Ranjitha Raja of Anderson beats Mok Ying Rong in B Division 1500m

Story by REDintern Colin Tung. Pictures by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports.

Choa Chu Kang Stadium, 20 April, 2009 – Ranjitha D/O Raja of Anderson Secondary exposed Mok Ying Rong’s lack of speed as she romped home to win the B girls’ 1500m at the National Inter-School Track-and-Field Championships in 5 minutes 14.76 seconds.

The result was a reverse of the 3000m race in which Ying Rong, of Raffles Girls’ School, had triumphed over Ranjitha. Ying Rong finished second to Ranjitha this time in 5:20.22. Winsy Li of CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School was third in a time of 5:25.32.

Entering the race, Ying Rong and Ranjitha were always going to be the two main players. Ranjitha took the lead at the starter’s gun and for 600m, that did not change. But Ying Rong ran hard to the front in a replication of the same strategy she had used in the 3000m to wear out the field of runners.

Ranjitha though did not let Ying Rong go this time and settled in behind her. As they went through the 1100m mark and embarked on their final lap, Ranjitha bolted past Ying Rong and sped towards the finish line.

Ying Rong quickened her shuffle in an attempt to maintain parity but they were futile as Ranjitha simply had superior speed.

Said Ranjitha after the race: “I thought I would do better in this race than the 3000m because I have more speed which makes me more suitable for the 1500m. I am very happy.”

Besides the 1500m final for the B Division girls, there was also the 1500m final for the A and C Division girls. The fastest time of all came in the A Division girls’ race where reigning National Inter-School Cross-Country champion Chew Hanyu of Raffles Institution won in 5:04.50.

Hanyu had gone into the race expecting J. Lossini of Serangoon Gardens Secondary to be her closest rival. She said: “I was quite nervous at the start. I thought Lossini would be my closest rival.”

She was right as a lead pack of four was established by the 300m mark with Lossini hanging behind Hanyu in the lead with Louisa Chiew of Hwa Chong Institution in third place.

Hanyu gradually built up her pace and when they ran down the back-straight into the last 200m, Hanyu had a 20m lead as Lossini, Look Xinqi of Raffles Institution and Louisa followed behind.

Leading the whole way to cross the finish line, the ever-smiling Hanyu achieved the first half of her double-gold aim that she had accomplished in 2008 when she won the 1500m and 3000m B girls’ titles with CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’.

She said after the run: “I want to achieve double gold, like last year.”

In the C Division girls’ 1500m race, Janielle Lim of CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ scooped up the winner’s title in a time of 5:21.55 after getting the silver medal in the previous Friday’s 3000m race.

Janielle was in fourth position for almost the whole race going into the final lap. The pint-sized Hannah Lau of Cedar Girls’ Secondary, on the other hand, had led from 700m onwards.

Going through 1200m, four girls remained in contention as the lead changed hands multiple times between Janielle, Nicole Liaw of CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) and Hannah.

But into the last 200m, it came down to Hannah and Janielle as they pulled away from the other two. It was an exciting battle as the pair headed down the home-stretch, with shouts and shrieks of encouragement coming from their respective supporters.

Eventually, Janielle outlasted Hannah to the line. Hannah finished in a time of 5:23.00 with Nicole Liaw was third in 5:25.72.

Hannah was obviously spent at the finish.

“I have tried my best,” she said.

Asked how she felt about losing out in such a keenly fought race, she replied: “I trust that God has given me the best.” Optimistically, she added: “It’s ok, I’ll try again next year.”

Janielle had commented after losing out on the gold medal in the 3000m last Friday that the race had been ‘fun’ and once again she displayed her effervescent and humble self as she shared her feelings on the race:

“I’m very shocked. Didn’t expect to win as I was 4th throughout the race… This is for the glory of God.”

Results (Top-Eight Only)

1500m C Division Girls
1. Janielle Lim Yan Han CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ Secondary 5:21.55
2. Hannah Lau Sing Hee Cedar Girls’ Secondary 5:23.00
3. Liaw Yun Mun Nicole Ann CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 5:25.72
4. Roshini Piragasam Crescent Girls’ Secondary 5:25.75
5. Nicole Lum Singapore Sports School 5:34.14
6. Hwang Jing Wen Dionne CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 5:35.26
7. Tee Jia Xin Dunman High School 5:36.16
8. Jayne Ng Dunman High School 5:39.80

1500m B Division Girls
1. Ranjitha D/O Raja Anderson Secondary 5:14.76
2. Mok Ying Rong Raffles Girls’ Secondary 5:20.22
3. Li Ying Si Winsy CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ Secondary 5:25.32
4. Soh Rui Min Romaine Cedar Girls’ Secondary 5:25.84
5. Wan Zahrah Bte Ahmad Alif Lim Cedar Girls’ Secondary 5:26.33
6. Teh May Yong Singapore Sports School 5:30.63
7. Gan Yun Ting Tanglin Secondary 5:33.06
8. Jedidah John Cedar Girls’ Secondary 5:33.62

1500m A Division Girls
1. Chew Hanyu Raffles Institution 5:04.50
2. J. Lossini Serangoon Gardens Secondary 5:10.53
3. Look Xinqi Raffles Institution 5:10.91
4. Louisa Chiew Yi Jun Hwa Chong Institution 5:15.06
5. Raina Lee Rui Na Raffles Institution 5:26.23
6. Phua Fanli Hwa Chong Institution 5:26.92
7. Ramandeep Kaur National Junior College 5:27.32
8. Teo Li Qing Jessica Catholic Junior College 5:30.08

For full results, please refer to www.schoolsports.sg.

Split Times (unofficial)*

C Division Girls
300m: 1:00
700m: 2:28
1100m: 3:58
1500m: 5:21

B Division Girls
300m: 1:03
700m: 2:32
1100m: 3:59
1500m: 5:14

A Division Girls
300m: –
700m: 2:10
1100m: 3:43
1500m: 5:04

*Split timings refer to the leader’s at the end of each lap.

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For more pictures, go to the gallery.