ACS(I) claim back B and C Division swimming titles from RI

By Marvin Lowe/Red Sports.

Singapore Sports School, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 – “WE ARE BACK!”, proclaimed ACS(I) as they stormed the pool on the final day of the 50th National Schools Swimming Championships. They reclaimed both the B and C Division titles from Raffles Institution with a sterling performance on the final day.

The day started brightly with Lionel Khoo of ACS(I) winning the C Division 50m breaststroke in record time, rewriting the record he set in the heats. Lionel then added the 100m breaststroke title as well, reaffirming his status as Singapore’s rising breaststroke talent.

The close battle was in the B Division. ACS(I)’s current crop of C Division swimmers are oozing with talent and they wrapped up the C Division title even before the final day started. However, it was a different story in the Boys B Division. There was only a 25-point gap between both schools and it could have swung either way on the final day.

RI were certain to bring home the gold in the backstroke events and ACS(I) had to make sure they won in two other races.

Joel Ching of ACS(I) got things going when he won the C Division 100m freestyle. Next up, Arren Quek of ACS (I) claimed a crucial gold in the 100m freestyle first and then Joel Chan emerged victorious in the 100m breaststroke.

With these two victories, ACS(I) had more than enough points to confirm both B and C Division titles.

ACS(I) continued piling on the points in the relay. In the first relay, the C Division team smashed the record which they set in the heats. In a repeat of the medley relay, both Raffles and ACS(I) went under the record time. Yet again, it was ACS(I) team that came up on top with a timing of 1:43.02 minutes, rewriting their previous timing of 1:43.89 minutes, which was recorded during the heats.

The B Division race was more controversial. The Singapore Sports School was the first team to clock in with ACS(I) a close second. However, the Sports School team was disqualified for a technical infringement. The Sports School supporters went wild at the decision and they immediately lodged an appeal. In the meantime, the ACS(I) team was bumped up to first, further cementing their position on top.

In the end, ACS(I)’s C Division team emerged champions with a massive total of 226 points to Raffles’ 164 points. The ACS(I) B Division team eventually finished with 167 points, with Raffles in the runner-up position at 138 points.

ACS(I)’s final day tally allowed them to reclaim both B and C division titles in style.