Quick Read
- Calvin Quek won Singapore’s first men’s 400m hurdles gold at the SEA Games since 1965, clocking 50.27 seconds in 2025.
- Quek, age 29, broke national records and is the first Singaporean to run the 400m hurdles in under 50 seconds.
- His success follows two previous SEA Games bronze medals and a transformative partnership with coach Luis Cunha.
- The women’s 4x100m relay team and Andrew George Medina also set records and won medals for Singapore at the 2025 Games.
Calvin Quek Ends Singapore’s 60-Year Wait for 400m Hurdles Gold
On a humid December evening at Thailand’s Suphachalasai National Stadium, Calvin Quek stood alone on the track—arms raised, eyes brimming with emotion. The scoreboard flashed a time of 50.27 seconds: enough to secure gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at the 33rd SEA Games, and with it, a place in Singaporean athletics history. For the first time since 1965, Singapore could celebrate a champion in this grueling event.
A Race Against Time and Expectations
Quek’s journey to this moment was anything but straightforward. At 29, he is no stranger to setbacks and skepticism. Just two years prior, he was far from being a medal contender, let alone a gold medal favorite. “There was a lot of pressure to win this gold after my National Record performances. It’s just a lot of relief being able to finally achieve this,” Quek shared, his voice shaking with relief and pride (ActiveSG Circle).
The pressure was not just internal. Since M Gunasena’s victory in 1965, Singapore’s men’s 400m hurdles contingent had managed only three bronze medals—two of them won by Quek himself in the previous two SEA Games editions. His story is not simply one of athletic prowess, but of perseverance and a quiet confidence that with the right support, even long odds can be overcome.
The Road to Gold: Breaking Barriers, Setting Records
Quek’s transformation accelerated when he began training under coach Luis Cunha. Before their partnership, Quek admits he was “nowhere close to even qualifying for a major Games.” In the two years since, he has become the first Singaporean to break both the 52-second and 51-second barriers in the 400m hurdles, culminating in a national record of 49.75 seconds set earlier in August 2025.
“He changed my life,” Quek said of Cunha. “Without him… let’s not talk about gold medal, or medal. I wouldn’t even think about coming to this major Games. Even if I come, I could just be running in the relay team as a reserve. So to be in this position, I have an individual event. I’m fighting for medal, a gold medal… honestly, I’m just thankful.” (Channel NewsAsia).
The final in Bangkok saw Quek execute his strategy with clinical precision, finishing ahead of Vietnam’s Nguyen Doc Son (50.80s) and Le Quoc Huy (50.91s). His focus was unwavering: “I was just focused on executing my own race. I just know I was clearly in front,” he recounted.
Defying Age and Doubt
In a sport often dominated by younger athletes, Quek’s age was a topic of conversation. Turning 30 in February 2026, he faced questions about his future and why he continued to compete. Yet, his response is a rallying cry for athletes everywhere: “Don’t count out the ‘old’ people. We have seen enough athletes who are able to compete at the highest level, even in their mid-30s. I don’t see why Singaporeans cannot without the right support in place for them.”
Quek’s gold is more than a medal—it’s a testament to the power of belief and the value of experience. His journey underscores that athletic excellence is not always a straight path, and that late bloomers can redefine what’s possible for their nation.
Singapore’s Track and Field Renaissance
Quek’s win was part of a wider resurgence for Singaporean athletics at the 2025 SEA Games. The women’s 4x100m relay team—Kerstin Ong, Elizabeth-Ann Tan, Laavinia Jaiganth, and Shanti Pereira—rewrote the national record with a time of 44.41 seconds, finishing fourth but celebrating a performance that was years in the making. Meanwhile, Andrew George Medina’s bronze in the men’s long jump was Singapore’s first in that event since 1983, his final leap of 7.53 meters a hard-fought reward for perseverance.
Shanti Pereira, fresh off her own double sprint victories, reflected the collective spirit of the team: “We worked so hard for this. We knew we could go faster. Every Saturday, under the hot sun, we were there training together, and it has brought us exactly what we wanted – that NR. We couldn’t make the podium, but you know what? We’ll celebrate the wins today.”
The Bigger Picture: Hope for the Next Generation
For Singapore, the 2025 SEA Games have become more than a medal tally—they are a story of breaking barriers, of rediscovering national pride, and of inspiring a new generation. Quek’s triumph stands as a beacon for those who may feel their time has passed, a reminder that with the right mix of tenacity, guidance, and support, history can be rewritten. As he stepped off the podium, gold medal gleaming, Calvin Quek embodied not just victory, but the enduring spirit of Singaporean sport.
Calvin Quek’s victory is a testament to how relentless commitment and timely mentorship can overturn decades of inertia in national sport. His story, echoed by the wider successes of Team Singapore at the SEA Games, is a powerful reminder that athletic achievement is as much about resilience and belief as it is about raw talent. For Singapore, this gold is not just an end to a 60-year wait—it’s the spark for new dreams.