4x400m Relays (Girls): HCI edge RI by 0.65s to win A Div gold; Sports School sweep B and C Div

By Tay Jun Wen/Red Sports

Lynette Goh of HCI just edges out Jannah Wong of RI in the A Div 4x400m relay final. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

Choa Chu Kang Sports Complex, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 — Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) won the A Division girls’ 4×400 metres relay gold by a whisker at the 54th National Schools Track and Field Championships while Singapore Sports School swept both the C and B Division girls’ 4x400m relay finals.

HCI made a comeback dash in the final leg to win themselves gold in 4 minutes 12.29 seconds with RI just 0.65s behind in 4:12.94. Anglo-Chinese Junior College finished third, clocking 4:16.92. The A Division 4x400m record is 4:02.47 and was set in 2011 by Hwa Chong Institution.

HCI took the lead in the first leg but Francisco Andrea Mae of RI caught up and took the lead in the second leg. Joy Chia of RI had a slim lead when she took the baton to start the third leg but she had Thia Yi Yi of HCI breathing down her neck all the way.

But things changed during the anchor leg of the race.

At the final handover, double gold medalist Lynette Goh of HCI, winner of both the A Division 100m and 200m finals, took the baton second to Jannah Wong of RI who won the A Division 100m gurdles gold and 100m silver.

Lynette closed down Jannah bit by bit and in the final 100m stretch, she managed to catch up and beat Jannah by just 0.65s to win the gold for HCI.

The B Division 4x400m relay final also saw a close finish. Singapore Sports School were first in 4:10.38. Nanyang Girls’ High were second in 4:11.05 while Cedar Girls’ Secondary were third in 4:16.06. The B Division 4x400m relay record is 4:01.98 and was set by Singapore Sports School in 2011.

Claudia Sng of Nanyang Girls’ led the first round with Sports School and Cedar Girls’ following up. Sarah Nadia of Sports School caught up with and overtook Carys Hor of Nanyang Girls’ in the second leg, but in the last 250m of the third leg, Sharlene Teo of Nanyang Girls’ took back the lead from Kerstin Ong of Sports School.

In the final 100m stretch of the last leg, Kugapriyad D/O Chandran of Sports School managed to catch up and overtake Pan Xin Min of Nanyang Girls’ to take gold by just 0.67s.

In the C Division category, Singapore Sports School finished first in 4:19.60 after second runner Celeste Goh established a lead in the second leg her teammates never relinquished. Nanyang Girls’ High were second in 4.23.34 while third place went to CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School in 4:29.43. The C Division 4x400m girls’ relay record is 4:12.84 and was set by Sports School back in 2004.

C Division Girls’ 4x400m Relay Results
1st Singapore Sports School — 04:19.60
2nd Nanyang Girls’ High School — 04:23.34
3rd CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School — 04:29.43
4th CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) — 04:30.95
5th Cedar Girls’ Secondary — 04:30.99
6th Crescent Girls’ School — 04:42.90
7th Raffles Girls’ School — 04:44.68
8th Methodist Girls’ School — 05:03.35

B Division Girls’ 4x400m Relay Results
1st Singapore Sports School — 04:10.38
2nd Nanyang Girls’ High School — 04:11.05
3rd Cedar Girls’ Secondary — 04:16.06
4th CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) — 04:24.12
5th Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary — 04:24.38
6th CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ — 04:30.64
7th CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent — 04:35.80
8th Raffles Girls’ School — 04:36.49

A Division Girls’ 4x400m Relay Results
1st Hwa Chong Institution — 04:12.29
2nd Raffles Institution — 04:12.94
3rd Anglo-Chinese Junior College — 04:16.92
4th Victoria Junior College — 04:18.06
5th National Junior College — 04:27.07
6th Serangoon Junior College — 04:29.66
7th Catholic Junior College — 04:35.00
8th Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) — 04:52.32