By Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports
RI’s Tan Chong Qi (#303) led from start to finish to clinch the boys’ B Division 3000m title with a timing of 9 minutes and 34.84 seconds. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Wednesday, April 9, 2014 — Tan Chong Qi of Raffles Institution (RI) clocked a timing of 9 minutes and 34.84 seconds to bag the boys’ B Division 3000 metres gold medal at the 55th National Inter-School Track & Field Championships.
Chong Qi separated himself from the field right from the start, and gradually increased his pace to build an impressive lead. The RI student is also the current B Division champion at the recent 55th National Schools Cross Country Championships.
Chong Qi commented, “I was trying to pull away as I did not want the rest to have any chance of overtaking me. My strategy was to lead from start to finish, and end fast. I am really happy to come in first. I want to thank my coaches, teachers and my family for supporting me.”
His strategy certainly paid off. Chong Qi’s winning time was the third fastest over the last 13 editions of this race.
Mr Melvin Tan, teacher-in-charge for RI, was all praises for Chong Qi and the RI track and field team. “I am surprised and at the same time, ecstatic about the results. The boys are really fighters in their own rights. They have demonstrated what they can achieve with a lot of hard work and that they are the best in their respective categories.”
In the final 800 metres, Catholic High’s Chester Lee overtook Isaac Tan of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Ierhan of Singapore Sports School. Both Isaac and Ierhan were originally keeping pace behind Chong Qi in second and third place. In the final 400 metres, Isaac and Ierhan both increased their speed and eventually powered ahead of Chester to finish in second and third with timings of 9:45.18 and 9:47.00 respectively. Chester had to settle for fourth place with a 9:48.08 finish.
ACS(I)’s Isaac commented, “I feel that my result today is very unexpected, but I am very happy with it. I was actually hoping to achieve a third place finish.”
Jeffrey Ng, then of The Chinese High School, set the electronically-timed record of 9:21.26 in 2003. Serjit Singh of Dunearn Technical set the hand-timed record of 9:02.6 in 1969.
B Div 3000m (Boys) Results (Top 10)
1st Tan Chong Qi (#303, Raffles Institution) – 9:34.84
2nd Tan Wei Long Isaac [#176, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)] – 9:45.18
3rd Ierhan B Muhammad Raushan (#118, Singapore Sports School) – 9:47.00
4th Lee Zhong Kian Chester (#204, Catholic High) – 9:48.08
5th Glen Brian Palmer (#336, St. Joseph’s Institution) – 9:50.15
6th Brandon Quek (#512, Commonwealth Secondary) – 9:58.26
7th Teng Jian Ling (#513, Commonwealth Secondary) – 10:13.89
8th Aaron Chan Siang Joo (#281, Raffles Institution) – 10:14.72
9th Yap Sae-Hwa Daniel [#180, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)] – 10:17.41
10th Chua Ming (#67, Nan Chiau High) – 10:24.27
Video © SAA. Used with permission.
More photos next page
Leave A Comment