By REDintern Lim Yu-Han
Jolene Quek (#2068) of RI heading home first in a time of 14:11.79. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)
Bedok Reservoir, Wednesday, March 27, 2013 — Jolene Quek of Raffles Institution (RI) claimed the A Division gold at the 54th National Schools Cross Country Championships when she ran the 3.6-kilometre route in a time of 14 minutes 11.79 seconds.
RI also swept the next three positions. Janielle Lim finishing second in 14:23.04, with Tan Wan Xin following third in 14:36.72. Adeline Bee was fourth, stopping the clock in 14:40.98.
A thin string was the only thing separating the A Division Cross Country girls from setting out to accomplish what they have trained all year long for. The sounding of the start horn saw the pack surging forward, with the Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) and Victoria Junior College (VJC) runners leading for the first 300 metres, and the RI and Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) runners following closely behind. It was a cramped beginning, as the girls vied for space along the inner turning lane just around the corner. However, the order of things were short-lived.
Even before reaching the training shed (positioned less than halfway through the race course), the RI runners had caught up with the leading group. Three of the RI runners, Jolene Quek, Janielle Lim and Adeline Bee, pulled away from the pack and set a punishing pace which was maintained steadily throughout the rest of the race, leaving the rest no chance to close the challenging gap.
The results of the race for the winning team were essentially confirmed by the 2-kilometre mark as the RI trio held on tightly to their lead. Jolene Quek crossed the finish line first and was followed by teammate Janielle coming 12 seconds after. Tan Wan Xin, also from RI, caught up eventually with teammate Adeline Bee near the finish to clock in a time of 14:36.72 for third place, with Adeline attaining fourth.
The first flash of HCI yellow and red saw Valerie Chua finishing in fifth place, with Chew Si Min from VJC following her in sixth, and Ling An from HCI hot on her heels in seventh.
Dominating the top four individual positions gave RI a perfect team score of 10.
Captain of RI, Victoria Tan, who was nursing a shin splint, said: “I am very proud of my team for pushing so hard. I want to thank my coach for the guidance, our teachers-in-charge as well and to thank God for this victory.”
HCI had a combined score of 34 points to finish second in the team category, based on the finishing positions of Valerie Chua (5th), Ling An (7th), Nicole Lum (10th) and Tay Pei Ern (12th).
Yeo Xin Yi, captain for HCI, was thankful and evidently glad for the team’s performance. “We did better than expected and overtook the competitors one by one.”
The VJC team, comprising mainly new and inexperienced runners, were all smiles as every runner had done their own personal best at the race. VJC attained third position with a combined total of 57 points through the efforts of Chew Si Min (6th), Blossom Tan (15th), Aleena Kua (17th) and Abigail Sim (19th).
NJC managed 77 points to come in fourth with the quartet of Sim Yi Shien (16th), Nichole Ho (18th), Ho Mynn (21st) and Wong Siong Yee (22nd).
A Division Girls (Top 20)
1st Quek Qian Ying Jolene (#2068, Raffles Institution) — 14:11.79
2nd Janielle Lim Yan Han (#2072, Raffles Institution) — 14:23.04
3rd Tan Wan Xin (#2070, Raffles Institution) — 14:36.72
4th Adeline Bee Wei Tin (#2073, Raffles Institution) — 14:40.98
5th Chua Qi Wei Valerie (#2030, Hwa Chong Institution) — 14:45.30
6th Chew Si Min (#2093, Victoria Junior College) — 14:47.11
7th Ling An (#2025, Hwa Chong Institution) — 14:49.31
8th Mary-lisa Zhi-hui Chua (#2075, Raffles Institution) — 15:03.89
9th Chia Daphne Teresa (#2069, Raffles Institution) — 15:05.10
10th Nicole Lum An Qi (#2032, Hwa Chong Institution) — 15:22.31
11th Joyce Wan Ching Ee (#2003, Anglo-Chinese Junior College) — 15:32.27
12th Tay Pei Ern (#2026, Hwa Chong Institution) — 15:32.47
13th Lee Ting Yi (#2055, Millennia Institute) — 15:34.71
14th Yeo Xin Yi (#2028, Hwa Chong Institution) — 15:39.05
15th Tan Xin Hui Blossom (#2097, Victoria Junior College) — 15:40.20
16th Sim Yi Shien (#2059, National Junior College) — 15:40.35
17th Kua Ying Li Aleena (#2099, Victoria Junior College) — 15:41.84
18th Ho Qi Xin Nichole (#2061, National Junior College) — 15:45.25
19th Abigail Sim E Xuan (#2092, Victoria Junior College) — 15:49.41
20th Corrina Tan Li Ying (#2005, Anglo-Chinese Junior College) — 15:49.46
Team Category (Top 4)
1st Raffles Institution — 10 points
1st Quek Qian Ying Jolene (#2068) — 14:11.79
2nd Janielle Lim Yan Han (#2072) — 14:23.04
3rd Tan Wan Xin (#2070) — 14:36.72
4th Adeline Bee Wei Tin (#2073) — 14:40.98
2nd Hwa Chong Institution — 34 points
5th Chua Qi Wei Valerie (#2030) — 14:45.30
7th Ling An (#2025) — 14:49.31
10th Nicole Lum An Qi (#2032) — 15:22.31
12th Tay Pei Ern (#2026) — 15:32.47
3rd Victoria Junior College — 57 points
6th Chew Si Min (#2093) — 14:47.11
15th Tan Xin Hui Blossom (#2097) — 15:40.20
17th Kua Ying Li Aleena (#2099) — 15:41.84
19th Abigail Sim E Xuan (#2092) — 15:49.41
4th National Junior College — 77 points
16th Sim Yi Shien (#2059) — 15:40.35
18th Ho Qi Xin Nichole (#2061) — 15:45.25
21st Ho Mynn (#2058) — 15:51.63
22nd Wong Siong Yee (#2060) — 15:52.83
Complete Individual A Girls Results
More photos next page
[…] This is the second crown for Jolene this year, after having won the 2013 A Division cross country title. […]