Red Sports

21/05/2023

National Schools : As 400m-400m hurdles champion Caleb Loy anchored Raffles Institution (RI) to the A Division boys’ 4 by 400 metres gold in the final event of the meet, a successful campaign for the athletes in green, black and white was sealed as the school clinched its first A and B boys’ divisional titles since 2016 and 2018 respectively, while it was the school’s first time claiming both trophies at the same meet in 33 years.

Victoria School’s (VS) silver medal in the C Division boys’ 4x400m relay proved even more pivotal as the school ended up tied on 138 points with Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) in the overall C boys’ divisional standings, with the Victorians claiming the trophy by virtue of having more golds. VS’s historic title shattered a 20-time winning streak held by HCI (formerly The Chinese High School), with VS also the last school to have won it all the way back in 2000.

In the same race, Sean Russell Tay brought Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) from fifth to first place on the anchor to bag his fourth win at the meet, emerging as the only quadruple gold medalist this year adding to victories in the 200m (23.40s), 400m (53.45s) and 4x100m relay.

Elsewhere, HCI and Cedar Girls’ Secondary each clinched its fifth straight overall team title in the girls’ A and C divisions, respectively, while CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School retained its B girls’ championship after last winning it in 2005 before last year.

What other historic nuggets went down on the final day as the annual athletics meet returned under the National Stadium roof for the first time since 2019?

Red Sports gives you a full lowdown of the relay finals along with pieces of statistical trivia. Full story on REDSPORTS.SG.

Story and photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports. Statistics powered by Erwin Wong/Red Sports

17/05/2023

National Schools : Only in sixth place in the last 100 metres of the penultimate leg, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) had anchor Sean Russell Tay ( #71) to thank as he blazed down the last lap to retain the school's C Div boys' 4x400m relay gold in 3:50.49.

In an exhilarating final, Victoria School (VS) clinched silver in 3:51.78, Raffles Institution (RI) took bronze in 3:54.24, while Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) were fourth in 3:58.55.

RI had taken the lead over the first two legs via Wang Qiyue and Nagaraj Dhiyanesh, followed behind by Singapore Sports School (SSP), St. Patrick’s School (SPS) and ACS(I) at the halfway point of the race.

St. Patrick’s Lai Hikaru ( #466) took the lead midway through the third leg but gradually faded while ACS(I) dropped to sixth by the home straight, as VS and HCI joined the fray. SSP's Kyan Jee ( #413) finished this leg in front, followed by VS, RI and HCI.

Receiving the baton in fifth, ACS(I)’s Sean ( #71) remarkably overtook HCI, RI and SSP at the 200m mark before hunting down VS's 100m hurdles and 200m hurdles champ Kayden Fang ( #535) on the home straight to sn**ch victory.

The win saw Sean emerge as the only quadruple gold medalist at this year’s meet, after also clinching gold in the 200m (23.40s), 400m (53.45s) and 4x100m relay.

ACS(I) teammate Sebastian Chong ( #49), who was the third runner, sealed his third track gold having already won the 1500m (4:31.55) and 3000m (10:00.90), which added to his individual cross country gold. The rest of the ACS(I) quartet consisted of Kieran Chua ( #59) and Luca Chen ( #48).

All was not lost for VS, however, as their silver helped the school tie on points with HCI in the overall C boys’ divisional standings, with the Victorians grabbing the trophy by virtue of having more golds. VS’s historic title shattered a 20-time winning streak held by HCI (formerly The Chinese High School), with VS also the last school to have won it all the way back in 2000.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

16/05/2023

National Schools : Singapore Sports School (SSP) led from start to end as the quartet of Muhammad Danial Ryan ( #537), Emir Bin Muhammad Rashid ( #532), Emre Rizq Mika ( #533) and Ifeanyichukwu Asyaraff Ibrahim Molokwu ( #534) brought home the B Div boys’ 4x400m relay gold in 3:34.33.

It was SSP’s 9th consecutive win in this event and the 12th win out of 17 attempts since the school’s establishment.

A late challenge from Secondary 3 athlete and 400m champion (51.40s) Harry Irfan Curran ( #64) proved too little, too late as the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) anchor brought his team from fourth to second place with an approximately 50-second split, but settled for silver in 3:36.15.

Catholic High were third in 3:37.84, and Victoria School fourth in 3:38.30.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

15/05/2023

National Schools : A tight contest in the A Div boys’ 4x400m relay final culminated in Raffles Institution (RI) grabbing gold in 3:28.24, narrowly ahead of Victoria Junior College (VJC) who took silver in 3:29.10. Both RI and VJC were way ahead of the chasing pack from start to end, as nearest challengers Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) finished at least six seconds behind in third (3:35.47).

RI's 110m hurdles champ and 400m hurdles bronze medalist Brandon Ang ( #195) as well as VJC's 100m-200m bronze medalist Ong Ying Tat ( #304) had set the pace from the lead-off leg, with RI marginally in front by the end of the second leg via 400m silver medalist Zach Tan ( #237), ahead of VJC's Renfred Ong ( #308).

VJC's 400m hurdles and 800m runner Tanmay Deshpande ( #315) made up some ground on RI's Shaun Max Sudhakar ( #233) on the penultimate leg, but no one could stop RI's 400m (51.46s) and 400m hurdles (57.34s) champ Caleb Loy ( #198) on the anchor as he held off VJC's 400m bronze medalist Ethan Phua ( #291) to cross the finish line first.

RI reclaimed the gold in this event which they last won in 2019, while this was VJC's first top 3 finish since 2017 (bronze), and the highest position attained by a VJC team since they last won this relay two consecutive times in 2008-2009.

In 12 editions of the meet ever since VJC's golds in 2008 and 2009, the A boys' 4x400m relay has only been won by RI (6 times), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) (3 times), and Anglo-Chinese Junior College (3 times).

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

10/05/2023

National Schools : A topsy-turvy affair in the A Div girls’ 4x400m relay final saw the top 3 teams exchange the lead multiple times before Raffles Institution’s (RI) Chloe Wong ( #162), Niesha Kim Bhandari ( #158), Lyn Liau ( #151) and Kirsten May Leong ( #149) marginally took gold in 4:15.00, 0.56 seconds ahead of silver medalists Hwa Chong Institution (HCI). Singapore Sports School (SSP), in the absence of 400m-400m hurdles champ Audrey Koh who was in Uzbekistan for the Asian U18 Championships, took bronze in 4:18.75.

All three schools’ lead-off runners completed their runs almost simultaneously, before Cass Chan ( #166) brought SSP in front midway through the second leg. That lead got threatened after Niesha’s ( #158) strong kick on the home straight for RI, but HCI went from third to first place by the end of the penultimate leg via Eleana Goh ( #84).

It came down to a neck-and-neck contest between RI’s Kirsten ( #149) and HCI’s Tan Kit Kaye ( #99) on the anchor, and the 400m bronze medalist prevailed to reclaim RI’s gold in this event which the school last won in 2019.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

08/05/2023

National Schools : Singapore Sports School (SSP) defended the B Div girls’ 4x400m relay gold in 4:15.71, with Nanyang Girls’ High second in 4:16.54 and Raffles Girls’ School third in 4:19.70.

It was SSP’s 14th win in this event in the last 17 editions of the championships, since the school’s establishment. This was despite none of its individual 400m runners making the semis this year.

First runner Siti Nurhidayah ( #463) was not registered for any individual events, while second runner Navitha Yovan ( #461) took part in the long jump and triple jump. Neo En Yu ( #462), who competed in the 100m and 200m, brought SSP from second to first place on the penultimate leg — twisting her ankle during the baton exchange — before 800m-1500m runner Victoria Chua ( #464) ensured the victory.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

07/05/2023

National Schools : Dilys Koh ( #286), Luanne Chua ( #277), Laura Leong ( #289) and Huang Tianai ( #283) brought home the C Div girls' 4x400m relay gold for Nanyang Girls’ High School (NYGH), clinching their school's first win in this event since 2017.

Only in third place halfway through the race, they turned up a gear on the final two legs to finish first in 4:31.48. In a very tight finish where less than three seconds separated 1st and 4th, Tamara Tyles ( #309) of National Junior College (NJC) brought her team from fifth place to silver position on the anchor, finishing in 4:33.25, while Tanjong Katong Secondary (TKSS) came in third in 4:33.43. Cedar Girls' were fourth in 4:34.18.

NJC's second place, together with their 4x100m relay silver earlier, meant the school has garnered its first ever C Div relay medals. TKSS's bronze was also the school's first ever C girls' relay medal, since 1970 at least.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

07/05/2023

National A Div : Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) clinched its first ever A Division girls’ trophy in bowling and across all sports at the National School Games. The A Division boys claimed the school’s fifth bowling title in a row.

(From reader. Photos by Timothy Ting)

07/05/2023

National Schools : Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) retained its A Div boys’ 4x100m relay title with the team consisting of Joel Aidan Low ( #39), Luke Tan, Isaac Ling and Xavier Tan ( #51) clocking 42.91s. It was ACS(I)’s third gold in this event in the last four editions of the championships.

Victoria Junior College (VJC) grabbed the silver in 43.37s while Raffles Institution took bronze in 43.55s. It was VJC’s first top 3 finish in this event in 11 years, and the highest position attained by a VJC team since the school last won the relay in 2009.

That result also pushed powerhouses Hwa Chong Institution out of the top 3, only the third time this has happened in the A boys’ 4x100m relay since 2010.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

06/05/2023

National Schools : Aided by storming runs on the third and fourth leg, the Raffles Institution (RI) quartet of Justin Chua ( #477), Xavier Teo, Brayden Chan and Garrett Chua ( #476) sn**ched victory in the B Div boys’ 4x100m relay final clocking 44.10s. It was RI’s first win in this event in 17 years.

Barely in sixth or seventh place halfway through the race, RI clawed back via 100m-200m champion Brayden and long jump-110m hurdles champion Garrett to finish 0.2 seconds ahead of second-placed Singapore Sports School (44.30s), who had won this event 10 times out of the previous 16 editions of the championships.

Victoria School were third in 44.63s and St. Patrick’s School fourth in 44.89s.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

06/05/2023

National Schools : Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)’s Alvis Lee, Sean Russell Tay, Thaddaeus Lee and Keane Tan ( #58) powered home to gold in the C Div boys’ 4x100m relay final, clocking 46.18s. It was the school’s first win in the event since 2018.

A team of versatile athletes, Thaddaeus was registered for the javelin and long jump, Alvis and Keane took part in the long jump and javelin respectively on top of the 100m, while Sean was the 200m-400m champion.

They finished ahead of Raffles Institution who took silver in 46.89s, while St. Patrick’s School clocked 47.76s for bronze, the school’s first 4x100m relay medal in 14 years.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

06/05/2023

National Schools : Long jumper Trisha-Ann Tan ( #104) brought home the A Div girls’ 4x100m relay gold for Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), crossing the line in 50.68s. It was HCI’s second gold in a row in the event after last winning it in 2015 before last year.

The rest of the HCI team consisted of Meredith Lee, Gwendolin Lim and 100m-200m champion Eleana Goh.

Singapore Sports School (SSP) took silver in 51.11s, with Raffles Institution (RI) claiming bronze in 51.27s.

Since 2007, HCI, SSP and RI (formerly Raffles Junior College) remain the only schools to have won the A girls’ 4x100m relay.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

06/05/2023

National Schools : The Singapore Sports School quartet of Bevlyn Koh ( #458), Bernyce Koh ( #457), Zara Almira ( #465) and Neo En Yu ( #462) took gold in the B Div girls’ 4x100m relay final, clocking 50.09s. In a tight finish, Cedar Girls’ finished second in 50.38s, and CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ were third in 50.39s.

For the first time in 21 years, the winning B girls’ 4x100m relay team did not feature any of the top 3 finishers in the individual 100m final.

With the talent pool more spread out — the eight finalists in the B girls’ 100m all hail from different schools — the relay final saw the fastest 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th-place timings in National Schools history.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

06/05/2023

National Schools : Cedar Girls’ Heather Tan ( #53) mounted a comeback on the anchor leg to clinch the C Div girls’ 4x100m relay gold in 53.94s for her team, which also included Chloe Toh ( #82), Ess Claudia Joan ( #48) and Kayley Seah ( #59). It was Cedar’s second straight win in the event after ending a 23-year drought last year.

They finished just 0.19 seconds ahead of second-placed National Junior College (NJC), who claimed the first ever C Div relay medal for their school before the 4x400m team added another silver later in the afternoon.

Nanyang Girls’ High (NYGH) finished third in 54.70s, pipping CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ to the line by 0.03s, and ensuring that it was the sixth straight time that both Cedar and NYGH have placed in the top 3 for the event.

Cedar’s win also contributed to the school claiming its fifth C girls’ overall team title in a row.

Full relay wrap-up and more photos on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/17/nsg-track-and-field-relay-wrap-up/

03/05/2023

National Schools : Having already surpassed his 1.85-metre personal best twice as the field was whittled down to two in the B Division boys’ high jump final, Viresh Kumar ( #601) could have easily been content with his showing even as he was trailing in the contest for gold.

But there was no barrier too high for the bullish St. Patrick’s School athlete, as he stared down the 1.90m-high bar and urged his fellow competitors and the crowd to clap along with him.

“At the end of the day, it’s just me, myself and I fighting for the medal,” said the 16-year-old after the event.

“It’s just me who will get it or lose it. In the end, I really fought for it.”

A faultless curved run-up later, Viresh took flight over 1.90m on his first attempt and looked up in disbelief as the bar remained intact. That was his third PB of the afternoon and it proved enough to sn**ch victory after a high jump marathon which lasted at least three hours.

RI's Rei Tan ( #507), the B boys' triple jump champion (13.33m) this year and C boys' high jump record holder (1.85m) from last year, had to settle for silver with 1.88m on his B Division debut.

Rei’s RI teammate Lau Jia Hern ( #489) and Victoria School’s Joash Tam ( #710) both cleared a best height of 1.80m, but the latter claimed the bronze on countback.

Read the full story on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

Story and photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports. Additional reporting by Erwin Wong/Red Sports St. Patrick's School's Viresh Kumar clinched the B Div boys'

02/05/2023

National Schools : Raffles Institution’s Pranav Shreedhar ( #230) sn**ched victory in the A Division boys' 1500m final after a strong kick, finishing in 4:15.02. Hwa Chong Institution’s Jacob Tan ( #121, 4:16.51) and teammate Oumalee Theejutha ( #135, 4:16.68) took silver and bronze respectively after a tight finish.

More photos on REDSPORTS.SG.
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/01/nsg-1500m-vjc-faith-ford/

(Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

02/05/2023

National Schools : Reuben Loke ( #79), Isaac Tan ( #66) and Muhammad Akid ( #81) ensured a 1-2-3 medal sweep for Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in the B Division boys' 1500m final, clocking 4:25.27, 4:26.35 and 4:28.99 respectively. Pranit Nitin ( #646) of Temasek Secondary finished fourth, and Emerson Koo ( #251) of Evergreen Secondary fifth.

More photos on REDSPORTS.SG.
https://www.redsports.sg/2023/05/01/nsg-1500m-vjc-faith-ford/

(Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

01/05/2023

National Schools : She had set a new schools national record in the 3000 metres two weeks earlier, but moments before she toed the start line in the A Division girls' 1500m final, Victoria Junior College (VJC)'s Faith Ford had niggling doubts about taking down the event's 24-year-old electronically-timed record of 4 minutes 54.02 seconds held by Rahmah Begum, and Zhang Cuiying's hand-timed mark of 4:53.7 set in 1991.

After all, she had never gone under 5 minutes over three-and-three-quarter laps, winning the event last year in 5:07.82 and recording 5:02.82 in this year's heats.

"It felt like a bit of a stretch," conceded the 18-year-old.

But familiar sources of encouragement in the form of her father, Erik Ford, and her coach, long-serving VJC teacher Tan Yew Hwee, helped her reshape her mentality going into the final.

"My coach and my dad were all like, 'No, you can do it', 'You have it in you', 'Just go out there and try'... then I was like, you know what, I'll just go out there and run and we'll see how it goes," she said.

Bursting out from the pack on the back straight and completing her first 300m in around 54s, Faith never relented and eventually crossed the finish line three laps later in 4:52.41, shattering both records in the process.

She finished at least 30 seconds ahead of her nearest challengers, with Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) duo Eunice Chin (5:22.43) and Sheryl Tang (5:34.17) taking the silver and bronze respectively.

Read the full story on REDSPORTS.SG. (Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

Story and photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports Faith Zhen Ford ( #193) of VJC set a new championship record in the