C Div 1,500m: Arissa Rashid of Nanyang Girls’ wins first gold in 5:22

By Romaine Soh/Red Sports

Arissa Rashid (#313) of Nanyang Girls’ High on her way to winning the C Div 1,500m final in 5:22.08. Alicia Tung (#139, extreme right) of Crescent Girls’ was second in 5:28.58, just 0.20s ahead of Noelle Chung (#334), also of Nanyang Girls’ High, who finished in 5:28.78. (Photo © Les Tan/Red Sports)

Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Thursday, April 11, 2013 — Arissa Rashid of Nanyang Girls’ High won her first gold in her maiden outing at the 54th National Schools Track and Field Championships, completing the 1,500 metres final in a time of 5 minutes 22 seconds. The record for the C Division 1,500m is 4:57.24 and was set by Yvonne Lin Cuiwen, then of Hua Yi Secondary, in 2005.

Alicia Tung of Crescent Girls’ School, who won the bronze at the National Schools Cross Country Championships, finished second with a time of 5:28. Just 0.2 seconds behind her was Noelle Chung, also of Nanyang Girls’.

Arissa has history on her side, having previously won the gold for the 600m and the bronze for the 300m in last year’s 53rd National Inter-Primary Track and Field Championships.

Alicia took the lead from the start, with everyone but two runners sticking with her until the third lap. Arissa and Noelle were leisurely following her pace, lying in wait for the kill.

With the bell urgently sounding the final round, Alicia and Arissa burst away from the pack. The gold was in the bag for Arissa with 200m, after she established a 20m lead over Alicia. Arissa completed the last lap in a blazing 77s.

Noelle had snuck up on Alicia at the home straight, but Alicia managed to outlast her to the line, with only a whisker of a second separating the two.

“I managed to clock a personal best today! That aside, I love to challenge myself, and will train hard to hit below 5:20 next year!” Arissa exclaimed.

C Division Girls 1,500m Results
1st Arissa Rashid (Nanyang Girls’ High, #313) — 05:22.08
2nd Alicia Tung Rui Ling (Crescent Girls’, #139) — 05:28.58
3rd Noelle Chung Kai Xin (Nanyang Girls’ High, #334) — 05:28.78
4th Wong Si Min Levyn (Dunman High, #233) — 05:30.36
5th Kate Callom (St Josephs Institution (International), #194) — 05:33.18
6th Amanda Lok Qi Ying (Raffles Girls’, #178) — 05:34.58
7th Alexandra Wee (CHIJ Sec (Toa Payoh), #84) — 05:37.28
8th Joyceleen Yap Yin Xiu (Cedar Girls’, #124) — 05:37.56
9th Nurul Akhira Bte Zakaria (Singapore Sports Sch, #65) — 05:43.54
10th Lettitia Jules Quek (CHIJ Sec (Toa Payoh), #92) — 05:43.61
11th Cheryl Chng Si Yin (Cedar Girls’, #113) — 05:43.63
12th Felyn Toh Le Chun (Raffles Girls’, #184) — 05:47.01
13th Haney Khairunnisa Bte Mohd Nor (Cedar Girls’, #121) — 05:52.52
14th Koh Fang Yun (Nanyang Girls’ High, #329) — 05:57.28
15th Goh Shao Ping Charmaine (Woodlands Sec, #73) — 05:57.75
DNF Addeen Idzni Bte Imran (Singapore Sports Sch, #58)