Chua Phung Kim was one of the few Singapore sportsmen who managed to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. He did Singapore proud at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth when he won the bantamweight gold medal with a record lift of 710lbs. In the process he rewrote the records for the press (215lbs), snatch (225lbs) and jerk (270 lbs), breaking the Games total record by a huge 50lbs margin!

The Games feat was one of the most memorable achievements for Phung Kim. His successes ran into volumes since his elder brother, Peng Kim, introduced him to the iron game in 1960. He also won a gold medal at the 4th SEAP Games in 1965.

Phung Kim's motivation came from a passion for the sport and his drive to put in his best. In an era where there was no monetary support or awards for aspiring sportsmen, it took a lot of personal commitment and sacrifices to persevere and excel in sports. Such was the determination of a true sportsman.

In the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, he won a silver medal, losing the gold by a mere 2.5kg.

In 1976, he joined the weightlifting fraternity as one of the coaches to help the Singapore Amateur Weightlifting Federation boost the sport. He continued his service with the SAWF until his death at the age of 51 in 1990.