A Div 800m (Girls): Carys Hor of HCI takes fourth consecutive gold in 2:28.68

Story by Jiexin Neo/Red Sports. Photos by Clara Yuan/Red Sports

Carys Hor of HCI completed her girls’ A Division 800m final in 2 minutes 28.68 seconds to take home the gold medal. (Photo 1 © Clara Yuan/Red Sports)

Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Wednesday, April 16, 2014 — Carys Hor of Hwa Chong Institution won the girls’ A Division 800m final in 2 minutes 28.68 seconds at the 55th National Inter-School Track and Field Championships to win her fourth consecutive gold in the event, and her first in the A Division.

Nur Haidah of Raffles Institution grabbed the silver in 2:30.26, while Melanie Bickham of Catholic Junior College came in over a second later to clinch third in 2:31.70.

Melanie streaked ahead of the field from the gun in a gutsy and valiant display of front-running. The 1500m silver medalist passed the bell about 10 metres ahead of the pack, with pre-race favourite Carys a further five metres back in fourth.

“When it started, it was quite scary because they were quite fast so I panicked a little, but then I told myself to calm down,” said Carys. “When I reached the 400m mark, I saw the timing. It was right on pace. In the next 100m, the gap was widening, so I decided to overtake the people in front of me. I just continued to push on.”

Carys, who participated in last year’s Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, moved up to second place after the bend, pulling Haidah along to third. Melanie showed signs of fatigue with about 200m to go, and Carys was by then in prime position to pounce on the race leader.

Carys burst past Melanie on the home straight, and Haidah followed suit soon after. Carys, however, could not be caught, and safely cruised past the finishing line to secure her fourth straight 800m gold.

When asked about what motivated her during the race, Carys replied, “I want to thank the Hwa Chong supporters on the stands, the students, for motivating me to persevere on. And of course my parents for constantly supporting me, motivating me, and telling me not to give up. I want to make them feel proud, so during my race I’ve been thinking of them. And of course the Hwa Chong supporters. It’s their cheering that made me want to fight for it.”

Melanie, who led all the way until the final 100 metres, said, “I felt pretty good. I mean I gave it my best in the first lap. I’m just glad that I got a medal, I guess. Hopefully next year I’ll do better.” This is Melanie’s first 800m event in the National Championships.

A Div 800m (Girls) Results
1st Hor Kar Yin Carys (Hwa Chong Institution, #205) — 02:28.68
2nd Nur Haidah Bte Ahmad Kamal (Raffles Institution, #117) — 02:30.26
3rd Melanie Anne Hui Fen Bickham (Catholic Junior College, #69) — 02:31.70
4th Lum An Qi Nicole (Hwa Chong Institution, #215) — 02:34.23
5th Liew Rachel (Innova Junior College, #16) — 02:35.10
6th Lim Zhi Yan Amanda (Victoria Junior College, #155) — 02:36.71
7th Lim Yuxin, Kathleen (Hwa Chong Institution, #212) — 02:37.22
8th Mary-Lisa Zhi-Hui Chua (Raffles Institution, #113) — 02:39.93
9th Marianne Elizabeth John (Raffles Institution, #112) — 02:43.27
10th Tan Hui Xin (Victoria Junior College, #170) — 02:43.53
11th Oh Qiong Luan Valerie (Victoria Junior College, #168) — 02:45.45
12th Chong Janice (Serangoon Junior College, #21) — 02:48.92
13th Sim Dan Min, Dominique (Anglo-Chinese Junior College, #190) — 02:50.03
14th Sim Tzi Ling (Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), #52) — 02:51.28
15th Tan Li-Linn, Elizabeth (Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), #54) — 02:51.40
16th Lim Jiahui (National Junior College, #87) — 02:53.01