessly toward this goal, but she fell short of qualifying for the Singapore squad.
The disappointment was profound. She later described it as “the most heartbreaking moment” of her athletic career. “The feeling of putting in so much work in hopes to reach your goals but failing to make it in the end,” she reflected. “Especially when it was home ground and being able to run in front of your family and friends, your own countrymen.”
Rather than crushing her spirit, however, this disappointment became fuel for her continued development. That same year, Kerstin did represent Singapore at the Asian Athletics Championships, gaining valuable international experience that would serve her well in the years to come.
Academic Pursuits and Balancing Dual Careers
Following her time at Singapore Sports School, Kerstin attended Republic Polytechnic, where she studied in the Sports and Leisure Management program. She then progressed to Singapore Management University, where she continued to balance the demanding requirements of both academic excellence and elite athletic performance.
At the 2018 Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic Track and Field Championships, competing for SMU, the then 20-year-old Kerstin won the women’s 100 meters hurdles crown. The victory marked her first race against her former school, Republic Polytechnic, creating what she called “quite a funny feeling.” She won with confidence and poise, noting that the experience helped her “stay objective” rather than being overly results-driven.
Kerstin continued to dominate the IVP hurdles throughout her university years. In 2020, at age 23, she claimed her second IVP title in three years, clocking 15.61 seconds in the final. Her consistency at the collegiate level demonstrated her steady progression as an athlete, even as she navigated the challenges of university coursework and maintaining peak athletic performance.
Coaching and Technical Development
Throughout her career, Kerstin has worked with various coaches to refine her hurdling technique. In the crucial years leading up to her breakthrough performances in 2025, she trained under Ricardo Diez from Singapore Sports School. This coaching relationship proved instrumental in her eventual record-breaking success, with Ong crediting Diez for helping her see incremental improvements even when breakthrough performances seemed elusive.
Competitive Highlights and Major Achievements
2019: First Major Medal
The 2019 Singapore Open Track and Field Championships delivered Kerstin her first major medal in her specialty event. Competing in her fifth Singapore Open, she claimed bronze in the women’s 100 meters hurdles with a time of 14.94 seconds. The achievement was particularly meaningful given the enthusiastic home crowd support. “My most memorable Singapore Open would have to be the 2019 edition,” she recalled. “The crowd filling the stands—the support we had was amazing.”
2022-2023: Building Momentum
By 2022, at age 25, Kerstin had established herself as a consistent performer on the regional circuit. At the Singapore Open that year, she competed knowing she had evolved significantly as an athlete. “What has kept me going in this sport all these years is being able to always better yourself,” she explained. “There is always something to improve on. Every year, I see myself improving, and I think that is what keeps me going.”
In August 2023, she demonstrated her versatility by winning gold in the 100 meters hurdles and bronze in the 100 meters sprint at the Johor Athletics Open Championships in Malaysia. This performance came as she prepared for the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she was selected as part of Singapore’s 24-strong athletics contingent.
2025: The Breakthrough Year
The year 2025 would prove to be the defining season of Kerstin Ong’s career, a campaign marked by record-breaking performances and the fulfillment of decade-long dreams.
Breaking the National Record
At the Singapore Athletics Allcomers Meet 3 in late August 2025, Kerstin equaled the national record of 13.87 seconds that had been set by Nur Izlyn Zaini, becoming only the second Singaporean woman ever to break the 14-second barrier in the 100 meters hurdles.
Just one week later, on August 30, 2025, at the Malaysian Open Athletics Championship in Perlis, Kerstin made history. Running in her final opportunity to qualify for the Southeast Asian Games, she clocked 13.86 seconds, breaking the national record by one-hundredth of a second and claiming the silver medal behind South Korea’s Jeong Yeon Jin.
The achievement was monumental for the 28-year-old, who had dreamed of this moment since first representing Singapore at age 16. “This national record means so much to me,” she said immediately after the race. “I’ve always wanted to be a national record holder. I’ve always wanted to be the best hurdler in Singapore’s history. To finally do this in my late 20s makes it even more special. For a while I thought this dream was over, but I held on these past three years, kept working at it with my coach Ricardo Diez from Singapore Sports School, and slowly saw improvements. To finally achieve it now really means the world to me.”
The record didn’t just represent personal achievement—it secured her long-awaited berth at the Southeast Asian Games. “The first time I attempted to qualify for the SEA Games was in 2015,” Kerstin explained. “Now it’s 2025. It has taken me 10 years.”
The 2025 SEA Games: Dreams and Disappointments
In December 2025, Kerstin finally made her Southeast Asian Games debut in Bangkok, Thailand, at the 33rd edition of the regional championships. The competition at Supachalasai National Stadium would prove to be both triumphant and controversial.
In the heats of the 100 meters hurdles, Kerstin ran an astonishing 13.47 seconds—an improvement of nearly four-tenths of a second over her recently set national record. The performance seemed to cement her arrival among Southeast Asia’s elite hurdlers. In the final that evening, she clocked 13.85 seconds, finishing sixth in a competitive field.
However, both times were subsequently annulled due to technical issues with the timing system that affected the entire evening session of December 12. While her placement in the final remained valid, the Singapore National Olympic Council could not recognize the times for statistical purposes. Kerstin lodged an appeal with video evidence, hoping that at minimum her 13.85-second final time would be allowed to stand.
Despite the disappointment, Kerstin maintained her characteristic resilience. “Of course I’m happy to finally qualify for the SEA Games after 10 years of trying,” she said. “I did well, but I wish I had done better. It’s still a national record, and it was in the plan—that’s the most important thing. But I still want to be better.”
Relay Success and December Record
Later in December 2025, competing at the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok for the Asian Athletics Championships qualifiers, Kerstin was part of the Singapore women’s 4×100 meters relay team that set a new national record of 44.41 seconds. Running alongside national sprint star Shanti Pereira, Elizabeth-Ann Tan, and Laavinia Jaiganth, the quartet’s performance qualified them for the Asian Athletics Championships and demonstrated Kerstin’s versatility beyond her hurdles specialty.
Earlier in the year, at the 2025 Singapore Open in April, Kerstin had been part of the same relay team that equaled the previous national record of 44.96 seconds and earned second place.
The Reality of Being a Self-Funded Athlete
One of the most remarkable aspects of Kerstin Ong’s career is how she has sustained it largely through personal resources and sheer determination. Unlike many elite athletes who receive comprehensive funding, Kerstin has had to forge her own path through a combination of full-time work, social media partnerships, and careful financial management.
Balancing Corporate Life and Athletic Dreams
At age 28, Kerstin works full-time in the media industry as an associate manager for a marketing services company. Her daily schedule is punishing: she wakes up for training sessions at 6:30 or 7:00 AM every day except Sunday, completes her workout, then heads to her office job by 10:30 AM, working until around 5:00 PM. After work, she often engages in social media content creation—what she calls “typical influencer stuff”—to generate additional income to fund her athletic pursuits.
This grueling schedule leaves her with only three to six hours of sleep per night. “If I don’t do all these, how am I going to get extra money to sustain my sports?” she explained matter-of-factly.
The True Cost of Pursuing Excellence
In June 2025, Kerstin posted a revealing video on her TikTok account that laid bare the financial realities of being a national athlete in Singapore. She disclosed that in the first half of 2025 alone, she had spent $11,918 SGD on her athletics career—money that went toward overseas competition entry fees, travel, accommodation, and related expenses. She humorously titled the video “How much I earn as a Singapore athlete,” ending with the negative five-figure sum to highlight the financial burden.
Kerstin explained that athletes who only compete in Singapore spend far less, but she believes international competition is essential for improvement. “If I want to reach a certain mark, for example, to qualify for Southeast Asian Games, I really need to be running with people way stronger than me,” she said. “There are people who don’t pay because they run in Singapore, which I can, but what’s the point?”
Her strategy has been to compete overseas approximately every other week—roughly twice a month—to face stronger competition and improve her performances. Each overseas race costs between $1,000 and $2,000 SGD. Since March 2025, she traveled extensively for competitions across Southeast Asia, including events in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, with training camps in China.
The limited financial support available to Singapore athletes has been a source of frustration. Kerstin noted that only about eight to nine track and field athletes out of several hundred receive scholarships from Sport Singapore that fund competitions and related expenses. Across all sports, approximately 94 athletes receive monthly stipends ranging from $1,000 to $8,000 SGD through the Sport Excellence program.
To bridge the funding gap, Kerstin has relied heavily on sponsorships and partnerships with brands. Her social media presence has attracted partnerships with companies including Stryde (a wellness and recovery brand), Andar (athletic wear), and Therapin (a nasal filter product). She maintains active social media accounts on Instagram (@kerstinong, with over 71,000 followers), TikTok (@kerstinong, with 67,000 followers), and a dedicated running account (@kerstinongruns).
Mental Resilience and Personal Philosophy
Throughout her career, Kerstin has demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude in the face of challenges both on and off the track.
“I have a lot of mental stress. But when I see results, it’s worth it,” she has said. “The feeling on the track keeps me going.”
She has described the unique loneliness that comes with pursuing elite athletics. “The challenge is having an ‘alone’ feeling as an athlete and how to cope with it,” she explained. “Taking a route that is less travelled, not many can fully understand. I do not like being alone, it feels like I do not have someone who is my base and support.”
Despite these challenges, she has found strength in the support of friends and loved ones, though she acknowledges the journey has required her to develop extraordinary self-reliance and mental toughness.
Kerstin has also been remarkably candid about the crossroads she has faced regarding her athletic future. Early in her career, she openly discussed the pressure of balancing sporting ambitions with career prospects. “I feel like I’m in a crossroads of deciding if I want to continue spending so much time and effort into this sport,” she said in 2020. “The pressure of doing well in school for my future job prospects and thinking for my career is starting to creep up. After all, I can’t be in the sport competitively for too long, it doesn’t pay.”
However, her passion has consistently won out over practical considerations. “This fire deep inside me is still there, wanting to do well in this sport is still in my mind,” she continued. “As much as I am rethinking about it, the passion that still burns brightly in me still makes doing the sport worthwhile, it still brings me fulfillment.”
Her philosophy has evolved to embrace both her corporate and athletic identities. She describes herself as a “corporate girl + athlete,” a label that started playfully but has become central to her identity. In interviews, she has emphasized that success isn’t just about finishing first. “Don’t let medals, promotions or titles define your worth,” she advises. “You are more than your resume or your race times. The hurdles you overcome off the track are just as important as the ones on it.”
Advocacy and Giving Back
Beyond her personal athletic achievements, Kerstin has become an advocate for better support systems for Singapore athletes and opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to pursue their sporting dreams.
She serves as a program ambassador for the Singapore Sports School Trust Fund, which provides financial support to young athletes who might otherwise lack the resources to pursue excellence in sports. “I’m happy that I can use my voice to greater amplify this grant that is available to young athletes,” she said. “I have accumulated so much experience through sport that has changed my life for the better and individuals with huge potential should not have to miss out on such opportunities. The CSTSF exists to enable athletes to pursue their passion.”
Kerstin has also been vocal about the need for greater public encouragement of Singapore athletes. “I just hope that Singaporeans can be more encouraging,” she said in a 2025 interview. “National athletes who make it to the Olympics deserve all the hype—even if they come in last. Kind words and support from fellow Singaporeans would go a long way in helping athletes like her cope.”
Current Status and Future Ambitions
As of early 2026, Kerstin holds the Singapore national record in the women’s 100 meters hurdles with her officially recognized time of 13.86 seconds. She is a four-time national champion in the event and is ranked 780th in the world by World Athletics.
Her personal bests include:
- 100 meters hurdles: 13.86 seconds (NR)
- 4×100 meters relay: 44.41 seconds (NR)
- 100 meters: 12.34 seconds
- Long jump: 5.01 meters
Looking ahead, Kerstin has set ambitious targets for her athletic future. Her immediate goals include the 2026 Asian Games and the 2027 Southeast Asian Games. But her ultimate dream is to compete at the 2029 SEA Games, which will be held in Singapore.
“I definitely want to continue until then, when I can race at home in front of my family and friends,” she said after breaking her national record. “And I don’t just want to shave 0.01 off the record, I want to lower it significantly.”
The prospect of competing before a home crowd represents the fulfillment of a dream deferred since missing out on the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore. “There’s a lot more to come,” she declared. “This will not be my last; I want to go on to 2027 and even 2029, in Singapore.”
For now, Kerstin continues to manage her demanding dual life, waking before dawn for training, working full days at her marketing job, and creating content in the evenings to fund her athletic dreams. “I can always go back to work in the future,” she has said with characteristic pragmatism. “But for sports, I’m only left with a few good years.”
Legacy and Impact
At 28 years old, Kerstin Ong Jing Rong has already established herself as one of Singapore’s finest hurdlers and a compelling example of athletic perseverance. Her journey from a child who skipped tuition to become a national record holder embodies both the challenges and rewards of pursuing excellence in a small sporting nation where elite athletes often receive limited institutional support.
Her story resonates beyond the track. It speaks to anyone who has pursued a passion against practical advice, who has balanced competing demands on their time and resources, and who has persisted through disappointment toward eventual triumph. In breaking barriers on the track, Kerstin has also broken assumptions about what is possible when talent meets unwavering determination.
For young Singaporean athletes, particularly those in sports with limited funding and public attention, Kerstin Ong represents proof that Singapore can produce world-class competitors even in events where the nation has historically had limited success. Her advocacy for better support systems, combined with her transparency about the financial and mental challenges of elite athletics, has helped shine a light on the realities faced by self-funded athletes.
As she continues to chase her dreams—both the SEA Games medals that have eluded her and the prospect of running before a home crowd in 2029—Kerstin Ong remains a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and an unshakeable belief in oneself. Her national record of 13.86 seconds represents far more than a fast time over ten hurdles; it represents a decade of dedication, sacrifice, and an athlete’s refusal to let her dreams die.
The hurdles Kerstin has cleared extend far beyond the ten barriers that line the track. They include financial constraints, limited institutional support, public indifference, personal doubts, and the grinding daily challenge of balancing elite athletic ambitions with the demands of adult life. Each barrier she has cleared has brought her closer to her goals—and in the process, she has cleared a path for those who will follow.
