Competitive hurdler, paediatric resident, commando medic: How Ang Chen Xiang does it all

Photo credit: Singapore Athletics.

Team Singapore hurdler Ang Chen Xiang balances his athletic career with residency at Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute.

Long before he cleared hurdles in international competitions, Ang Chen Xiang practiced by jumping over an old desk his father repurposed so that he could learn the sport. In 2023, the former home-furniture hurdler became the SEA Games’ first Singaporean champion in the 110m Hurdles Finals since 1967.

Chen Xiang has come a long way from using desks to hone his skills.

He recalls being a short 13-year-old who only hit his stride when he got taller during his teenage years. But these days, you’ll find him chipping away at his best times alongside other national athletes at Singapore Sports Hub in Kallang, although he occasionally trains at the Singapore Sports Institute gym where there is massage therapy and physiotherapy available.

"To compete for Singapore alone is such a blessing, but it takes a village to make it all happen,” he says of the many support networks he’s leaned on throughout his pursuit of excellence.

Photo credit: Singapore Athletics.

Chen Xiang competing at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

Army days

In2022 Chen Xiang clinched his first silver medal at the SEA Games while he was still a full-time National Serviceman, serving as a medical officer in the 1st Commando Battalion.

In additionto his Medical Officer Conversion Course and running the medical centre at Pasir Ris Camp, he had to undergo the same intensive field training as the commando units he’d be deployed with.

These exercises did not always align with fitness goals tailored for hurdling, and Chen Xiang had to work with his coach to adapt his training regimen. He learned quickly to work within his limitations: “You have to do what you can, but not overdo it because that just leads to strain and injury.”

That sense of moderation has continued to serve him well. Since completing National Service, Chen Xiang continued to balance his hurdling career with clinical work (including on-call duties) and exams as a paediatric resident at the Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute.

Photo credit: Singapore Athletics.

Chen Xiang competing at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

Finding time

"I'mnot going to lie, it’s incredibly challenging,” he admits, “most of my free time outside work is spent training or doing mobility and recovery work.”

Whenhe’s preparing for competitions, Chen Xiang can rack up seven to eight training sessions a week, not including rehab and physiotherapy sessions.

Takingevery opportunity to sharpen his execution, he participates in regional training camps — with assistance from the Singapore Athletics Overseas Competition & Training Camp Grant — and smaller competitions such as the Malaysia Open Athletics Championships and the Brisbane Track Classic.

ForChen Xiang, these commitments mean taking days off from his regular obligations. Although he sometimes uses annual or unpaid leave to train and compete overseas, he says that organisations like SAF and NUH have unrecorded leave schemes for sportsmen, to allow them to represent Team Singapore on the world stage.

Feet on the ground

Chen Xiang does not take his athletic privileges for granted, and frequently expresses gratitude for his colleagues: “When I'm away, my workload has to be distributed among the remaining people in the department, and I'm very appreciative of that.”

Where most reigning champions would obsessively look ahead to next year’s games, Chen Xiang’s attention remains firmly fixed on the present. “I like thinking of my athletic career as a marathon and not a sprint,” he says, “so I prefer to work slowly and steadily towards improvement."

Read more about Singapore High Performance Sports ecosystem here.