Mok Ying Rong wins first A Division cross-country title

Story by Koh Yizhe/Red Sports. Photos by Lai Jun Wei, Marvin Lowe, and Tan Jon Han/Red Sports

Temasek Polytechnic, Wednesday, March 24, 2010 – Mok Ying Rong blazed through the field in the 51st National Schools Cross-Country Championships to win her first A Division Girls title.

Finishing with a solid time of 16 minutes 28.17 seconds, she edged out defending champion and team-mate Chew Hanyu, who finished in eighth position, and also led Raffles Institution to retaining the A Division girls’ team title with only 15 points.

"We should focus on the team's performance and victory today!" said 2009 champion Chew Hanyu, deflecting the attention away from her disappointing performance. "It wasn't an ideal race for me and I am not satisfied. There were many factors affecting my race today, but even so, it would have been a tough fight to retain the title."

It was also sweet revenge for Mok as she also beat Clara Wong of Victoria Junior College who had took the B Division title in last year's race, leaving Mok to settle for second. Although she was leading in the initial stages, Clara could only manage a fourth place finish against the tougher A Division competitors.

"It is my first A Division win," beamed Mok after the race. "I am very happy and quite satisfied with the race, mostly because I really hung in there and didn't let the pace overcome me. I also didn't succumb to the pain and I guess I ran a good race this time."

"The start was pretty fast which was rather unexpected for me," shared Mok. "Clara from VJC led at the starting 500 metres or so as she started really fast. I knew I can't just follow as I can't manage a sprint finish so I told myself I needed to push the pace and lead."

"I had to hang on to first place if I wanted to win!"

With this victory, Mok added another title to her fantastic year after she won the Wings Cross-Country last month.

Annabelle Yee of Catholic Junior College finished second in the A Division girls’ standings with a time of 16.40.92. Last year, she only managed a seventh-place finish, but this year, she targeted a silver medal. Mok's Raffles Institution team-mate Look Xinqi rounded off the top three.

"I expected it (the result) and was aiming for it," said Annabelle with her shiny new silver medal. "Everyone was expected Mok (Ying Rong) to win so I aimed for second and stayed around that position when running."

"Throughout the race, (Look) Xinqi and I exchanged positions between second and third, but I overtook her at the end. Although I don't know my timing, I am definitely very happy with my position," shared Annabelle.

In the B Division, national Asian Youth Games athlete Ranjitha d/o Raja from Juying Secondary School pipped the Cedar Girls' Secondary pair of Cheryl Chan and Romaine Soh to the title, finishing in 16.33.29. Cheryl was seven seconds behind at 16.40.05 while Romaine ended the race in third position at 16.42.26.

The pair, however, led Cedar Girls' to their successful defense of the B Division team title with 25 points, 18 points less than second-placed River Valley High and 65 less than St Nicholas Girls' in third.

In the C Division, Nicole Lum of Singapore Sports School took home the top prize in 17 minutes 26.38 seconds while River Valley High's Su Zann and Methodist Girls' School's Meagan Lim settled for second and third respectively with times of 17:43.22 and 17:43.70.

River Valley High won the girls' C Division team title with only 19 points while Cedar were second with 60 points. St. Nicholas Girls' took third with 73 points.

Individual Results (Top 20)

C Division Girls (4.1km):
1. Nicole Lum, Singapore Sports School – 17 minutes 26.38 seconds
2. Su Zann, River Valley High – 17:43.22
3. Meagan Lim, Methodist Girls’ School – 17:43.70
4. Valencia Quah, River Valley High – 17:43.94
5. Sharyl Quek, River Valley High – 17:52.56
6. Desiree Tan, St. Margaret’s Secondary – 17:57.52
7. Abigail Sim, Chung Cheng High (Main) – 18:07.36
8. Heather Hong, River Valley High – 18:29.97
9. Thaddea Chua, River Valley High – 18:30.33
10. Tam Wai Pan, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ – 18:33.45
11. Valerie Oh, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 18:37.57
12. Lok Xin Ying, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 18:37.93
13. Mary-Lisa Zhi-Hui Chua, Raffles Girls’ School – 18:44.15
14. Carys Hor, Nanyang Girls’ High – 18:48.59
15. Lian Li Yan, Singapore Sports School – 18:48.91
16. Dayna Ang, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ – 18:51.08
17. Ng Bei Lin, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ – 18:59.53
18. Tay Pei Ern, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 19:12.32
19. Edina Tan, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 19:12.63
20. Tan Wan Qin, Singapore Sports School – 19:24.01

B Division Girls (4.1km):
1. Ranjitha Raja, Juying Secondary – 16:33.29
2. Cheryl Chan, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 16:40.05
3. Romaine Soh, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 16:54.57
4. Victoria Tan, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School – 16:54.77
5. Winsy Li, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ – 17:23.95
6. Chew Chi Ching, River Valley High – 17:34.81
7. Debbie Ho, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 17:34.94
8. Tabitha Ong, Singapore Sports School – 17:42.49
9. Jolene Quek, River Valley High – 17:48.28
10. Yeo Min, Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary – 18:06.74
11. Hee Yu Ning, River Valley High – 18:11.67
12. Teo Kay Lynn, Raffles Girls’ School – 18:12.88
13. Seow Yun Yun, Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 18:19.85
14. Tan Wan Xin, Raffles Girls’ School – 18:21.03
15. Chua Wan Ping, Jurong Secondary – 18:21.76
16. Wu Ts Wei, Nan Hua High – 18:22.78
17. Loh Yue Yin, River Valley High – 18:23.17
18. S. Roobini, CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) – 18:23.23
19. Elaine Tan, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ – 18:25.76
20. Janine Quek, Methodist Girls’ School – 18:27.95

A Division Girls (4.1km):
1. Mok Ying Rong, Raffles Institution – 16:28.17
2. Annabelle Yee, Catholic Junior College – 16:40.92
3. Look Xinqi, Raffles Institution – 16:42.26
4. Clara Wong, Victoria Junior College – 16:50.47
5. Berenice Lian, Raffles Institution – 16:58.48
6. Wan Zahrah Binte Ahmad Alif Lim, Raffles Institution – 17:03.35
7. Melissa Tsang, Victoria Junior College – 17:11.06
8. Chew Hanyu, Raffles Institution – 17:13.13
9. Ramandeep Kaur, National Junior College – 17:40.01
10. Francoise Lee, Hwa Chong Institution – 17:43.28
11. Melissa Tay, Victoria Junior College – 17:43.29
12. Belle Tan, Anglo-Chinese Junior College – 17:43.38
13. Ng Eeyang, Hwa Chong Institution – 17:50.00
14. Danae Chiong, Victoria Junior College – 17:56.79
15. Janell Tan, Anglo-Chinese Junior College – 17:58.80
16. Alexandria Wong, Hwa Chong Institution – 18:01.01
17. Ng Hui Min, Hwa Chong Institution – 18:01.86
18. Ng Wei Ting, Anglo-Chinese Junior College – 18:04.04
19. Sarah Tan, Catholic Junior College – 18:14.75
20. Michelle Sim, Victoria Junior College – 18:25.25

Team Results (Top 5)

C Division Girls:
1. River Valley High – 19 points
2. Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 60
3. St. Nicholas Girls’ – 73
4. Singapore Sports School – 90
5. Methodist Girls’ School – 93

B Division Girls:
1. Cedar Girls’ Secondary – 25
2. River Valley High – 42
3. St Nicholas Girls’ – 90
4. Methodist Girls’ School – 103
5. Singapore Sports School – 108

A Division Girls:
1. Raffles Institution – 15
2. Victoria Junior College – 36
3. Hwa Chong Institution – 56
4. Anglo-Chinese Junior College – 72
5. Catholic Junior College – 86

Complete Results (Excel file format)
51st Inter-School Cross-Country Championships

More pictures in the gallery

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