Story by Iman Hashim/Red Sports. Photos by Les Tan and Chua Kai Yun/Red Sports.

a div girls 400m hurdles

Celeste Goh (#10, SSP) on her way to gold in 1:07.44. Pan Xin-Min (#207, HCI) was second while Gwyneth Ang (#76, RI) was third. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

Bishan Stadium, Friday, April 29, 2016 — Celeste Goh of Singapore Sports School (SSP) claimed the A Division Girls’ 400 metres hurdles gold at the 57th National Schools Track and Field Championships, clocking 1 minute 7.44 seconds in the final.

Pan Xin-Min (1:08.97) of Hwa Chong Institution finished in second while Gwyneth Ang of Raffles Institution finished in third in 1:09.86.

Celeste got the better of Xin-Min this time round, after she had finished second behind the latter in the 400m final last week. Meanwhile, Gwyneth clocked a personal best and achieved her first ever National Schools podium finish.

It was Celeste’s second consecutive 400m hurdles gold, after she had won the B Division event last year in 1:06.40. In 2014, she had finished third in the B Division with a 1:08.75 timing.

On her victory, the SSP Year Five student commented, “I’m really happy that I got the gold. I just wanted to end the race, and I’m glad I ended it well, even though it’s not a PB. My timing in the 400m final wasn’t a PB either, so I’ll just train harder and hopefully I will be able to break my PB and at the same time break the 400m record.”

Celeste’s 400m hurdles personal best stands at 1:05.78, set last year at the Thailand Sports School Games.

Acknowledging those who have helped her, she added, “Firstly, I want to thank Coach Remy, for always telling me to calm down, to just do whatever I have to do. Not forgetting my parents and definitely my friends, for always encouraging me.”

A Division Girls’ 400m Hurdles – Top 8
1st Celeste Goh Jia Rui (#10, Singapore Sports School) — 1:07.44
2nd Pan Xin-Min (#207, Hwa Chong Institution) — 1:08.97
3rd Gwyneth Ang Xin Yi (#76, Raffles Institution) — 1:09.86
4th Sharon Tan Hwee Ling (#61, National JC) — 1:11.58
5th Clenyce Tan Zi Xin (#73, Raffles Institution) — 1:11.80
6th Britney Chia Shi Qi (#190, Hwa Chong Institution) — 1:11.93
7th Alysee Goh Shin Ying (#68, Raffles Institution) — 1:13.90
8th Pebbles Lee Wern (#56, National JC) — 1:14.11

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