Raffles sweep ‘C’ Division championship titles

BADMINTON

National ‘C’ Division Girls’ and Boys’ Championship Finals
Dunman High School vs Raffles Girls’ School
Boon Lay Secondary vs Raffles Institution
Monday, 23 April, 2007, at Jurong East Sports Hall

Update by Lee Hwee Cheng. Pictures by Leslie Tan. © Red Sports/soulbreath pictures

RGS’ first singles player, Amanda Cheu, in action. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Rafflesians ruled the day at the National ‘C’ Division Boys’ and Girls’ Badminton Championship Finals that took place early Monday morning at the Jurong East Sports Hall.

In the ‘C’ Girls’ final that took place on Court 1, Raffles Girls’ School (RGS) defended their throne as they cruised to a 3-1 victory over Dunman High School (DHS). In the first singles game, Amanda Cheu of RGS beat Kimberly Chang 2-0 (11-8, 11-5).

Dunman High’s first singles player, Kimberly Chang, returns a shot. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Dunman’s first doubles-pair, twins Lee Cheng Ling and Cheng Ting – who looked so identical they literally made us see double – did their school proud when they beat the RGS pair of Jessica Chan and Charmain Cheang 2-1 (11-15, 15-13, 15-12) in a hard-fought game and levelled the overall match 1-1 early on.

Dunman High’s twin terrors, Lee Cheng Ling and Cheng Ting, levelled the overall score at 1-1 for their school. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

RGS’s first doubles pair, Jessica Chan (left) and Charmain Cheang. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

However, there was no stopping RGS from then. Valerie Lim of RGS went on to beat Yang Jin Hui 2-0 (11-6, 11-6) in the second singles game to bring the overall score to 2-1. And finally, in the second doubles, the RGS duo of Lim Boon Yi and Gloria Pang breezed through their game to secure the Championship title for their school when they beat DMH’s See Hui Yun and Choong Tze En 2-0 (15-1, 15-2).

RGS’ second singles player, Valerie Lim.© Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Dunman High’s second singles player, Yang Jin Hui. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Red Sports spoke to the beaming co-captains of RGS, Amanda Cheu and Jessica Chan, both Secondary Two students who played in the first singles and the first doubles respectively.

While both conceded that they could have played a little better than they just did in their respective games, they unanimously agreed the team had done well from the beginning. “It has been a pretty smooth journey for us. We came into the National games as South Zone champions, and more importantly, we defended our National Championship title this year.”

Not quite used to the venue of the finals this year (the final games are traditionally held in Toa Payoh Sports Hall), Amanda would have preferred Toa Payoh Sports Hall, which she said was “bigger, more spacious and somehow less intimidating.” But eventually, what she appreciated were the enthusiastic cheers from the supporters who were seated right behind the players’ bench. “The team was so supportive this year, they even made flash-cards with our names on it.”

In the ‘C’ Boys’ final played concurrently on the next court, Raffles Institution (RI), however, did not have as easy a time when they faced a resilient opponent in Boon Lay Secondary whom they had to fend off for the Championship with an overall 3-2 win.

Boon Lay’s first singles player, Wang Shi Di, pushed the game to three sets to beat RI’s Roy Lim Ruey 2-1 (15-3, 14-17, 15-12) to give his school a 1-0 lead. In the first doubles game that followed, RI’s Bryan Lim and Shayne Tan levelled the overall score when they took the game in a breeze with a 2-0 (15-3, 15-2) win.

Marcus Yap of Boon Lay about to execute a behind-the-back shot while his partner Ler Jun Yi looks on. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Boon Lay’s next singles player, Chen Quan Lang, then put his school 2-1 in front when he cruised to a 2-0 (15-1, 15-7) win over RI’s Benjamin Nah. RI’s second doubles pair of Tan Keat Kee and Poon Jey-Sng then beat the BLS pair of Tang Ting Hui and Chen Jiawei 2-0 (15-7, 15-7) to even things up at 2-2 which meant that the final third singles game would decide the championship.

However, there was nothing much Boon Lay’s Raden Dandiav could do to stop RI’s Elvis Lim, as the latter revved up his engine and finished his game in 2 sets (15-2, 15-2), emerging as the only, and the most crucial, singles winner for RI in the final.

Congratulations, Rafflesians!