Keyon Loo - TeamSG Fencer

Image of Keyon Loo as a TeamSG Fencer

Diploma in Sport and Wellness Management, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)

Keyon Loo is one of our TeamSG Fencers and he earned bronze at the 2024 Istanbul Junior World Cup in fencing and is currently pursuing a Diploma in Sport and Wellness Management at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), with graduation planned for 2027.

Determined to excel both as an elite fencer and as a student, Keyon needed to find ways to integrate his intensive training schedule with the academic commitments of his diploma programme without compromising either pursuit.

When Keyon consulted spexEducation Programme Office (spexEd PO), we worked closely with him to understand his sporting aspirations and academic goals. spexEd PO subsequently coordinated discussions involving Keyon, his personal mentor and course manager at NYP, and his National Sports Association’s High-Performance Manager (NSA HPM) to develop an academic plan that would best support his training and competition schedule.

NYP, a spexEducation partner, is committed to implementing athlete-friendly practices and played a key role in supporting this arrangement. The lecturers from NYP’s Diploma in Sport and Wellness Management have been instrumental in helping Keyon integrate his sporting and academic commitments. His study programme was customised to allow for maximum full-time training while continuing to meet curriculum requirements. His Year 3 modules were planned around periods with lower competition demands to enable completion of compulsory modules, and selected modules were deferred with an extension of his course duration to provide greater flexibility for training and competition.

Reflecting on his journey, Keyon shared that the guidance and coordination provided by spexEd PO were integral to helping him pursue excellence in both sport and studies, enabling him to work towards his aspirations as a TeamSG fencer without compromising his education: “I consulted the spexEducation team after the advice from others. Initially, the spexEd PO officer sat down with me to listen to my sporting aspirations and my ideal plans with regards to school. We worked together in planning possible options.  Subsequently, the officer helped coordinate a meeting with my personal mentor and course manager at NYP,  my NSA's HPM and myself to help plan my academic calendar to best facilitate my training and competition schedule. Their help has been integral to me achieving my aspirations in both study and sport.”