By Fiona Lee/Red Sports
Nanyang Primary’s anchor runner Lau Jia Shuen on her way home in first place. Together with her teammates Mindy Foo, Carlyne Li and Celeste Li, the quartet set a new D girls’ 4x100m relay record of 58.87s. (Photo © Les Tan/Red Sports)
Bishan Stadium, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 — The Nanyang Primary D girls’ 4x100m relay team set a new record of 58.87 seconds when they won gold at the 54th National Primary School Track & Field Championships.
The team of Mindy Foo, Carlyne Li, Celeste Li and Lau Jia Shuen, as well as reserves Ann Lee and Eliza Poey, had hoped to beat their previous record set at 58.97s in the final and were overjoyed to have accomplished their goal.
“We have put in our best effort. It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience for me as this is my first Nationals,” said 10-year-old Jia Shuen, who spoke on behalf of her team.
“I would like to thank our teachers, coaches, parents and the rest of the Nanyang track team for their support and guidance,” Jia Shuen continued.
Coming in second were Sembawang Primary with a time of 1:01.81, while Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary took home the bronze in 1:02.58.
Nanyang were also victorious in the B girls’ 4x100m relay when they took home the gold in 55.48s. The team comprised of Erinn Lee Shu Han, Rachel Loh, Raine Oh and Lim Shin-Yi.
“This year’s win was memorable. A great amount of teamwork and team spirit was involved,” said Shin-Yi, 12.
Erinn, also 12 years old, shared a similar sentiment as she commented that the team deserved the win as they had trained hard.
Missing the gold by a mere 0.39s were Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary who won the silver in 55.87. Temasek Primary claimed the bronze in 56.56s.
CHIJ Katong Primary currently hold the B girls’ 4x100m record of 53.91s which was set in 2008.
Winning the A girls’ 4x100m relay gold was Seng Kang Primary whose quartet clocked 1:02.47. The team included Nur Shafira, Khairunisa, Nur Zaryin and Nur Athira, with only Nur Athira having any experience in the sport. The other three joined the track team earlier this year and had just three weeks’ worth of training for the competition.
Seng Kang initially trailed in sixth place until their third runner, Nur Zaryin, caught up with the race leader. From there, anchor runner Nur Athira maintained the lead till the end to seal their win.
It was a narrow victory for Seng Kang as Lianhua Primary finished just 0.19s behind in 1:02.66, with Balestier Hill Primary in third with a time of 1:03.16s.
The current record for the A girls’ 4x100m relay is 56.30s and it was set by Silat Primary in 1985.
Meanwhile, in the C girls’ 4x100m relay, St. Anthony’s Canossian Primary took home the gold in 57.90s. The team consisted of Kathya Kodikara, Nicole Chew Shi Min, Phoebe Angeline Law, Salvador Angelica Marquez
and reserve Yashica D/O Ramesh Sanjay J.
Kathya said: “It feels great to have won and I’m very happy with the progress we’ve made as we won bronze in last year’s D Division 4x100m. Our hard work has paid off.”
Coming in second was Nanyang Primary with a time of 58.39s, followed by Temasek Primary who won the bronze in 59.33s.
Paya Lebar Methodist Girls Primary had set the C girls’ 4x100m record of 56.16s in 2001.
A Division Girls 4x100m Relay
1st Seng Kang Primary — 01:02.47
2nd Lianhua Primary — 01:02.66
3rd Balestier Hill Primary — 01:03.16
4th MacPherson Primary — 01:04.67
5th Sembawang Primary — 01:05.56
6th Stamford Primary — 01:05.60
7th Yio Chu Kang Primary — 01:07.30
8th Teck Whye Primary — 01:07.47
B Division Girls 4x100m Relay
1st Nanyang Primary — 00:55.48
2nd Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary — 00:55.87
3rd Temasek Primary — 00:56.56
4th Pioneer Primary — 00:56.87
5th CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ — 00:58.28
6th Fairfield Methodist Primary — 00:58.66
7th CHIJ Katong Primary — 00:58.80
8th Gongshang Primary — 00:58.94
C Division Girls 4x100m Relay
1st St Anthony’s Canossian Primary — 00:57.90
2nd Nanyang Primary — 00:58.39
3rd Temasek Primary — 00:59.33
4th Ang Mo Kio Primary — 01:00.02
5th Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary — 01:00.22
6th Greenwood Primary — 01:00.66
7th Gongshang Primary — 01:01.06
8th MacPherson Primary — 01:01.31
D Division Girls 4x100m Relay
1st Nanyang Primary — 00:58.87 (New Record)
2nd Sembawang Primary — 01:01.81
3rd Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary — 01:02.58
4th CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ — 01:02.66
5th St Anthony’s Canossian Primary — 01:03.56
6th Gongshang Primary — 01:03.87
7th Paya Lebar Methodist Girls (Primary) — 01:04.12
8th Temasek Primary — 01:05.16
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