Story by REDintern Chin Chi Hua. Photos by Marvin Lowe.
Vanessa Poo from RI gives a shout of joy after winning a crucial point. (Photo 1 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Jurong East Indoor Sports Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2009 – Raffles Institution won their 13th championship title as the team defeated Jurong Junior College (JJC) 3-1 in the National Inter-Schools’ A Division Girls’ Badminton Championship.
In the first round of singles, Melissa Leong Hui Ting from RI, was up against Zhang Xiao Dan from JJC. Xiao Dan did not give Melissa an easy time and eventually triumphed 21-14, 21-16.
Despite a good start led by Xiao Dan, JJC lost the lead in the first doubles when their pair of Zhang Han and Du Yupei lost to Sheena Tan and Loke Yun Sheng of RI. Sheena and Yun Sheng had unparalleled teamwork and won 21-3, 21-12.
With the overall score at 1-1, the atmosphere on court became more tense. Next up was the second round of singles, which saw Vanessa Poo Jill from RI facing Lu Lingzhi from JJC. It was a tight showdown with two equally matched players.
Vanessa of RI took the first set 21-15 but Lingzhi came back to win the second set 13-21 to force a rubber. Vanessa eventually took it 21-13 with a display of confidence and skills to ensure RI led 2-1 overall.
The second doubles was now vital to both teams. Cherie Cheong and Macey Tan of RI took the first set 21-18 against Gao Xuru and Zeng Jielin of JJC. The JJC pair came back to win the second set 21-16.
The last set was close and they matched each other point-for-point. Tied at 18-18, they carried on to 21-21 with aggressive cross-court smashes and clever drop shots on display. The RI duo eventually took the third set 24-22 to wrap up the championship title and send cheers ringing through the spectators’ stand.
Sheena Tan, 18, captain of the RI girls team, expressed her immense exhilaration at the win and revealed her confidence in the last doubles pair, believing that they could do it.
One of the RI duo, Macey Tan, 18, shared her thoughts on the last set. “I told myself it was now or never and to give it all at the third set. I just had to be more aggressive to bring it down." It was indeed a superb achievement, as the RI girls won the title for the 13th consecutive year.
Melissa Leong from RI at full stretch trying to get to the dropped shot. (Photo 2 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Melissa Leong from RI arching backwards to hit the shuttle. (Photo 3 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Zhang Xiao Dan from JJC delivering one of her smash shots. (Photo 4 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Sheena from RI with a powerful smash. (Photo 5 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Sheena from RI sends the shuttle cross court. (Photo 6 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Sheena from RI with a smash shot. (Photo 7 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Sheena from RI with a backhand return shot. (Photo 8 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Lingzhi from JJC gets ready to smash. (Photo 9 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Vanessa from RI with a powerful smash. (Photo 10 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Lingzhi from JJC moving backward to hit. (Photo 11 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Vanessa from RI dives to retrieve a drop shot. (Photo 12 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Lingzhi from JJC delivers a powerful smash. (Photo 13 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Vanessa from RI smashing back. (Photo 14 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Lingzhi from JJC attacking the ball that dropped shot with a powerful backhand. (Photo 15 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Lingzhi shouts and celebrates after winning a point. (Photo 16 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Lingzhi from JJC looking to return. (Photo 17 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Vanessa from RI gives a celebratory shout after winning her grueling game. (Photo 1 8© Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Cherie from RI trying to stretch and reach for the shuttle. (Photo 19 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Macey from RI smashes a return. (Photo 20 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Cherie from RI moves in to hit. (Photo 21 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Macey stretching to hit with her backhand. (Photo 22 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Macey Tan gives team mate Cherie a hug after their marathon battle in the final set. (Photo 23 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
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Though our school team’s players were direct from China, they had to take an academic test to come to JJ. I heard they are good in their studies too so it’s not really a through DSA thing. Yes their good badminton skills may have given them an edge but they are no different from ordinary immigrants who have come to Singapore to study.
Most importantly, they were NOT NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES. But the fact that a few of s’pore’s youth National Players are in Raffles Team…
shows… A lot.
That even non-national players from China and Korean are ALMOST on par with national players from Singapore.
The fact that JJ foreign players could give them such a resistance for the first time in many years would spur Singapore’s national players on wouldn’t it?
erm…just to clarify abit, this article, in no ways, has mentioned even the word china. It does not condemn JJC in anyways for using foreign talent. Also, the people commenting here are entitled to their own views. Don’t take it to heart.
I was there at the match and I can tell that all you JJ-cians are really proud of your school mates and you should be, because those players really put up a good fight and they did give their all for JJ. Even when these players lost, they cried and so did many of you. That’s school spirit, so be proud of JJ!=)
why are u ppl ALL TARGETING JJC only? Those playing badminton should know that in the B and C div competition, there is a school that had been clinching the title for quite sometime and they uses foreign talent as well.. yet u ppl are onli critising jj, cant u ppl spare a though for them? The locals in jj will definately feel hurt seeing things like ‘team china’;’SG vs china’. have u ppl spare a thought for them? The competition is over yet u all are still arguing over this matter. Childish!
Firstly JJ did not deploy an entire team of foreigners. Yes most who are in the representative team are foreigners but 2 are Singaporeans and the Captain of the Boys’ team is a singaporean.
Secondly, most of them were directly from China but they still took an academic test before they can come to JJ, so it’s the same as immigrants who have come to study in singapore.
ONE MORE THING to make clear, those in JJ team are NOT NATIONAL PLAYERS from their respective countries.
BUT the fact that alot of NATIONAL PLAYERS WERE IN the RI team
SHOWS SOMETHING…
THAT EVEN NON-NATIONAL PLAYERS IN CHINA ARE COMPARABLE TO THEM.
Point is not whether foreign talent should be used, since schools here have used foreign born players for a long time & some end up playing for Singapore eg. Ronald Susilo. But deploying an entire team of foreigners is a total different issue & hardly constructive to local development in long run if more schools resort to this tactic. Imagine if such a school dominates for over a decade by fielding exclusively foreigners & wins every year. While a few might be spurred to try to break the monopoly, likelier scenario is many schools losing heart & quitting the sport, and end up our national team can’t have a single local player even as a reserve for small tournaments. Do we want that outcome?
Just to make it clear, I think there is nothing wrong with foreign talent and I have nothing against them! They definitely can help the locals improve. I am more curious on where did the JJ players come from? Direct from China or a local secondary school in Singapore? Any of you know?
why is everyone creating so much commotion about jjc sending foreign players to court. Since when did we complain rjc taking in all the national players. if you don’t want to play with the foreign players, then don’t take part. everyone played badminton because of their passion for the game.
IT’S A BATTLE BETWEEN 2 SCHOOLS NOT BETWEEN 2 COUNTRIES! THEY TRAIN IN JJ BADMINTON COURT SO THEY BELONG TO JJ. RI Players train in THEIR badminton court and SO they belong to RJ.
GET IT?!!
oh btw is singapore’s olympic silver medal last year won by foreign talents?
adrian, i agree with u, sports talent is talent. The china students who came to jj used their talent to enter jj and play for jj.. Whats wrong with that? why cant u ppl give them a chance and not treat them like 2nd class people? Who knows they may be PR one day and represent SG?
can u guys give jjc a break? enough is enough. raffles would have gotten the A div title EASILY without jjc and thats what’s happening in the last 12yrs? With jjc in the competition, at least there is some resistance in getting the title. What’s the use of raffles winning every year without any resistance from other JCs?
hmm…the interesting thing about this match was the fact that Raffles had a seemingly all “local” line-up while JJC’s team was filled with foreigners? Nothing wrong with that btw but this is the National Finals, that’s why MJC wasn’t mentioned. Just curious, where did JJC recruit their players from? Which Secondary school or direct from China? They were really good.
For the Raffles Girls team, i am not sure how many of them DSA-ed into RIJC, anyone with any background notes or facts? Because from my own understanding, RGS has a very strong badminton culture as well. At C Div level, national champs for 6 years, B div have also been quite good. So if they are from RGS, they don’t even need DSA, it’s a through train program to JC for them.
zhong guo dui jia you!:D
to errr…123?
Obviously 123 is stating the opposite to prove his/her pt. You cant even interpret that and still dare to post comment. shame on you.
to 123, li jia wei , feng tian wei, wang yuegu are all born in china. jia wei in beijing, tian wei in harbon, yuegu in liaoning…
Students who enter schools through DSA are entering the schools ON THEIR OWN MERITS. The DSA(Sports) students are gifted and talented in the sports domain, just like others are talented in the sciences, languages, performing arts, etc. For the less informed out there, DSA does not only apply to sports. There are other domains through which students can apply for DSA entry into schools. If a student enters a school through DSA Badminton, he has obviously put much time and effort into developing his talents. And if he is entering a school based on talent, why is it not considered “based on his own merits”?
Sports talent is talent, just like music and academic talent is talent. Please come off your high horse and stop seeing talented DSA students (sports or otherwise) as 2nd-class citizens or “seeking back door entry” in schools. With such a mentality, sports in Singapore will never flourish.
im SURE that the li jia wei , feng tian wei, wang yuegu are born in singapore tooo, i’m soo sure. and i’m so so sure that all the pple on the raffles badminton team got in through their own merits and not through DSA.
meridian JC has a few china players too. so why dont u guys comment on that? i feel JJ put up a very good fight.i’m very proud of them.
lol JJ had a korean too. They really multi-national. Have indian, china, korean
i totally agree. you guys should have brought along the national flag too! instead of your school flag only. 😀