As a senior at Silver Creek High School, he was the state champion in the 200-meters.  While attending San Jose City College in 1976, he led the Jaguars to the state title by winning the 100-meter and 200-meter races, as well as anchoring the 4×100 and 4×400 meter relays. At the 1976 Olympic trials, he recorded the year’s fastest time for the 200-meters.  At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, he won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter relay and a silver medal in the 200-meters.  He joined the San Jose Police Department in 1984.

A champion athlete and citizen, Hampton was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.