“To me, there are two sides of what it means to be an urban explorer. One side is the personal side of exploring your personal growth and development and continuously pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. For me, it is swimming. I am constantly challenging myself physically and mentally to perform the best that I can. On the other side of the spectrum, an urban explorer is someone who is curious about the world around them.”

Camille Cheng

Olympic Competitive Swimmer

Photograph by Claudia Lee

Our Urban Explorer

Could you please introduce yourself to our guests?

I’m Camille Cheng and I am a Professional Swimmer. I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Asia, so I have many strong ties to this part of the world. That said, I moved to Beijing at the age of 9 and left for the States when I was 18 years old for university so I have been lucky enough to experience so much as a kid. I am the eldest of three daughters in my family, and with my mom being French and my dad being Chinese, I can say that I’ve had such a multicultural experience growing up.

How did you get into the sport of swimming? Did you always know you had this talent?

I started swimming for fun when I was young in Hong Kong, which was in no way competitive, and that is where I really developed a love for this sport. I would recall going to the complex pool with my sisters after school and we would just enjoy swimming for hours till dinner time. The interesting thing is that I never actually took swimming classes as a child. If you ask my mom, she would tell you that in my very first lesson, as soon as I hit the water, it was as if I already knew how to swim so I did not end up taking any professional classes after that. To be honest, I cannot pinpoint exactly when I first learned to swim because it has always seemed so natural to me as if I have been doing it forever. 

When did you first realize you wanted to be a competitive swimmer?

When I was young, I was pretty shy and swimming really gave me a lot of confidence because I felt like it was something I enjoyed and was good at. I always thought of it as a hobby and just did it for fun, but it was not till I moved to Beijing at the age of 9 that I swam competitively. I remember during gym class, all the students were to swim ten laps so the coaches could evaluate our swimming ability and divide us into groups. At the time, the coach in our class, who just so happened to be a Greek Olympian, was evaluating us and when he saw me swim he came up to me and insisted that I try out for the swim team. That is how I really started competitive swimming. One of the reasons why I love swimming even till this day is because I was never pushed into it or felt like I was pressured to do it as a child. For me, it has always been my passion.

You come from a very unique background in which you grew up in Hong Kong, attending French international school till the age of 9 with both Chinese and French heritage. How was it like growing up in Hong Kong?

I remember my childhood being a very happy one, and I would always be playing outdoors or swimming at the pool. There are so many countless memories and traditions growing up here. One of our family traditions consisted of hiking up The Peak and I remember that when we got to the top, my sisters and I would be rewarded with ice cream as a treat for completing the hike. I really believe that Hong Kong has such a unique fusion of east meets west influences, and especially growing up with parents from such diverse backgrounds made it feel normal to have a kaleidoscope of cultures right within the city. It was not until I left Hong Kong for school that made me really appreciate what a unique place this city really is.  

Photograph by Claudia Lee

As an Olympian representing the Hong Kong team, do you feel that you have a strong connection with the city? If so, in what ways?

It has always been an interesting question that I find myself stumbling upon because I ask myself sometimes whether a person is considered truly from Hong Kong if they do not speak the local language or if their parents are not from this city. However, speaking for myself, I really don’t believe there is a cookie cutter definition of what it means to be from here. This place is undoubtedly a melting pot of rich and diverse cultures, and there are many others just like me who feel that Hong Kong is their home. Especially after representing Hong Kong in the 2016 Olympics, it motivated me to connect with the roots of my childhood again, and that is why I decided to move back shortly after.

What does a day in the life of Ms. Camille Cheng look like?

Every day is so different! I have a set schedule for swimming, which is twice a day, but the day-to-day activities that revolve around my training changes all the time. On a normal day, I will train in the morning where I am up as early as 5:30AM. In the afternoon session, we will do a mix and match of power work like high intensity training, working on our kicks, and race pace where we take our race and break it up so we can try to hit that intensity. On top of swimming, I will go to the gym three times a week, usually on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I will have one other day specifically for cardio and for the last day, I will do something fun like a hike or yoga. I just finished my Master’s degree but during that period, I would work on my school work throughout the week while training. Some people may think it is a bit overwhelming, but for me, the swimming discipline and regimen actually helps with school because I know I have to go to my trainings so it pushes me to be more efficient and finish up my school work on time.

What does ”Urban Explorer” mean to you and how do you think you fit into this term?

To me, there are two sides of what it means to be an urban explorer. One side is the personal side of exploring your personal growth and development and continuously pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. For me, it is swimming. I am constantly challenging myself physically and mentally to perform the best that I can. On the other side of the spectrum, an urban explorer is someone who is curious about the world around them. For me, my curiosity stems from my upbringing and exposure to different cultures. Even when I am doing the same thing like going on a hike I have done before, it can be a completely new experience if I am doing it with a new group of people. There are always new things waiting to be discovered if you keep your eyes open.

Photograph by Richard Seow

Olympian In Her Own Right

You graduated with a Psychology degree at Berkley and still managed to be on the swim team. How did you keep your mental health in check when you juggled between both activities simultaneously?

I think it is always a work in progress. My college coach would always say that in life, everything you learn and the experiences you gain only add to your toolbox. As you get older, you learn to either perfect those tools or you continue to add more tools into your box. With this mentality, I really believe that everything you learn, either at school or in your sport, you are able to apply them in different areas of your life. For instance, growing up in such a diverse environment and having always been surrounded by people has contributed to the way I work in teams. When I got to university, I found the relationship between the mind and its surrounding environment quite intriguing so I decided to learn more about sports psychology and positive psychology. It has really helped me apply these learnings into my sport. Also, as an athlete, I have learnt that you can only focus on the things you can control like your sleep, health and nutrition so I just try to be the best that I can be.

What was your first reaction when you made an Olympic A time (which guarantees a place at the United States National Championships in 200 metre freestyle)?

I remember when I first got it, my initial reaction was actually a feeling of relief. I had been training so hard that summer and everyone around me gave me such hope that I would get it the first time so when I did not get it, I really doubted myself. Competition after competition, I still could not make the time and was putting a lot of pressure on myself to perform. I really needed to do something different because what I was doing was clearly not working! I spoke with my coach and they encouraged me to stop putting so much pressure on myself and just swim for the little girl inside of me who loved swimming. On the day of the competition, nothing went smoothly as planned. We got to the pool late and I did not get my full warm-up. But miraculously, it was on that day that I made my time and qualified for the Olympics. I can still recall getting out of the pool with all my teammates cheering me on. It was a very special moment!

It’s a huge accomplishment! How did you train for it?

Of course, I continued to train to be in shape physically, but on a mental level, it was more important than ever to stay focused and disciplined. At that point, I had only taken two weeks of holidays in the past 5 years but everyone around me was also training as intensively so it felt normal to sustain momentum and keep going.

What characteristics do you think an Olympian has that makes them a good role model?

I think passion, discipline and determination, for not only Olympians but athletes committed to their sport as well, makes them admirable. Athletes need to be resilient and constantly have belief, trust and patience in themselves even when they fail. It is also admirable to see how athletes mentally prepare themselves for competitions and really take hold of what it is they want. For instance, rather than saying “I would like to do it or it would be nice to do it” it is important to mentally train the way you speak to yourself and say “I will do this and I will get it”.

What was your reaction when you first heard that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics would be postponed to 2021?

After training for 4 years, you feel like you are ready to give it your all but it got to a point where the postponement was inevitable. In my opinion, I feel that if the Olympics could not be hosted the way it was to be hosted (without spectators, for example), it would really lose the whole spirit of this momentous event. In a way, it was hard to hear that this year’s games would be postponed because of the physical, mental and emotional journey we’ve gone through leading up to this point. That said, I do try to see the silver lining, like having more time to prepare and being able to do what I love for another year.

If you had the opportunity to do a cross-collaboration with any brand organization, who would you like to work with?

It would have to be a brand that shares similar values with me and that can be a good platform to make an impact on its audience. I am currently a Lululemon ambassador and they are really big on community and sweating it out together which I really love, not to mention their incredible product. I would also love to collaborate with organizations that can empower young women in sports, which is an area I am very passionate about.

Who has been your biggest role model to date?

It is a really hard question for me to answer because growing up, there was not one person that I looked up to and identified as a role model. There are so many people that have influenced me in my life, so I find that there are certain qualities that I naturally gravitate towards. I am always inspired by people that know who they are and are not afraid to stand up for what they believe. A lot of my coaches and teammates are constantly pushing what it means to be a women in a male-dominated field. That is so inspiring. I also really like to be around people that go after what they want because it makes me feel like they are bringing me up with me, and it makes me strive to be better.

Photograph by Benny Sin

What do you enjoy most about your craft?

One thing I really enjoy about my craft is that I know I am always constantly growing and challenging myself to be better than I was yesterday.

What do you enjoy the least about your craft?

When you are working on your craft, there are sacrifices you need to make like finding time for friends and family. Sometimes, I will want to meet up with friends for brunch but if I have training, I will need a bit of a push on certain days to get myself into the pool. 

Travel Inspiration

How often do you travel and do you travel more for work or for pleasure?

The great thing about swimming is that you can travel for competitions and sometimes you will get to visit some really amazing places. It is a little hard to travel for pleasure due to the training schedule. Now that I am in Asia, it is much easier to get around so I cannot wait to start traveling again once things get better!

So where does your inspiration for travel come from?

I would say that my travel inspiration comes from television or Pinterest and I am very much drawn to places that are culturally different from the cities I have lived in. When it comes to travel inspiration, it is more about the rich cultures that I am interested in exploring. I also get recommendations from friends who have been on amazing holiday getaways and try to follow their itinerary. That said, I really like visiting places where there’s a beach or body of water as my boyfriend loves to surf, so our ideal vacation place would be somewhere he can surf while I enjoy the outdoors. We went to Fiji last year and it was incredible. There is this one main road on the island that extends to various other places on the island so it is quite a scenic drive!

What other destinations are on your bucket list?

Greece is number one on my list because of the Olympic history this place holds. I also really love the water so it would be nice just to have a lovely beach getaway. I would also love to just eat my way through Italy with my sisters and do cooking classes. We love Italian food! Another place that would be wonderful to visit is Morocco because it is so culturally enriching.

Photograph by Claudia Lee

What do you enjoy most about the city? Are there certain elements or characteristics that is visibly Hong Kong?

I love that this city has layers of contrast of east meets west with the mountains and sea, the crowded density and fast pace of life. The first impression that people have of Hong Kong is that it is one big concrete jungle and the Hong Kong skyline, but there is so much more to it. One of my favourite areas in the city is Sai Kung, where the land meets the sea, which is visually captivating. It is such an exciting place to be when you are young with so many exciting things happening in the city, with interesting people transiting in and out all the time. Though geographically it may seem small, there is so much culture in this one space and each area is so unique in its own way.

What are some things you do in the city to unwind?

I really enjoy being outdoors like going out to the beach or going on a hike.

In 3 words, how would you describe Hong Kong?

Dynamic, Vibrant, Opposing

What is your life motto that you can share with our guests?

Everything happens for you, not to you. I believe that there is always a reason for everything that happens in your life, whether good or bad. It is important to reframe the way you view these experiences because in the end, it is meant to teach you something. I have learnt the most from my failures, the hardships and challenges and hope others can find the silver lining  in even the most difficult times.

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