Story by Iman Hashim/Red Sports. Photos by Les Tan and Chua Kai Yun/Red Sports.
Ow Yeong Wei Bin of HCI set a new record of 54.19s to win gold. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)
Bishan Stadium, Monday, April 25, 2016 — Ow Yeong Wei Bin of Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) clocked a scintillating 54.19 seconds to retain the A Division Boys’ 400 metres hurdles gold at the 57th National Schools Track and Field Championships, breaking the championship record in the process.
His timing went under the previous mark of 54.56s, set by his brother Yu Xiang, then also of HCI, three years ago.
Jared Chang (58.27s) of Victoria Junior College, who was the champion in the 110m hurdles, finished in second while Luke Chiang (58.87s) of St. Andrews’ Junior College, who came in fourth in the 800m, finished third in this event.
For Wei Bin, this was his second gold of this year’s championships, after he had won the 400m the previous week.
Wei Bin burst out of his blocks fast, catching his competitors on the outer lanes as early as on the first bend, and maintained his lead throughout for a comfortable first-place finish.
This was his third consecutive 400m hurdles gold, after winning last year in the A Division (0.914m hurdles) in his previous personal best of 55.54s, and in 2014 in the B Division (0.838m hurdles) with a 55.49s timing.
On annihilating his personal best by more than one second to set the new championship record, Wei Bin said, “I think it’s all the effort that my coach (Mr Han Zhong Jian) and I have worked on together. On top of that, I improved on my momentum and rhythm in the final.”
“I feel very happy and elated, that all my work in the past one year has paid off,” he continued.
Wei Bin will now look forward to the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, where his HCI team will look to do better than the third and second placing they achieved respectively last year. The relay finals will take place on Friday, April 29, at the National Stadium.
He remarked, “I think our team this year is strong enough to gun for gold.”
A Division Boys’ 400m Hurdles – Top 8
1st Ow Yeong Wei Bin (#264, Hwa Chong Institution) — 54.19 seconds
2nd Jared Chang Joo Xyang (#197, Victoria JC) — 58.27
3rd Chiang Jai Ming, Luke (#158, St. Andrew’s JC) — 58.87
4th Samuel Lee Jin Quan (#65, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)) — 58.88
5th Isaac Ming U Yang (#131, Raffles Institution) — 59.14
6th Randall Choo Tian Xi (#267, Hwa Chong Institution) — 1:00.72
7th Tay Huan Lin (#208, Victoria JC) — 1:00.73
8th Lim Wei Han, Daniel (#60, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)) — 1:00.80
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