In likely their final time competing in the event for Singapore Sports School (SSP), Tyeisha Rene Misson Khoo and Irsyad B Mohammad Said made it a swansong to remember as they struck gold in their respective B Division 400-metre hurdles finals.
Hwa Chong Institution's Amanda Ashley Woo dominated from start to end to power home to gold in the A Division girls' 400-metre hurdles final, clocking a quick time of 1 minute and 5.96 seconds.
Zak Tng of Hwa Chong Institution clinched the C Division boys' 400-metre hurdles gold at the 60th National Schools Track and Field Championships, stopping the clock at 1 minute 2.17 seconds. The result meant the Secondary 2 student seals his first individual medal at the annual schools meet.
A two-and-a-half hours delay forced by lightning alert failed to derail Tan Tse Teng of Hwa Chong Institution as she leapt 11.25 metres on her final attempt to snatch the A Division girls' triple jump gold.
Nursing a bruise on his heel, Andrew George Medina knew he had to make his first few jumps count -- he was not planning to use up all six of his attempts in the A Division boys' triple jump final. Eventually, he only attempted four -- skipping his fourth and last tries -- and also fouled two of his four jumps. But his job was already done on his second attempt, as the fifth-year Singapore Sports School student leapt 14.58 metres to crack the championship record at the 60th National Schools Track and Field Championships.
A bad back injury which lasted eight months forced Sin Ming Wei out of his pet event, the sprint hurdles, three years ago. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "That was when I realised I'm not cut out for hurdling because my injury stemmed from hurdling," said the Hwa Chong Institution Year 6 student. "Afterwards, I decided to try out 400 (metres), because back then I wasn't that of a strong starter, so I wasn't really that suited for the short burst events." "I think I had potential (in the 400m) and basically my coach and my teammates continued supporting me, and that's where I am today." And where he is today, is atop the A Division boys' 400m podium. In a tight race, he stopped the clock first in a personal best 51.45 seconds, finishing just 0.13s ahead of runner-up Samel Sahil Chetan (51.58s) of Singapore Sports School.
Diane Hilary Pragasam of Singapore Sports School clocked a new personal best of 1:01.00 to clinch her sixth 400m gold in six years at the annual National Schools Track and Field Championships.
Jade Chew marginally falls short of Michelle Sng's 16-year-old B Division girls' high jump record of 1.64m, but attained a new personal best of 1.62m to improve on the 1.61m C Division mark she had set last year.
