Story by Iman Hashim/Red Sports. Photos by Jerald Ang/Red Sports.

Noor Fatehah Bte Mustaffa (#120) of CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) finishes first, just a hair’s breadth over Amanda Ashley Woo (#437) of Nanyang Girls’ High School with a timing of 1:08.40. Amanda finished second with a timing of 1:08.42. (Photo 1 © Jerald Ang/Red Sports)

Bishan Stadium, Monday, April 24, 2017 — It was only her third competitive hurdles race.

But that did not stop Noor Fatehah Mustaffa of CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) from pulling off a surprise victory in the B Division girls’ 400 metres hurdles at the 58th National Schools Track and Field Championships.

She clocked a huge personal best of 1 minute 8.4 seconds, dipping at the finish just two-hundredths of a second ahead of pre-race favourite, Nanyang Girls’ Amanda Ashley Woo (1:08.42). Palada Tang of Singapore Sports School finished third in 1:11.84.

“It was quite shocking, because this is my first time doing hurdles (at the National Schools championships),” Fatehah said. “Having the opportunity to do this, it’s very surprising to get gold, and I really didn’t expect it.”

Coached by Margaret Oh and Loh Chan Pew, Fatehah only made the switch to the hurdles very recently. Amazingly, prior to the heats of these championships, her only other taste of competitive hurdles racing was just last month, at the 43rd Singapore U18/U20 Athletics Championships.

She clocked a modest 1:13.24 in the timed finals then, while Amanda won the event in 1:10.47.

Then in the heats of this National Schools meet, Fatehah lowered her personal best by almost three seconds, to 1:10.54 – but it still fell short of the 1:09.63 Amanda clocked to qualify fastest for the final.

Following the script, Amanda looked to be winning the final, catching Fatehah from the inside lane as soon as on the back straight. Fatehah fought back, drawing level again by the final straight, and surged ahead after the last hurdle.

Throwing herself over the line marginally ahead of Amanda, Fatehah had to be helped up off the ground by a paramedic. Little did she know that she had just sliced another two seconds off her personal best, clinching her first ever national schools gold medal in the process.

“I really wasn’t expecting gold, I was actually just hoping to get a PB at first. Then at the last part, I was right beside (Amanda) so I thought, ‘I’ve got this opportunity now, so why not give it a push.'”

Taking nothing away from her, Amanda’s silver timing was also a new personal best.

Listing the factors attributing to her rapid improvement, Fatehah said, “All the family support, my coach’s support, all my hard work… it’s really a miracle that I’ve got this chance.”

B Division Girls 400m Hurdles – Top 8
1st Noor Fatehah Bte Mustaffa (#120, CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)) – 1:08.40
2nd Amanda Ashley Woo (#437, Nanyang Girls’ High School) – 1:08.42
3rd Palada Tang (#91, Singapore Sports School) – 1:11.84
4th Joie Teo (#266, Cedar Girls’ Secondary) – 1:12.44
5th Marissa Peace Huang (#43, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School) – 1:12.74
6th Rachel Cheong (#87, Singapore Sports School) – 1:13.07
7th Phoebe Angeline Law (#462, Nanyang Girls’ High School) – 1:13.83
8th Theresa Lam (#198, National Junior College) – 1:14.62

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