‘Is it even worth it?’: S’pore athlete sacrifices sleep & works day job to keep dream alive
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The age-old saying, “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”, is a powerful reminder — and for some, it is the very mindset that propels them to the top.
28-year-old Kerstin Ong learnt the hard way that pursuing a passion at a competitive level, especially as an older athlete, demands more discipline, perseverance, and also, money.
The national athlete has represented Singapore in track and field since the age of 16, and now balances it with a full-time job.
However, working an eight-hour office job has not stopped her from clinching top national rankings in the 100-metre Hurdles.
Image courtesy of Kerstin Ong
Kerstin shares with MS News about the many challenges and sacrifices she faces on this gritty yet fulfilling journey.
In a recent video posted on her TikTok account, Kerstin shared that she spent S$11,918 in the first half of 2025 as a Singapore athlete.
She titled the video in a rather humourous way: “How much I earn as a Singapore athlete” — revealing the negative five-figure sum at the end.
The S$11,000, she explained, went towards funding her overseas races and related expenses.
Kerstin confesses that she chooses to spend more to compete overseas for her progress as an athlete, noting that those who only compete in Singapore spend way less.
Image courtesy of Kerstin Ong
“If I want to reach a certain mark, for example, to qualify for Southeast Asian (SEA) 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?”
Kerstin added that she noticed significant improvement with each overseas trip, even though she has spent about S$3,000 a month already.
Since March this year, she has been travelling for competitions in various Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand and Hong Kong.
She is also set to travel to China soon for a training camp.
Kerstin recognises that there is some financial support for athletes in Singapore, but this is only for a minority.
She told MS News that only about eight to nine athletes out of a few hundred receive scholarships, which fund their competitions and related expenses.
Across all sports — including badminton, swimming, and wushu — she noted that a total of 94 athletes are on this programme, receiving monthly stipends ranging from S$1,000 to S$8,000.
“Most of us are self-funded,” she said.
“So in a way, there’s support. But it’s way too hard to be in that programme.”
So for Kerstin, juggling a full-time job in the media industry as a national athlete is a grueling feat, but a necessary one.
She also does social media work — “typical influencer stuff” — after returning home from her office job.
“If I don’t do all these, how am I going to get extra money to sustain my sports?” she said.
Source: @kerstinong on Instagram
To say that her life is hectic would be an understatement.
Despite having flexible work arrangements — including working remotely while overseas — sustaining such a lifestyle comes at a steep cost: her sleep.
In order to do well as an athlete while balancing a full-time job, she sleeps a mere three to six hours a night.
Except on Sundays, Kerstin trains every morning at 6.30am or 7am, before heading to work by 10.30am.
Image courtesy of Kerstin Ong
“It’s very painful. I struggle every day,” she admitted.
“I can quit my office job, which is eight hours of my day, but I’ll be giving up a big income as well. So I’m kind of stuck.”
She also added that training once a day, six days a week, is insufficient — ideally, national athletes should be training twice a day.
“Sometimes it can get so overwhelming,” said Kerstin, sharing that the toll of her grueling lifestyle affects her mentally and emotionally as well.
She described the persistent frustration caused by sleep deprivation — feelings that sometimes spill over into her interactions with family, her partner, and colleagues.
“I’m trying to control, but it happens especially when it gets so demanding,” she said.
Kerstin also recalled a particularly difficult period during her previous job when she was working 14 hours a day, excluding training hours.
“I was on my laptop when I coughed up blood,” she told MS News.
“That scared me. It actually scared me.”
Despite everything, it was only in the recent few weeks that doubt truly crept in.
She recounted being pulled out of an overseas race at the last minute, despite spending a significant amount of time preparing for it.
“It was a long overseas trip, taken personal leaves from my job, and to only be informed on the final day,” she said. Kerstin then questioned herself and asked, “What am I doing this for?”
I started to ask myself — is this even worth it?
Even so, Kerstin says it’s her passion for the sport that keeps her going — the unwavering belief that her dream is still worth chasing.
“It’s a kind of happiness that you don’t get elsewhere,” said Kerstin, who started her track and field journey at just 10 years old.
Her talent took her to the Singapore Sports School, where her passion for the sport truly took root.
“Not like a job accomplishment, the satisfaction in sports is way higher,” she said.
This fiery passion, however, is hard to sustain without support, especially from the very country she has been representing for over a decade.
“I just hope that Singaporeans can be more encouraging,” said Kerstin, who added that national athletes who make it to the Olympics deserve all the hype — even if they come in last.
She added that kind words and support from fellow Singaporeans would go a long way in helping athletes like her cope.
Image courtesy of Kerstin Ong
“I have a lot of mental stress. But when I see results, it’s worth it,” she said. “The feeling on the track keeps me going.”
Even as she faces ongoing financial, physical, mental, and emotional strains, Kerstin remains steadfast about her priorities.
“I can always go back to work in the future. But for sports, I’m only left with a few good years.”
Also read: Sport S’pore to celebrate Olympic athletes with open-top bus parade on 14 Aug
Sport S’pore to celebrate Olympic athletes with open-top bus parade on 14 Aug
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