by Marcus Tan (15A01A) and Nurhan Sufi (15S03C)

Additional photography by Isaac Siaw (15S03Q) and Hendrick Soh (15S03I)

Last year, the Raffles Soccer Girls clinched the bronze medal with a goal in extra time to seal a 1-0 victory. This year, extra time proved the curse for them as they fought to be champions for just the second time against VJC at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Beset by cramps and fatigue as the game headed into extra time, our soccer girls unfortunately fell to VJC 1-0 with the last kick of the game.

It was never going to be an easy game, with RI having to battle a team which was technically drilled and more experienced, with VJC having contested 8 finals in the last 9 years and winning 7 A Division titles so far. The game started at a sanguine pace as 200 odd Rafflesian supporters converged upon the stadium, cheering the team on. Within eight minutes, however, the first shot had already been taken, with VJC sending a shot off target and a free kick from RI’s #6 Jane Ong being saved comfortably by the VJC goalkeeper. The first real chance of the game was not long to come, however, with captain Liza Tay (#13) chipping the VJC goalkeeper which beat the keeper but also beat the post. Both teams then started creating chances, with the VJC team coming close on a few occasions with dangerous cross-shots and set-pieces, but most of them came to naught. Our team sat back for most of the first half, defending deeply to combat the skilful and technically gifted VJC team. With two minutes to go in the first half, the game suddenly sparked into life, with a brilliant ball from Jane sending Louise Lee (#3) clear of the VJC defence. Alas, the offside flag was raised as the RI fans rose to their feet, although Louise hit the post anyway.

The second half started at the same frenetic pace which the first ended in, with VJC taking a long range shot just a minute after the game restarted. This would prove to be a recurring tactic over the course of the rest of the game, with the VJC team alternating between struggling to break down our stubborn defence and shooting from long range. In the 50th minute, this tactic nearly succeeded, with a long-range shot from a VJC player nearly creeping into the goal before a timely intervention from Jane on the line. The game started to become increasingly exciting, with end-to-end football as both teams sought to score the winner before extra time. In the 55th minute, drama ensued as another long-range shot from VJC crashed against the crossbar. Within seconds, however, RI swept forward in a rapid counter-attack which featured Jane going on a stunning Gareth Bale-esque run from her own half to dribble past five or six defenders. Alas, her shot also thundered against the crossbar before being cleared for a corner. The match then headed for extra time as the score remained 0-0.

Even amidst the tension of the game, the VJC captain still had the heart to help #6 Elizabeth Jane Ong stretch her cramped leg. Plaudits to her!

Extra time proved increasingly difficult for the Raffles team as cramps and injuries started to set in, with our brave team even playing with only nine players at one point because of the cramps. Yet, despite the tense nature of the final, there was still room for sportsmanship as the VJC captain helped to stretch Jane’s leg after she succumbed to muscle cramps on the field. This sportsmanship continued, with both teams doing their best to keep playing good football. It seemed as if the game would end with a penalty shootout, with neither team edging the other in a close game and the clock ticking down to the end of extra time. Yet, there was still enough time for a final twist; with seconds remaining in injury time (the time added to compensate for time lost in dealing with injuries) VJC won a free kick just outside the box following a foul to stop a mounting VJ attack. From the resulting set piece, the ball was stabbed home by a VJC player, who wheeled away to celebrate as our players crumpled to the floor in defeat. In the final minute of extra time with virtually the last kick of the game, our stubborn resistance had been broken by the more technically accomplished VJC players. The never-say-die attitude of the team continued, with Liza (#13) attempting to charge forward from kickoff to grab a goal back. Alas, it was too late for our courageous players who fought to the very end despite having all odds stacked against them.

When asked about her thoughts on the game, soccer girls captain Liza said: “It was heartbreaking, we’ve worked so hard throughout the year and to come short in the last few seconds of the game was really hard to take. But we left the field with no regrets cause we really put everything we had on the line.” Coach Mr Sulaiman agreed, saying: “Both teams played very good football. Beautiful football. The team performed awesomely and this is a bunch of beautiful girls.” Spectator Ryan Lim from 15S03E was similarly enthralled: “I thought it was a very intense game, we fought our hearts out but unfortunately we lost at the last minute. I felt that I’m very proud of the team and what they have achieved throughout the season.” Our team truly put in their all, coming close to winning several times in the game despite their more experienced opponents.

There wasn’t just heartbreak in the tournament though, with our soccer girls having set the tournament alight with fantastic soccer, netting 28 goals en route to the final. Elizabeth Jane Ong was also named top scorer of the tournament, scoring an astounding fourteen goals in total.  Yet, despite scoring half of her team’s goals, Jane credited her teammates, saying: “I’m very honoured and very lucky also. Top scorer is just a title but actually the whole thing is as a team, because no goal was a solo thing. It was all an effort as a team and just shows how much effort we put in as a team to put in the goals. I just happened to be the lucky one who managed to finish it.”

CCAD leads Rafflesian supporters in the Unite cheer

The soccer girls this year may not have won the title, but they definitely showed us how Rafflesians can unite together to fight through the sun, and through the rain. Even though they might not have lifted the trophy at the end of the day, the soccer girls truly won the hearts of their spectators that day.

By Shikhar Gupta (15S06M) and Mustafa Siddiqui (15S06E)
Photos by Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A)

The Raffles cricket team before the match

Scorecard:*
ACS (I): 154/5 in 20 overs (Archit – 48, Prateek – 42, Utsav – 38) | (Chirath 3-22)
RI: 136/8 in 20 overs (Sidantha – 35 not out, Lakshan – 28, Vinay – 22 not out) | (Abhinav 2-22)

Coming into the final match at Ceylon Sports Club, the Rafflesian cricketers’ confidence was sky-high. Having steamrolled through their previous matches, including a previous meeting with ACS (I), the mood before the match was casual and relaxed.

The captain of the RI team, Chirath Gunasinghe, won the toss and elected to bowl first, anticipating a quick capitulation of the ACS (I) batsmen thanks to a superior bowling attack on paper, which mainly consisted of pacers.

Vaikunth Seshadri bowls a ball

Opening the bowling was Lakshan Srinivas, who was promptly hit for a powerful cover drive four on the first ball. Even with a rotation of many bowlers, ACS (I) kept the scoreboard ticking, hitting the ball past the rope multiple times before RI got the closest to destabilising the gathered momentum.

A mis-hit by ACS (I) opener Archit Goenka went straight to Harsh Kackar fielding at slip, however the ball slipped through his hands and raced away. It took the RI bowlers a while, but the wicket of the lethal Archit Goenka was finally claimed at 56 runs, but it seemed to hardly affect the ACS (I) gameplan. Utsav Rakshit simply took his place, and continued the scoring.

A series of further poor, short deliveries and misfields meant that ACS (I) had achieved a strong total of 78 runs at the halfway point of their innings.

Lakshan Srinivas applauds after the team claims an ACS (I) wicket

Towards the end of the ACS (I) innings, the Rafflesian bowlers managed to recover their form, restricting the opponents’ total to 155 as well as claiming wickets along the way – no mean feat, when it is known that the final 5 overs are when teams throw caution to the wind for maximum runs.

The RI coach, Mr Goh Swee Heng, simply cautioned the team against throwing away early wickets as the batsmen readied themselves, however, disaster struck on the very second ball of the Rafflesian innings.

Kaushik got run-out early due to a miscalculation, and this set the pace for the majority of the game. Chirath lost his wicket in the next over at a total of 8 runs, and the loss was made more bitter when it was revealed that the umpire had made an incorrect decision with the leg-before wicket (LBW) dismissal. With the first seven batsmen dismissed for sixty six runs, even a respectable loss seemed impossible.

Coming in at seven-down Sidantha, younger brother of Chirath, very nearly turned the tide of the game for RI. Sidantha batted sublimely, hitting five boundaries, and achieving a total of 35 runs off 24 balls. Vinay also stepped up when the team needed him the most, hitting 22 runs off an equal number of balls with a sweet slog-flick that went for 6 above the head of the fielder at square-leg. This sudden revival swept up the spectators in the euphoria, who commented that “even though [they] did not initially understand the game, the final overs were really exciting”.

This partnership added hugely to the tally, with the final three batsmen adding 70 runs to eventually end at 136 runs while giving away just one additional wicket; a respectable score by any standard.

Unsurprisingly, the whole RI team felt disappointed by their overall performance, with Mr Goh lamenting that they had “lost the game in the first few overs of [their] bowling”, having given away nearly 40 runs within 5 overs.

Captain of the team, Chirath was dissatisfied with the team’s performance. “Chasing down 155 was no big deal – we used to score 160 in group stages, but it seems like the pressure got to us today,” he said.

When asked about the partnership between the final three batsmen, he also added that achieving a total of 136 runs was really “impressive”.

Sidantha himself was humble about being the top scorer for the Rafflesian side. “When I came out to bat, I came out there to have fun, and I’m sure we gave them a good fight, but ACS was the better team today,” he said.

Second highest scorer Lakshan, a Year 6 player, was regretful that he could not cap off his final RI game with a win, commenting that the game was a “memorable” one. He will still be continuing on at the national level, however, as will many other RI players.

All eyes will be on the new captain, Sidantha Gunasinghe, for next years competition.

*Scorecard format: [School]: [Runs]/[Wickets], (Top batsmen – runs scored) | (Top opposing bowler, wickets claimed – Runs given away)

by Joshua Tee (15A01D) and Solihin Samsuri (15A01D)
Photos by Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A)

Boys

The last time RI Hockey managed to secure both places in double finals was nearly a decade ago, whereas a double gold had not been attained for over 15 years. Considering the past six to seven seasons of near-misses, dubious decisions and arduous preparations, victory  tasted especially sweet for the Year 6 boys of Raffles Institution (RI) Hockey, who emerged undefeated from this year’s Inter-school National A Division Championships. Bowling over Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC), the imposing score line of 6-0 at the end of 60 minutes was a true reflection of the sheer calibre, discipline and perseverance exemplified by the team as a whole.

Standing strong: RI poised to take a short corner.

Having just ousted the reigning Victoria Junior College, ACJC, whom Raffles previously faced off with in the preliminary round, seemed more inclined to pose a larger threat at such a level of competition. Determined to seize the title after a narrow defeat via penalties last year, morale ran high amongst the players who were “motivated and pumped up” to exhibit the best of their abilities.

Rishi’s resilience: A rock in safeguarding the Raffles goal.

Keeping to a predetermined structure that minimised unnecessary passes, a focused RI side enjoyed comfortable possession of the ball, allowing for early breaks into the D courtesy of left back, Harshvir Singh. Paired alongside the dominating presence of vice-captain Rishi Ramathas who held his own against sudden counter-attacks, Benjamin Ang was a relentless force that did not balk to hinder any hint of opposition. Maintaining fluid control of the ball in check, a tight defence swiftly converted into an aggressive assault spearheaded by captain Ahmad Ashraf who drew first blood with a resounding shot through the keeper’s legs.

Harshvir coolly diverting the ball upfield

In response, ACJC’s Gerald Goh swung in a precarious lone strike outside the shooting arc that was disallowed much to the obvious relief of the supporters present. Reeling from such a brash attempt at goal, Raffles redoubled their efforts in their monopoly of midfield with central midfielder Muhammad Ramzi deftly setting up Mohamed Haseef who dribbled along the baseline and coaxed another one in. Proclaiming the match to be the team’s “best performance” this season, Ashraf’s fervour in slotting in an optimum number of goals shone through with a formidable dive which deflected the ball straight into the net.

Ashraf and Benjamin taking aim

Even the slightest falter in defence was optimised; at one point, ACJC’s Gerald went head-to-head with RI goalkeeper, Ram Kumar who stepped up and instinctively kicked the ball out of harm’s way. Truly, the team persisted in asserting their well-earned dominance of the game even throughout the second half when ACJC made a more concerted effort to regain their footing.

Ramzi weaving through a congested ACJC defence

Nevertheless, Anglo-Chinese’s close-knit passing did not achieve the equilibrium they aspired for, only to incite a fervent Rafflesian offensive that drilled home their advantage. Easily intercepting and bursting through the opponents’ ranks, it was Ramzi’s confident ball play and Haseef’s precise cross that assisted left winger Gurveer Singh in putting another one past the keeper. Instead of yielding their momentum, the goal finding frenzy intensified by a twofold – via a rebound shot by Ashraf and the combined effort of forwards Yeung Jek and Anirudh Srivathsan in the last few minutes of the game.

Later attributing RI’s success with their tenacious adherence “to the game plan”, the sense of pride and camaraderie for his team was palpable as Ashraf commented, “The feeling [of victory] is indescribable. After so long, we finally did it!” In the face of two reckless green cards and crowd-wowing, mid-air-ball-stopping skills, we could not help but share the giddy sentiment.

Girls

The beginning of the girls’ game was highly contested, with RI edging a slight positioning lead over the VJC team with regards to ball control, but both teams’ solid defences initially prevented any team to gain a written advantage through an open goal. However, a clean penalty corner led to VJC scoring the first goal of the match, but the advantage that VJC was hoping for soon disappeared after a clean penalty corner with a smooth pass through VJC’s defence equalised the score in favour of RI. The game reached half-time with an equal score of 1-1.

RI controlling the ball despite much pressure

The second half of the game started with a quick succession of VJC penalty corners, forcing RI’s strong defence pressure to weaken and eventually concede goals. VJC also managed to take advantage of RI’s tight defensive structure, issuing passes which managed to allow them to take possession of the ball despite constant pressure.

Alert players start to move towards an approaching ball

Both teams were able to effectively deliver pressure to the opposing team, leading to a drought of open goals in the game. This was true both offensively and defensively, where defenders were quick to respond and goalkeeping from both sides was extremely solid. However, VJC was slightly more comfortable with gaining penalty corners, where defensive numerical pressures were severely reduced, which contributed to their lead over RI. By the end of the game, all of VJC’s goals had come from penalty corners, signifying their importance in the fiercely-contested finals of which VJC had eleven penalty corners – a large margin over RI’s two. Penalty corners were especially important in this game due to what it seems to be both teams eschewing unpredictable long-range passes for more accurate short-range passes. Additionally, VJC’s slight advantage in mobility in terms of responsiveness to unpossessed balls and interceptions led them to take the advantage in an otherwise equal game of skill.

RI succeeds in gaining possession, one-on-one

Unfortunately, the game was scarred with a double injury from the RI side, a rarity to most hockey games. During the second half of the game, RI’s Rebecca Kang received a direct impact from the  ball to above her right eye, collapsing immediately and had to be taken off the field. Following soon after was RI’s Beverly Goh, who received a severe debilitating cramp which led to her unable to continue playing. Despite two consecutive injuries, any dampening effect on moral was hardly noticeable in the field; RI’s team continued to play as hard as they had before.

The spectators react to the second unfortunate injury

Soon after the second injury occurred, the game ended with a final score of 1-5. Although the team might have lost in the end, the determination that the team demonstrated, especially when the team had lost two of its important players, remains admirable. Throughout the game, the RI team possessed both the perseverance and the team spirit worthy of any true sports team. Defender Arina Rashid echoes this sentiment, feeling that “I couldn’t have asked for more of any one of my teammates, and felt incredibly honoured to play alongside them.”

by Yeo Jia Qi (15S03H), Joshua Tee (15A01D)
Photos courtesy of Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15SO6A), Serena Tan (15SO3I), Arel Chua (15SO3N), Hee Xin Wee (15S03I), Hethav Sivakumar (15AO1E), Ernest Low (15SO6O), Sharmaine Toh (15SO7C) of the Raffles Photographic Society

IHC Sports 2014: Destemido kicked off last Monday, with Dodgeball and Tennis. Running for three weeks, the five houses send their best to compete in various sports ranging from Archery to Water Polo. After a week of exciting sporting action, Raffles Press brings to you the results of Destemido: Week 1. Look out for more updates for weeks 2 and 3!

by Melissa Choi (16S06B)

A Division Cross Country Team 2015

It was not your typical scene at Bedok Reservoir, with 121 Crossers all reared-up and ready to go at the start line. An electrifying atmosphere enveloped the race site as the audience waited in anticipation for the first runner to emerge. Punctuating the morning calm was the sound of cheers from the many impassioned supporters who came down to cheer for their schoolmates. It was the 56th National Inter-School Cross Country championships, and what a race it was. In total, there were six races spanning three divisions, and six titles for Team Raffles to clinch. Rafflesian dominance was strongly felt, with the Rafflesian family clinching four out of the possible six titles.

The RI flag flies high; audiences crowd along the barricades near the finish line.

The A Division boys kicked off the first race at 9am, covering a distance of 4.6km. The Raffles team started strong as a pack, with pre-race favourite Chong Qi taking the lead. As the race progressed and the Crossers neared an uphill slope, a clear separation began to show. Some runners broke off from the pack, with Chester being one of them. Despite their exhaustion, many runners were determined to pick up their pace at the end, and even overtake close competitors such as the team from ACS(I).

Chester (RI, left) and Leroi (ACS(I), right) in a close battle for 3rd place

Chester recalled that he “wasn’t confident that I could overtake Leroi [one of the runners from ACS(I)] at the start”, but in the last 400m, “the coach told [him] to go get [Leroi]”. This was the push that propelled him to overtake his competitor in the tense last 3 seconds of the race, giving RI a clean but narrow sweep for Top 3 for the Boy’s A Division.

Some even collapsed to the floor after passing the finish line, having given the race their all. It goes without saying that Cross Country is a physically demanding as well as mentally trying sport. However, akin to finishing 2.4km in NAPFA, there is immense satisfaction derived from scaling long-distances and pushing one’s boundaries. Larry (15S06N), the captain of the boys’ team, felt “tremendously proud of the team”, as “the team was always there for one another when it mattered – be it helping pace each other or encouraging each other during tough times”.

Following the close fight between ACS(I) and RI, team scores were tabulated based on the timings of the best four runners from the school. Shohib finished 1st, Chong Qi 2nd, Chester 3rd, and Larry 8th, securing a 13-point lead over our closest competitors Victoria Junior College. Our other two runners also finished in the Top 20, with Shammo finishing 12th and Willy 19th. For Shohib, this was his second straight individual gold; in 2014, he finished with a timing of 14:02.8 on the 4.3km course. Chong Qi was also 2014’s B Division Individual Champion, achieving a timing of 14:26.7; this year, he finished just 12 seconds after Shohib.

Shohib on the last leg of the course; he finished with just a time of 16:05.1.

Our A Division girls too performed strongly, narrowly losing out to the VJC girls by only three points. The girls were a strong team overall, and “the race could have gone either way”, according to the coach, Mr. Joe Goh. While both girls and boys ran along nearly the same course, the girls took a shorter route of 3.6km, and began their race at 9.40am.

With the VJC girls establishing their lead 400m into the race, and extending it further as the race progressed, Natalie, the forerunner of the Raffles team, tried to keep up but was unable to. Eventually, she finished 3rd, followed closely by Yi Xin in 4th. Faye battled Xin Ying (VJC) for 6th place, but crossed the line 0.2 seconds after her to finish 7th. Edina came in 9th, bagging a team score of 23 points. Valarie and Shiying from the RI team also performed well, coming in 10th and 19th respectively.

Natalie sprinting towards the finish line; she achieved a superb timing of 14:03.0.

It was a neck-and-neck battle though, as the runners who finished third through seventh all finished in close succession, varying only by 24 seconds. Natalie (16S03S) attested to the race being a very close fight, but that “there is nothing to be disappointed about” because “everybody put in their best effort.” Sporting a positive attitude, she remarked that the only thing the team can do is to train harder for next year. “Even though we didn’t get champions, they will still be champions in my heart!” she said.

When asked what she thought of the team, she said, “I love our team, it was super fun training with them up to this season, and they make training much better.” Her teammate Valarie (16S06I) echoes this sentiment, “Even though it’s tough, it’s fun.”

Shiying (15S03F), the captain of the girls’ team, told us, “Though we were unable to bring home the title this year, I can say with certainty that we’ve trained hard for it and given it our best shot.” Although she felt that “losing the title so narrowly was definitely a bitter pill to swallow”, she still remains optimistic and motivated “to train even harder for the upcoming Track and Field championships.”

A showing of strong team spirit in the Cross Country team

Confident that the runners have given their best, the coaches are proud of Team Raffles and maintain that the results are secondary. Mr Goh remarked, “They did above expectations…For A girls especially, we had a very close fight with VJC. We [expected] them to give us a tough fight based on the past few races … It could [go] to anybody, just that today they did better than us.”

While many see Cross Country as an individual sport, the Cross team strongly believes in the importance of the team. Larry noted, “Although the nature of the sport is an individualistic one, it never felt this way in this team.” Training three times a week in paced groups, supported by teachers and parents who do all sorts of behind-the-scenes work, has enabled the Cross team to form bonds like no other.

Both Cross teams have shown great sportsmanship and team spirit, and we would like to congratulate them on a job well done. We wish the Cross Country team all the best in their future endeavours!

by Qiu Kexin (16A13A)

Photos by Nicolette Ang (16S03P)

It was late morning, soon passing into the heat of the afternoon. At 1 pm, Hougang Secondary School was abuzz with chatter as spectators crowded into the Indoor Sports Hall and canteen, while awaiting the start of this year’s Judo Championships. There was a thrum of anticipation as competitors readied themselves for their most important Judo matches of the season, which would either make or break them. Nevertheless, if the determined and confident looks from the various participants were any indication, they had come well-prepared both physically and mentally.

In Judo, the team that secures at least three out of five bouts will be crowned the overall victor for a competition. Each bout lasts 3 minutes, and is played between 2 opponents from the same weight category. In the course of each bout, competitors aim to score an ippon, which is done by throwing (as opposed to merely forcing) one’s opponent flat onto their back, or holding for 20 seconds. An ippon is the highest possible point in Judo, and when a competitor executes it successfully (by no means an easy feat!), it ends the match instantly and the victory for that bout is awarded to them.

A DIVISION BOYS

Having defeated Catholic Junior College in the semi-finals, Raffles Institution’s A Division boys were now competing against formidable opponents from Nanyang Junior College. Expectations were high for the boys due to their triumph in last year’s finals, and the Rafflesians there were hoping that the results this year would be in favour of this victorious streak.

The competitors representing Raffles Institution were as follows, in order of ascending weight category:

• Feather (-60 kg): Yong Kang Ren
• Extra Light (-66 kg): Ong Jia Xiang
• Light (-73 kg): Wu Bo Dong
• Middle (-81 kg): Chen Yuan Bo
• Heavy (+81 kg): Ryan Chong

In the first match by the A Division Boys, Kang Ren tackled his opponent with much vigour. His Nanyang competitor attempted strong grapples to win an edge, but Kang Ren eventually gained leverage halfway through the bout to pin him down to the floor, after which the 20-second countdown for his pin started. His resolve paid off as he was successful, earning Raffles the victory for that bout.

Kang Ren trying to hold his opponent

Next up was Jia Xiang. He was a competent fighter who managed to get his opponent down many times while also preventing his opponent from holding him down. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury to his mouth – the bout was temporarily paused to allow it to be taken care of. Despite his significant efforts, he lost the bout narrowly by only a few points at the end. Still, the tenacity he showed during the bout was truly the mark of an honourable judoka, and he had put up nothing short of a good fight.

For the third bout, Bo Dong used his strength to tackle and counter his opponent’s attacks, while staunchly wrestling with control to try to bring his opponent down, but he was eventually overpowered and thrown for a full point.

Fourth in the line-up was Yuan Bo. His display of skill was spectacular, evading his counterpart while parrying attempts to overpower him. He was able to score a major point when he gained on his opponent by pinning him to the ground for 20 seconds; the bout was subsequently won. This turned the tide for Raffles. Having fought back to parity, the morale of the team’s supporters lifted considerably after this victory, in eagerness for the final and decisive bout.

Yuan Bo throwing his opponent

In the last bout, Ryan Chong and his contender faced off in an intense match that saw both of them fighting to pin the other down as swiftly as possible. The referee renewed the bout when the two competitors were struggling with each other, none apparently able to gain on the other. After the bout restarted at the centre, Ryan made the first attack and quickly brought his contender down through a series of steadfast grapples. He secured a win after that, amid roaring cheers from the audience.

Ryan holding his opponent down

It was with pride that, with a score of 3-2, the Rafflesian team had beaten Nanyang Junior College in an ardent series of duels and emerged with the title of national Champions. For the excellent win this year, the boys’ captain Kang Ren (15S03E) credited “each one of us in the team, our coaches Mr Tan and Mr Low, teachers-in-charge, and most importantly… everyone.”

The team commented after the bouts that they truthfully had been feeling “terrified” before the competition, but the support from their coaches and one another helped “calm them down” to be ready for their bouts. The values of discipline, determination and team spirit advocated by Judo were poignantly summed up in this statement by one of the A Division boys: “We had put in so much hard work for the past six years and also suffered together, so when it came down to this, we just wanted to fight for everyone, to show something for our efforts.”

A Division Boys in first place

A DIVISION GIRLS

This year, the Rafflesian girls’ team was up against Hwa Chong’s team, after defeating Nanyang Junior College in the semi-finals. Both school teams had had a long history of being favourites in the annual Judo inter-school finals, and it was clear that they would put up a tough fight to the teeth for the title of Champions.

Our A Division girls had won Silver in the previous year’s finals, barely losing to Hwa Chong Institution by just one bout. There was hence evident stress placed upon them to try their best to pull through for a victory this year. However, the girls maintained a resilient and positive attitude in the face of the difficulties ahead. Joyce Lee (15S03F), who competed in the semi-finals, expressed that, “We didn’t focus much on winning this year because it was our last Nationals together. There were times [when we felt demotivated] but remembering our whole batch’s effort in training helped drive us.” In hindsight, valuing the journey more than the outcome could have been what gave them the necessary motivation for their triumph this year.

A Division Girls facing their opponents

The competitors representing Raffles Institution were as follows, in order of ascending weight category:

• Feather (-48 kg): Charis Tay
• Extra Light (-52 kg): Lim Yong Ling
• Light (-57 kg): Fadhillah Md Faizan
• Middle (-63 kg): Tania Forichon
• Heavy (+63 kg): Joey Low

In the first bout by Charis, she rapidly brought down her counterpart with a throw, for which a half point was awarded to Raffles Institution. The bout was restarted after that in the centre. Her competitor hit out with the first strike, but Charis was ready for it, and maintained control over her movements even as her competitor tried to bring her down. She did not concede and, through skilful manoeuvring and adroit balancing, avoided being thrown. Eventually, she then gained yet another point when she successfully threw the Hwa Chong competitor to the ground. The bout was thus won for the Raffles team.

For the next round, Yong Ling displayed adept skill in groundwork, using well-timed foot sweeps a few times in order to bring her opponent down. Many times, the two competitors struggled on the ground, each fighting fiercely to gain leverage over the other. Unfortunately, in the last few seconds of the round, Yong Ling was awarded a penalty, which earned her contender an extra point that gave Hwa Chong a small margin for the victory for that bout. Nevertheless, Yong Ling had been a spirited fighter and had given her best for the team.

Next was Fadhillah in the third bout. As soon as the bout started, she fought relentlessly to cut down her opponent. Her opponent also exhibited much prowess in her movements and attacks. However, Fadhillah was quick on her feet and at one point, she was able to swiftly overturn her opponent onto her back even when it seemed imminent that she was about to be pinned down. Fadhillah’s footwork and careful balance helped in bringing down her opponent several times, for which points were awarded. In the end, she won another bout for Raffles.

In the second last bout, Tania continually hit out from the start to try to assert a strong grip on her opponent. Her competitor similarly took swings at her with offensive moves. Tania was a force to be reckoned with, expertly defending against numerous attempts to bring her down while also dodging sweeps. The atmosphere was tense but exciting, with Tania lunging at her opponent at one point to throw her onto her back. Eventually, the Hwa Chong competitor conceded the bout to Tania.

For the last bout, girls’ captain Joey faced stiff competition from her opponent. She took on a more defensive stance initially, with the first attack coming from her opponent. It was a fierce neck-to-neck duel, but she pressed on, refusing to be held down to the ground in spite of a few close calls. She showed great competence, cleverly taking advantage of a moment when her opponent was struggling to grapple with her to pin her down. The tide turned in the middle when Joey successfully countered twice, which scored half point each to make one whole point for Raffles. Thus the fourth bout was won, and with it, Raffles Institution’s place as Champions was also secured.

Seeing everyone’s faithful commitment to the team, it felt as if this year’s Double Championships were truly a well-deserved reward in return for their unfaltering dedication to their sport. Both the Judo teams have done well above all expectations, and we wish to congratulate them for their great sportsmanship and tenacious spirit. Good luck for the individual bouts, and may the path of the Gentle Way lead you to more fruitful avenues!

by Samuel Loh (16A01A)

A smiling team flies the Raffles flag high.

The sun burnt bright Tuesday morning, while Raffles Institution’s A Division water polo girls geared up for their season’s finals against Temasek Junior College. Burning brighter was spectator Zhu Deng’s (16S07D) immeasurable confidence in the girls’ abilities, evident as he told us, “I feel burning — burning with excitement, burning with passion for my school, and for the team.” Such was the sheer anxiousness amidst the bleachers as supporters eagerly awaited a highly-anticipated finals matchup, which hopefully would bring home RI’s 9th consecutive victory in the Girls’ Water Polo event.

Enthusiastic supporters eagerly anticipating the match-up from the stands.

Having defeated Hwa Chong Junior College with a resounding victory of 18-0 in the previous round, Raffles Institution’s A Division girls shot into the finals confident and ready to close the season to the best of their abilities. The first quarter began with little delay, and RI’s aggressive playing style was almost immediately felt across the pool. Chan Fang Yi (16S06R) opened the rally with an impressive display of agility, gaining possession of the ball for the defending champions. 2 near scores quickly set TJC on the defensive. Finally, a third try at the goal following a half-pool sprint saw Rachel Lee (15S03K) score RI’s first point of the game, followed closely by another from Fang Yi. Keeper Stephanie Sim (15S07B) attempted to block a weighty shot at their goal, but the ball barely floated past through to TJC’s advantage. A return score by Madeline Quek (15S07C) concluded the first quarter with RI in a solid 3-1 lead.

The second quarter kickstarted with a fierce struggle for possession of the ball, with TJC attempting a pass on the goal but to no avail. Precise and coordinated passes by the girls sustained great pressure on TJC’s goal. Madeline’s stunning feint widened the score gap to 4-1 in favor of RI, and the Rafflesian team appeared to be going strong.

An action-packed third quarter started with an early goal from RI, raising the count to 5-1, but TJC promptly responded in kind to make it 5-2. A pass of remarkable accuracy brought the ball within scoring range of TJC’s goal, but deflected off Rachel’s shoulders before she could take the shot. Nevertheless, outstanding defence by Stephanie broke the momentum of TJC’s seemingly unrelenting attack without conceding any further goals. Back on the offensive, RI proceeded to score two more goals off the backs of Madeline and Nicole Ong (15S06D). As the thirty-second shot clock inched its way closer and closer to zero, and TJC reinforced their dogged defense, the crowd roared as Rachel scored from the half-court, further pushing the advantage to a comfortable 8-2. A final quarter saw Raffles preserve its six-point lead, largely in part to our concerted defence.

Coach Mr Lim Yao Xiang takes a selfie with the triumphant girls’ team.

Our girls performed extraordinarily, emerging victorious on a comfortable 8-2 margin and earning themselves the title of national champions for the ninth year running. An illustrious history meant that the A Division girls had entered this season with the greatest of expectations foisted upon them. Yet, there was no question they had done themselves, each other, and the school proud. If anything at all, they certainly lived up to their name — and more.

“I feel relieved and grateful to everybody who helped us make it this far,” smiled team captain Richelle Ang (15S03B).

Team member Andrea Low (16A01A), who was unable to play due to an injury, told us, “I’m really excited and happy for them because we’ve been anticipating this match for so long and we’ve grown so much closer training for our season. You can just feel that it’s really a team thing.” Andrea’s encouragements were audible throughout the match as she cheered her team on wholeheartedly, and she rushed over to join the celebrations.

It was a well-deserved win — the team’s demonstration of seamless teamwork and mutual support for each other was only rivalled by their fiery determination. Team captain Richelle Ang (15S06B) describes their journey and thoughts, “It wasn’t smooth sailing to get to this stage, but I feel relieved and grateful to everybody that helped us make it this far. It’s really all about the process.”

by Chew Cheng Yu (16S06L)

After bringing home a double championship just a few weeks ago, the Judo team returned to Hougang Secondary School again for the National Inter-School Individual Judo Championships. This year witnessed the participation of Raffles Institution in all the matches (or more commonly referred to as “bouts”) for the ‘A’ Division Finals, save for the matches in the Girls’ Extra Lightweight and the Boys’ Heavyweight categories.

The atmosphere in the indoor sports hall while waiting for the bouts was slightly relaxed, but the tension was visible on most of the judokas’ faces as they warmed up and practised. Boys’ captain Yong Kang Ren (15S03E), although not participating, was there to support his juniors and batchmates. He agreed that after bringing home the double team championships, there was definitely palpable pressure meeting expectations, but they were also “quite confident in their individual events”, and was certain that both the boys and girls would perform well.

Raffles Institution Judo ‘A’ Division Team

In Judo, individuals have 3 minutes in a bout to score as many points against the opponent in the same category as possible. This can be done in three ways:

1. yuko, where one only manages to throw the opponent to the floor, lacking in two of the following: speed, force or throwing largely onto the back, and hence counts only as a partial point;
2. waza-ari, which is the same as yuko, but lacking in only one aspect, thus scoring a half-point;
3. ippon, a “perfect” throw, earning a full point.

If a throw is unable to be executed, pinning down one’s opponent also earns points; 10-15 seconds for yuko, 16-20 seconds for waza-ari, and over 20 seconds for ippon. Penalties, called shido, may be given for excessively rough play, and can be used to determine the outcome of the match if no full points are scored.

Featherweight Category: Charis Tay Si En (Girls) and Gareth Edward Lee (Boys)

Charis began with some difficulty in grappling her opponent, but eventually managed to score a waza-ari partway through. This was followed by another waza-ari in quick succession, earning Charis a full point, and subsequently victory.

Gareth, despite being in the midst of recovering from an injured foot, scored waza-ari, followed by yuko. Though his opponent became more cautious, and managed to avoid being thrown over in several attempts, Gareth eventually managed to throw the opponent down, scoring an ippon and winning the bout.

Gareth (below) attempting to throw his opponent over

Extra Lightweight Category: Ong Jia Xiang (Boys)

In a redux of the team finals’ bout, Jia Xiang faced the same opponent for the gold. The match was tight; in spite of his determination and perserverance, Jia Xiang still lost to the opponent, Kam Wei Lee Wesley (of Nanyang Junior College) by a single yuko, which was scored halfway through.

Lightweight Category: Fadhillah Md Faizan (Girls), Wu Bo Dong (Boys)

In Fadhillah’s bout, her opponent attempted to match her movements, giving her stiff competition for a good while, while countering her throws. However, Fadhillah did not falter, and finally managed to score an ippon with a pin-down.

Fadhillah (above) grappling with her opponent

Bo Dong was a force to be reckoned with in his bout against his formidable opponent – while it was clear he was skilled, managing to score waza-ari early in, his opponent Chua Jun Kai (of NYJC) managed to overcome him and win with an ippon scored towards the end of the bout.

Middleweight Category:Tania Forichon (Girls), Chen Yuan Bo and Thomas Ho Kai Heng (Boys)

Although giving her opponent room to go on the offensive in the first part, Tania later became relentless, attempting to throw her opponent at every last chance possible, and sparing no room to counter. She eventually won with a pin-down, scoring ippon.

Tania (behind) in the middle of a throwing technique

For the Boys’ Category, both judokas were from RI, and so the victory was clinched for certain – but Yuan Bo and Thomas faced each other in an impressive clash, with Yuan Bo emerging as the champion.

Heavyweight Category: Joey Low Jia Yi, Joyce Lee Yi Kuan (Girls)

Another gold was clinched; but beyond that, what was important was the fighting spirit that both girls displayed. In the bout between teammates respectively, both displayed great prowess in the sport, but Joey triumphed over Joyce eventually with waza-ari scored towards the end.

To summarise, our judokas had obtained 6 golds (2 for the boys, and 4 for the girls) out of 10, an achievement made possible by impressive efforts all around. The coach, Mr. Tan Yi, said that the judokas were “up to expectations”, and was “very happy” with their progress. Kudos to the judokas for their tenacity and hard work and having attained such high standards!

by Heather I’anson-Holton (16A01E)

For the uninitiated, shooting in RI is broken down into two sports – air rifle and air pistol, each comprising of a boys’ and girls’ team. This year’s championships saw our four teams competing over a week of gruelling hour-long matches.

Watching a shooting match is unlike watching any other sports competition – cheering is banned and banners are redundant; audience members are required to stay quiet and unobtrusive, so as to minimise distractions for the shooters. The near-absolute silence of the shooting range is broken only by the sporadic sounds of gunfire as the audience stares at the scoreboards attempting to interpret the progress of the match; the air is thick with tension from start to finish.

Alexander Yean (left) and Chua Bing Hong (right), preparing for the match

While many are quick to say that shooting is not a ‘real’ sport, our shooters claim otherwise. The sport itself is physically demanding; shooters are expected to handle guns weighing up to 4.5kg for hours at a time, with additional heavy body armour for the riflers, and our shooters came away from each match both physically and mentally exhausted.

This championship saw some difficulties for our shooters, the most noted of which happened during the Air Rifle Women’s competition, during which rifler Evelyn Chng’s gun malfunctioned. After making repairs, she was left with just 12 minutes to complete 30 shots.

2015 has been a year of change for shooting, firstly due to the introduction of electronic targets to replace the previous paper targets. These new targets reflected the score of each shot after it had been taken, the subtotal for each set of ten shots, and the shooter’s total score. Shooting is a sport where mind over matter really matters, and the teams had to be extra mindful to focus on their actions and not their scores, a feat that proved to be much harder now that their scores were neatly displayed to them after each shot. Competition rules were also revised – in previous years, a team was comprised of three shooters and a reserve; this year, all four members of the team competed, with the best three results being chosen for the final team score.

Furthermore, the CCA underwent some internal changes as our shooters bade farewell to their pistol coach of many years, Mr Qian Gang, who has since returned to China. Ex-rifle coach Li Jie has kindly taken over the training of the pistol teams, and his wife, coach Ding, has taken up the post of rifle coach. This has been a big adjustment for our shooters, most of them having trained under Coach Li and Coach Qian for many years. However, pistoler Wong Ho Zuan (15S03P) assures us that though it came as a shock, the pistol teams have “transitioned quite well towards Coach Li’s teaching style, and we have both of them to thank for our results today.”

The four members of the Air Pistol girls’ team celebrating their win (Photo by Phyllis Loo of 16S06K)

Despite all these challenges however, our shooters did the school proud by securing several trophies:

• ‘A’ Div Air Rifle Women – Team 3rd
• ‘A’ Div Air Pistol Women – Team 2nd
• ‘A’ Div Air Rifle Men – Team 1st
• ‘A’ Div Air Pistol Men – Team 2nd

Special mention also goes out to Sean Tay who clinched Individual 2nd in the Air Rifle Men’s category, and Wong Ho Zuan, who achieved Individual 3rd in the Air Pistol Men’s category.

All in all, the teams are satisfied with what they have achieved. Pistoler Lee Vint Seng (15S03H) says, “in shooting, to aim for the goal is to miss the mark; think of the results and everything you’ve worked towards falls apart.” Rifler Wang Kaiying (16S03E) tells us that it while may not be reflected in the trophy haul, the teams have definitely made progress, and that’s what ultimately counts. “There’s no denying how much we’ve grown and improved both as a team and as individuals.”

Raffles Shooting (Y1-6), with their coaches and teachers-in-charge

by Huang Jiawen (16S06G), Louisa Li (16A13A) and Stella Soon (16A01C)

19th April 2015 was a big day for Raffles Institution’s (RI) Touch Rugby girls — it was the day they prepared to fight for glory at the National A Division Girls Touch Championships. While several regions of Singapore experienced severe bouts of thunderstorms in the early morning, the skies above the Championships venue, Serangoon Junior College, remained clear and blue, with the sun shining brighter than ever.

As the name suggests, Touch Rugby is a limited-contact version of traditional rugby. Teams of 6 players aim to score as many tries as possible in 20 minutes by grounding the ball on or beyond the opponent’s try-line. At the same time, they have to avoid being ‘touched’ by the defending team – once they are touched 6 times, possession of the ball changes. While it may sound straightforward, Touch Rugby is actually a physically and mentally demanding game that puts the speed, agility, and teamwork of all players to the test.

Coach Weigen giving the Touch Rugby girls a pep talk during the half-time of their match against JJC

RI VS SRJC

By 9am, the tension radiating from the spectator’s stand was almost palpable, with all eyes trained on the players out on the two fields. Scheduled to kick-start their first game of the season by playing against defending champions, Serangoon Junior College (SRJC), the Touch Rugby girls were determined to maintain a positive outlook despite the sheer strength of their opponents, and they shot off towards the playing field in high spirits.

RI relied mainly on clean, short-range passes that led them close to the try-line, but made several mistakes that unfortunately cost them scoring opportunities. Around the 12th minute, the RI team advanced within a metre of the opponent’s try-line, and had a good chance of scoring a try, but were unable to hold on to the advantage.

On the other hand, SRJC’s neat footwork allowed them to break free of the dogged RI defenders and score several tries. The final score was 4-0 to SRJC, and even though SRJC had the lead throughout the game, RI nevertheless fought bravely and never stopped giving their best.

RI VS ACSI

The second match of the day started promptly at 11am. Fully recuperated from their physically taxing first match, the RI team was eager to make a comeback and secure a victory.  Barely minutes into the game, ACSI seized the opportunity to make a mad dash for the try-line. RI sprinted after their opponents in hot pursuit, but unfortunately, were unable to outrun the ACSI player, who dived for the try-line and scored the 1st touch. RI became noticeably more aggressive after this; they charged at the opponents relentlessly to unleash a continuous series of attacks while swiftly dodging ACSI players who attempted to touch them. This strategy was no doubt effective, and five minutes into the game, the Raffles side erupted into loud cheers and applause when RI scored their 1st touch.

The second half of the match started off with ACSI in possession of the ball, but the tide quickly turned as the RI girls managed to put up a strong line of defense, pursuing each ACSI ball-carrier with dogged determination and forcing a turnover. Towards the end of the game, the players on both sides were fighting with increasing vigour as neither side was able to gain an advantage over the other. RI gained possession and soon after, an RI player made a clean dive for the opponents’ try line, scoring a try. This decisive try tipped the scales in favour of RI, who eventually emerged victorious with a final score of 2-1.

RI VS SRJC

The score tallies of the first two games determined that RI had to face SRJC again, and one could only wonder at our luck — after all, the chances of challenging the same opponents twice on the same day are extremely slim! Although our girls fought bravely, their opponents, who also had home advantage, were just too strong and the game ended with a score of 4-0 in favour of SRJC.

RI VS JJC

RI preparing to defend JJC at their advantageous position near the try-line

RI then played JJC for their third match at 2.30pm. Right after the game began, a JJC player outran the other RI players and passed the ball to a teammate inside the in-goal area — who then fumbled. The RI supporters breathed a sigh of relief, and renewed their efforts in cheering the players on. At one point, JJC was within 10m of the try line, with less than 3 touches on them, but RI defended well and prevented them from securing a try. Another ball interception by JJC was stopped by Kelly Pereira (16), who raced down the field to touch the JJC player. Both side’s solid defences meant that even up till half time, neither RI nor JJC managed to score any tries.

After half time, though, the dummy (the attacking player who picks up the ball after a touch) passed the ball to an unmarked JJC player and scored the first try. RI fought back valiantly, and were close to scoring a couple of times. Eventually, RI went down 1-0 to JJC.

RI VS NYJC

The last match of the day was played at 4pm, and for their very last game of the season, RI fought hard and aggressively. Their passes were smooth, and the runners were fast and agile, evading the defenders from NYJC. On the other hand, NYJC’s many offensive errors and penalties allowed for turnovers that gave RI more possession of the ball, and after 3 successful tries, NYJC were barely spared by the sounding of half time.

After half time, RI rode on their momentum, and Sandra Teo (4) scored again on a difficult pass after a series of aggressive advances. NYJC’s defense soon fell apart, and RI cruised to an easy 5-0 victory.

Raffles Touch Rugby – Team of 2015, along with their coach Mr Weigen

In the end, Raffles Touch Rubgy secured 5th placing; while it was not a medal finish, it was certainly a commendable improvement from the previous year. When interviewed, Vice-captain Rachel Kwek and Captain Riddhi Anbalagan said, “We could have done much better, but we’re very proud of the team for pushing it till the end, especially given the circumstances. We really put in our best for the last few games.”  It was later learned that due to the World Rugby League this year, the Inter-Schools Championships was modified to be a one-day tournament with 20 minute games instead of 40 minutes, with schools split into two groups instead of a round-robin format. RI had a very tough group in both the first and third rounds, having had to play defending champions SRJC twice.

Moreover, as the entire competition was held on one day, the players’ mental and physical endurance were tested more than ever before – the teams had to make it or break it. And indeed, what a fight it was. Playing 5 games over 7 hours is no easy feat, and the players gave their all despite sustaining several injuries on their hand, ankle, and knee. Some J3 and J4 seniors who came down also commented that the players ran very hard and put in their best effort; RI had came a long way since they first came together as a team, and they were very proud of them. And we, too, at Raffles Press, are proud of them.

List of players:

Low Yi Fen (1), Chermin Tan (2), Chew Jing Xuan (3), Sandra Teo (4), Tan Jia YI (5), Lim Rui Qi (6), Riddhi Anbalagan (7), Tabitha Foo (8), Claire Ho (9), Rachel Kwek (10), Tay Hui Wen (11), Isabel Soh (12), Mazie Tan (13), Tiffany Chan (14), Kelly Ann Pereira (16), Lim Wan Ling (20)

Edit: The score line for the RI-ACSI match was 2-1 to RI instead of what was previously posted as 3-1. The two SRJC matches were also 4-0 instead of 5-0. We sincerely apologize for the mistakes.

by Karen Cuison (16A01D)

Photos by Hee Xin Wei (15S03I), Teri Tan (15A01E) and Vivian Feng (15S03K)

Additional reporting by Megan Goh (16A01D)

L-R: Chia Shing Leng, Soo Zhen, Coach Shen, Vivian Feng, Jessie Low, Lee Hui Min

All manner of gymnastic apparati and bejewelled leotards could be observed whizzing within Bishan Sports Complex at last Friday’s National Inter-Schools Rhythmic Gymnastics finals. Our gymnasts impressed with their skill and poise, bringing home two silvers and three bronzes.

Vivian Feng nails a ball scale

Rhythmic gymnastics, as defined on the Singapore Gymnastics website, is ‘a sport where individuals or teams manipulate one or two apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon.’ At this year’s finals, our gymnasts competed individually. They married deft manipulation of their apparatus with graceful feats of acrobatic agility in a mere 90 seconds. Their performances were then assessed based on the difficulty and execution of their routines.

Chia Shing Leng ending her third-placed hoop routine with a grin

Chia Shing Leng’s routines were set to graceful Oriental music, and accompanied with equally graceful movements, including a number of well-executed split jumps and tricky needle pirouettes. Her enthusiasm for the sport and seemingly boundless energy were palpable even to distant spectators, which could have helped her net her podium finishes.

Jessie Low leaps to third place with her clubs routine

Jessie Low was clearly in her element during her clubs routine. Clubs routines are usually full of jumps, but Jessie had to cut back on those because of her sprained ankle. Nonetheless, she tossed her clubs – and herself – about with gusto, braving her injury to net a deserved third place. Making the achievement even more impressive was the fact that Jessie learnt her routine only one month before the competition.

Soo Zhen breezing through her ribbon routine

Preparation for the competition was definitely not without its difficulties, especially since routines underwent last-minute changes. Hui Min, who finalized her clubs routine only a week before the competition, said she simply “tried to make as few mistakes as possible”. In addition, Hui Min, Soo Zhen and Vivian put up commendable performances despite having picked up rhythmic gymnastics a mere year ago. Our gymnasts also had to juggle schoolwork with their clubs. Y6 Common Tests were very close to competition season, and season meant thrice-weekly training ending past 9pm. Although the experience was stressful, as Vivian put it, “We are all really happy to have had this experience, and happy with how we did!”

Lee Hui Min executes a side scale during her hoop routine

Soo Zhen would like to clear up the common misconception that gymnasts’ ribbons are painless to practice with (“Most people forget about the stick!”). Another common misconception is that gymnastics is an individual sport – it is really more of a team endeavour. The unity and support everyone gained from each other was crucial to, and quite possibly, the highlight of our gymnasts’ competition experience. Shing Leng shared that “[she] wouldn’t have been able to achieve [her wins] without the support of her fellow teammates”. Just as commendable as this strong team spirit was the healthy sportsmanship on display. Many a dropped club and runaway hoop was confidently salvaged, and gymnasts were egged on by enthusiastic cheers from the audience, whether or not they were from the same school. Well done to all!

Results:

Hoop

3rd – Chia Shing Leng

Ball

3rd – Chia Shing Leng

Clubs

2nd – Chia Shing Leng

3rd – Jessie Low

Rope

2nd – Chia Shing Leng

by Samuel Loh (16A01A), Nah Sze Perng (16A13A), Olivia Tan (16A01E)
Photos by: Isaiah Tan (15S06G)

It’s all smiles and good memories with the RI fencing team as they conclude another successful national season

It’s often easy for one to think of fencing as a sport that places a great premium on individual skill, and to do so wouldn’t be far from the truth — the sport demands nothing but the quickest of wits and most attuned of instincts. But Raffles Institution’s showing at the recently concluded National Inter-Schools Fencing Championships offered a refreshing perspective on this discipline, with our A Division fencers individually proving to us just what it really meant to be part of a team. Each one stepped forth with the backing of their teammates, proudly bearing the Gryphon on their sleeves.

In fencing, athletes vie for points by striking at predetermined scoring zones on their opponents within a fixed period of time. Teams compete in three different events, distinguished by the weapon used: the foil, épée, and sabre. The tournament began with a series of preliminary rounds, requiring fencers to score 5 points to win that particular bout. Based on their total individual scores, 32 proceed to compete in the elimination rounds, where scoring 15 points clinches a spot in the next stage. Nimble footwork, precise blade-handling, and lightning-fast reflexes are important elements of the sport, where mere fractions of a second could mean the difference between triumph and defeat. Watching the action was certainly nerve-wracking.

Men’s

Blades clash as Raffles Institution fencers storm their way to victory

The Men’s Foil event was particularly intense with foilists going against several formidable national fencers, including top fencers in Asia. Preliminary bouts were especially hard to pass due to daunting opponents — however, 4 out of RI’s 5 foilists managed to qualify. Foilist Ian Chung lost to finalist Jet Shang in a cruel match ending with a score of 15-1. Despite the intimidating point gap, Ian’s grit and tenacity remained unwavering till the very end of the match, which was very admirable indeed. RI’s Ariel Lim (15A01E) successfully qualified past the Men’s Foil preliminary bouts after gaining an impressive 21 points. His entry into the quarterfinals was greeted by the cheers of his fellow fencers, where he went up against Kevin Chan from HCI.  Ariel’s perseverance especially shone during the semifinals as he stood strong and narrowed the disadvantageous point gap from a stressful 11-4 to a stunning 14-11. It was an intense match indeed and both competitors were on edge with the constant turning of tables. However, his hotly-contested matchup was lost to eventual event champion (and Asia’s top 16) Kevin Chan from HCI on a close 15-14 margin.

The Men’s Épée event was no less of a tense fight, with RI’s fencers pitted against tough and experienced opponents. The Round of 16 saw Zhan Zhide (15S06B) and Kumar Baid Dhruv (15S06L) paired against each other, whilst Paul Rin (16S06K) faced off against senior and fellow teammate Loh Huai Kai (15S06I). Effectively, Raffles was guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, but at the cost of two fencers being eliminated by their peers. Keeping in mind the spirit of friendly competition and mutual respect, Paul and Zhide progressed to the quarterfinals. Paul put up a valiant performance, rallying his momentum and pulling back from an initial 1-5 disadvantage to 9-11, before losing 11-15 to HCI’s Justin Lim, the eventual champion of this event. Despite Zhide’s best efforts, he lost 3-15 to Jean Hun of TPJC, and the RI épéeists were dropped from the Épée title’s running.

RI’s top performing sabreur Isaiah Tan (15606G) performed commendably in his early rounds, attaining second overall position in the qualifiers after gruelling bouts against fierce competition. Although Isaiah sparred skillfully, Tan Yue Fang from IJC was the one to leave the quarterfinals victorious on a 15-2 scoreline. 

Women’s

Raffles Institution’s Chloe Chu lunges forward to score.

The Women foilists weren’t about to be outperformed either; Chloe Wong (15S06N) sprinted her way through after qualifying overall second in the preliminary bouts with a comfortable 25 points. But the finals was certainly no walkover. In an exhilarating confrontation against CJC and national team fencer Rachel Yu, the duo matched each other closely in points. Advantages were almost immediately lost as the other responded in turn, exploiting weaknesses and executing highly-precise but equally well-calculated attacks. The scoreline froze at a stalemate three times throughout the entire finals — Chloe lost her 5-1 lead to 5-5, then 9-9, and finally 11-11. The stakes surged incredibly as the timer hit zero: the next point would be the game-deciding tiebreaker. A decisive lunge by Chloe brought an end to the finals’ nail-biting suspense, with the champion’s title ceded to RI amid resounding applause.

All of RI’s fencers in the Women’s Épée event made it past the preliminary stages with little difficulty. Fencers Chloe Chu (16S01E) (who also performed well in Women’s Sabre) and Grace Tern (15S03E) fought their way into the quarterfinals comfortably — until Chloe meets HCI’s Cher-Lyn Low in the quarterfinal match with great difficulty, ending the match with a close defeat of 15-12 despite her best efforts. Our first runner up Grace picked up an early lead, breezing through to the quarterfinals, then beating HCI’s Lim Jie Ying 15-4 to secure a spot in the finals. Facing off against national fencer Nicole Aw from NUSHS, Grace’s focus and agility was unwavering by neither her opponent’s threatening attacks nor the clock ticking down slowly. She fought for every point to the best of her abilities, but her friend and competitor was simply too high a hurdle — closing the match with a tight scoreline of 15-12. True to her name, Grace remained respectful and gracious in defeat, embracing her counterpart — an inspiring display of sportsmanship and sheer dedication to the sport they all loved.

Our quarterfinalists of the Women’s Sabre event included Denise Tan, Cheng Wai Yee and Chloe Chu. Chloe’s match against eventual champion Lim Xin Yi was particularly stirring as she fought on despite the immense lead her opponent had over her. Every point by Chloe was received with cheers of encouragement by the Rafflesians — though it was a mere 3 point she had scored in the entire match, Chloe’s perseverance was admirable. Cheng Wai Yee’s flawless performance continued in the quarter finals as she and Denise Tan advanced to the semis with little difficulty. Wai Yee’s competes with Chloe’s previous opponent, Xin Yi, and puts up a good fight against the eventual champion. Despite her skilful sparring, Wai Yee lost 15-8 to Xin Yi, leaving Denise to face Xin Yi in the finals. Denise Tan (15S06N) bested every one of her opponents in the preliminary bouts. Each hard-earned score was accompanied with her fearless cries of triumph, which soon gained the attention of many competitors. Her relentlessly aggressive style made her one to be wary of. Up against NYJC’s formidable fencer Lim Xin Yi in the finals, the pressure built as each fencer fought point for point on the strip — the scores on each side inching closer and closer to the coveted 15. The match peaked as the scoreboard flashed a worrying 14-12 to NYJC. Denise resiliently pushed on, closing the gap to 14-13 against the backdrop of roaring cheers of Rafflesians, but ultimately lost 15-13. Still, her remarkable fight was truly one for the books — her teammates gathered around to share reassuring embraces and kind words of encouragement.

Fencers prepare to begin another intense bout

As the fencers celebrated their individual successes, they never once forgot their belonging to something greater than themselves: one team gunning for common goals. Captains Chloe Wong and Ian Chung (15S03I) were pleased to say that “words could not emphasise enough the appreciation and joy” they felt for their team’s effort and hard work. “They forged a team spirit that could last a lifetime, and made memories that they would cherish forever. They got up, and never gave up”, asserted the captains, who acknowledged that victory was pleasant, but only ever secondary to the shared experiences and closer relationships forged. “Winning was just a bonus,” Grace concurred, “It was heartening to see everyone giving their all and knowing they’ll leave without any regrets. It wasn’t just about the results. It was knowing I had given my all,”.

Our fencers put in long hours and boundless effort to perfect their craft, never doubting the solidarity of their collective spirit. “One would think that fencing is a solely individual sport, but what we have experienced over the last 2 days has shattered that notion,” said the two Captains unanimously. Weapon Captain Ariel praised the team’s combined determination, “Everyone did much better as a team, and functioned really well together,”. And if there’s one thing we learnt from this season, the Rafflesians certainly rose together — as a team. It was indeed inspirational to see each fencer never allow their individual aptitude get the better of team strength, or lose sight of their shared aspirations; it wasn’t just about themselves, but always being there to break each other’s falls and support them on their ascents.

Raffles Institution was represented at the A Division National Inter-Schools Fencing Championships by:

Women’s Épée

1. Grace Tern – 2nd
2. Chloe Chu
3. Faith Koh
4. Anushri Rathina Sabapathi
5. Cheo Kai Qing

Women’s Foil

1. Chloe Wong – 1st
2. Nicolle Chew
3. Lois Quek
4. Praveena M Naidu
5. Alethea Tan

Women’s Sabre

1. Denise Tan – 2nd
2. Cheng Wai Yee – 3rd
3. Chloe Chu
4. Angela Ho
5. Liu Siqi

Men’s Épée

1. Paul Rin
2. Zhan Zhide
3. Dhruv Baid
4. Loh Huai Kai
5. Lee Jin Huey

Men’s Foil

1. Ariel Lim
2. Ian Chung
3. Jeremy Ng
4. Samuel Tan
5. Isaac Tham

Men’s Sabre

1. Isaiah Tan
2. Kennedy Oung
3. Chew Zi Jing
4. Punniyakotty Athitya Vel
5. Vu Nguyen Anh

by Qiu Kexin (16A13A), Naomi Koh (16A13A), Sean Lim Zhen (16A13A), Agatha Sacha Lim (16A01B)

Additional Reporting by: Stella Soon (16A01C)

Photos by Amy Goh (16A13A)

No lack of excitement at the venue!

On the 21st of April, for the first time in history, the Raffles table tennis players achieved a clean sweep in their finals, securing Gold medals for all 6 categories. Despite the fierce competition from powerhouse and traditional rival Hwa Chong Institution, the A division players persevered to win 3-0 in the boys’ category and 3-2 in the girls’ category.

In Table Tennis, the format of scoring for the competition is as follows:

In both the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions, teams play up to 5 matches against each other, and the team which wins 3 matches out of 5 emerges victorious. These 5 matches played are: 1st singles, 1st doubles, 2nd singles, 2nd doubles and 3rd singles.

In each match, players play to the best of 5 sets, meaning that the first player/pair to win 3 sets wins. In each set, players/pairs have to win 11 points to win the set, but minimally by a 2 point difference. That means, players cannot win a set 11-10; when the score reaches 10-10, players play to 12, and when it reaches 11-11, they play till 13 and so on.

A DIVISION BOYS:

Liu Tian scoring a point

The championships opened with a match between Liu Tian and his competitor, who both exuded skill and an ardent resolve. Although the first set was won by Raffles with a score of 11-3, the Hwa Chong competitor did not let this faze him and fought back valiantly in the next set, winning it 4-11. However, Liu Tian regained his composure, and secured victory in the following set 11-9.

In the last, and most exciting set between Liu Tian and his opponent, both fervently pitted themselves against the other, and the match score quickly equalised at 4-4. Both players went neck-to-neck; whenever one player seemed to be gaining on the other, the other player would make a return and equalise the score. The pressure mounted – both players refused to yield in the heat of their back-and-forth exchange. However, in the last few seconds, Liu Tian scored a point and secured a 2-point edge, winning the 4th set with a score of 12-10, bringing a first win for Raffles.

Following Liu Tian’s valiant efforts, it was time for the boys’ duo, Daryl Tan and Heng Kai, to take over. They got off to a good start, winning the first set for Raffles 12-10. However, they conceded the next set to Hwa Chong with a score of 3-11. Luckily, Daryl and Heng Kai quickly found their momentum, combining skilful defense with calculated aggressive play to easily win the third set 11-6, and race to a quick 7-1 lead in the fourth set. Some uncharacteristic errors from the Hwa Chong side brought us to match point at 10-3, but we suddenly seemed to face some difficulty closing the match. Nevertheless, even while our competitor’s moral was slowly rising, our resolve remained: the pair called for a timeout to regroup and focus, and after a short chat with their coach, Daryl and Heng Kai finally managed to decisively secure the match on the next point, winning 11-8 in the fourth set.

The power duo, Daryl and Heng Kai

With Raffles comfortably up 2-0, it was up to Yin Jing Yuan to win a third match against Hwa Chong Institution and secure victory – which he did in a convincing fashion. Winning the first set 11-5, Jing Yuan continued his momentum to sweep the next two sets, 11-2 and 11-4. With that, Jing Yuan won the overall 2nd Singles round, helping the A Boys conclusively clinched the title with a score of 3-0 over Hwa Chong Institution.

The competitors who represented Raffles Institution were as follows:

1st Singles – Liu Tian

1st Doubles – Daryl Tan and Heng Kai

2nd Singles – Yin Jing Yuan

A DIVISION GIRLS:

While the boys may have had a relatively fuss-free course on the way to their title, the girls did not quite have a similar walk in the park. Those who had thought that they were on course for an effortless victory were sorely mistaken; the Hwa Chong contingent, backed up by an enthusiastic bunch of supporters, refused to back down.

There was a sense of suspense and tension evident even from the opening match, played by Melissa Tan against her Hwa Chong contender, which was rife with passion and competition. Despite losing the first set, she eventually rallied to win her overall match 3-1.

Melissa Tan – a steadfast player.

This triumph set a precedent for the next match, the girls’ first doubles, in which Charlene Koh and Liao Fang won 3-0 with ease, sweeping aside their Hwa Chong opponents who never won more than 5 points in each set, putting Raffles up 2-0.

Charlene Koh and Liao Fang – “We’re all in this (fight) together.”

The 2nd singles match which followed was arguably the most emotionally charged of the afternoon, pitting Li Jiaxin against a feisty Hwa Chong opponent. The two players were noticeably aggressive from the get-go, trading the first 2 sets evenly. More spectators began to gravitate towards their table to catch a glimpse of the enthralling encounter.

Li Jiaxin just after sending a good serve.

Jiaxin’s opponent stepped up a notch in the 3rd set, pulling off a series of aggressive plays and shots that pulled Jiaxin from side to side, which helped her take the set comfortably with a score of 11-4. In the 4th set, Jiaxin started out strong, racing off to a 4-0 lead. However, her opponent struck back by winning several tight, extended rallies which had the crowd leaning on the edge of their seats. With the score tied at 8-8, tensions ran high – both players were furiously pumping their fists after each point. Yet, despite a valiant fight, Jiaxin eventually lost 11-9. However, she never gave up and fought fervently throughout the match against an equally-spirited opponent in a laudable show of her persevering attitude. The score was now 2-1, in favour of Raffles. Was Hwa Chong mounting a comeback?

The next match involving Cheryl Tang and Tan Qi was similarly fiery, consisting of many long rallies and constant switch-ups in style, with the girls on both sides rapidly switching between offense and cautious defensive play that ensured the match never lost its entertainment value. Every time one team appeared to have gained momentum, the situation soon swung back dramatically in the opposite direction, resulting in a battle that was neck-and-neck throughout almost 45 minutes. However, despite a spirited fight, the Raffles pairing lost in 5 close sets (5-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 7-11).

Hocus focus. (Cheryl Tang and Tan Qi)

With both schools tied at 2 wins each, victory boiled down to the result of the final singles match which fielded Xue Qi, who was Captain of the girls’ team. Faced with the arduous task of bearing the pressure of defending the school’s A Girls title on her shoulders, one would have expected Xue Qi to crumble under the pressure. She was momentarily fazed at the beginning of the match, where some concessions caused Xueqi to fall behind 3-7 in the first set. However, admirably, she soon composed herself and fought back with a series of well-crafted manoeuvres to tie the score at 7-7. The next few points were nail-bitingly close; however, a couple more errors resulted in the Hwa Chong player claiming first blood, winning the first set 12-10.

Ng Xue Qi just after winning a set in the 3rd Singles round.

The next set was a case of deja vu, and Xueqi was behind 1-4, yet she never gave up and persisted in levelling the score. Then came a crucial point midway; at 8-10, the Hwa Chong player had 2 set points to win the match, a lead that she seemed likely to gain. However, Xueqi maintained her composure and played the next 4 points brilliantly, staging a dramatic comeback to take the second set 12-10. While the momentum may have clearly been on Hwa Chong’s side, it was clear after the end of the second set that Xueqi had gained confidence whereas the morale of the Hwa Chong contingent took a slight blow, becoming more subdued. With newfound confidence, Xueqi easily took the 3rd set 11-5, putting Raffles one set away from a complete sweep of titles.

The final set appeared incredibly one-sided in favour of Xueqi as her constant aggression persistently troubled her opponent, helping her gain an 8-3 lead. With victory on the horizon, the Raffles supporters erupted into a frenzy, almost tasting victory on their lips. Yet, the Hwa Chong player refused to give in, fighting back in an unbelievable fashion to claim the next 5 points, thereby levelling the set at 8-8. This evidently shook Xue Qi as well as many of the Raffles supporters who thought Xue Qi might have been experiencing a ‘choke’, which is a situation where a player lets a position of clear advantage slip from his/her grasp. However, Xue Qi was able to regroup during a short time-out, after which she claimed 3 consecutive points to close the enthralling match in style. The cheers became even more memorable with our RI and RGS counterparts joining us in supporting Xue Qi in the relentless back-and-forth volleys. As soon as her opponent’s final shot sailed long, Xue Qi’s teammates burst from their spectating spots to entrap her in a warm group-hug. Tears flowed and cries of joy erupted from the girls, and many of the spectators could not help but feel pride for them.

With that, Raffles Institution successfully completed a clean sweep of the A Division, B Division and C Division titles, a feat which had not been accomplished by them in recent times.

Throughout the course of the afternoon, the volume in the Pasir Ris Indoor Sports Hall had noticeably amped up with the tension, with the hall resounding all around with the sound of spectators cheering their hearts out for their team. Spectators from the 4 school bodies – Raffles Institution, Raffles Girls’ Secondary School, Hwa Chong Institution and Nanyang Girls’ High School – were collectively cheering their loudest for their schoolmates; there was a veritable cacophony when the two schools attempted to drown each other out. In all, the spirit displayed by all students as they enthusiastically spurred their fellow schoolmates in the arena, from both the Raffles and Hwa Chong side, was commendable.

Many Rafflesians left their seats to crowd as close as they could to the fray, to shout words of encouragement to the competitors.

For Team Raffles, in the intensely apprehensive moments of the final, decisive match, the persistently energetic cheers embodied the high hopes of the schools present that day. In such raw moments, we caught true glimpses of the genuine pride we felt for our schools’ players. Perhaps this was what had, as Li Jiaxin (16S07D) later remarked, “inspired [the team] to give our all and put up our best performance.”

Winning 6 titles was definitely not easy, as Li Jiaxin continued: “The opponents we played against were formidable for all the 6 teams – but we’re glad that our dream came true.” Indeed the atmosphere in the Centre felt surreal after news broke of Raffles’s victory, but the tears of joy and heartfelt hugs shared between members of the Table Tennis team were real, a mark of a team who had given their all, and for it, emerged ever stronger and ready for the road ahead in the future.

The competitors who represented Raffles Institution’s Girls Team were as follows:

1st Singles – Melissa Tan

1st Doubles – Charlene Koh and Liao Fang

2nd Singles – Li Jiaxin

2nd Doubles – Cheryl Tang, Tan Qi

3rd Singles – Ng Xue Qi

By Melissa Choi (16S06B) and Qiu Kexin (16A13A)

Photos by: Joel Lim Kuan (16S06B), Tan Rui Xuan (16S06B) and Red Sports Singapore

Rafflesians cheer loud and clear under the rallying of Trackers and Councillors.

The humid Wednesday afternoon may have been typical of your average Singapore afternoon, but there was anything but the usual happening at Choa Chu Kang Stadium; for it happened to be the fateful day on which Raffles Institution’s Track and Field team was due to compete in the final leg of the national Track and Field Championships. The stadium itself, even before the races had begun, was already full of the hustle and bustle of competitors from various schools preparing for their various events, as well as their eager supporters arriving in droves.

Our Track and Field team did not need to be reminded that they would be challenging some of the best athletes their age in the whole nation,. The pressure had also been brought about by the CCA’s history; In 2013, the A Division girls had won 1st Place in the championships, by beating other schools by as much as 70 points. The A Division boys had however lost and come in runners-up; as such, they were feeling the weight of hope this year to do better. As Chung Yew Weng (15S06B) from Track and Field had expressed, “We [were] currently losing to Hwa Chong, our close rivals, by 20 points; so we hope to gain on them during our ‘strong events’ later.”

While our athletes were busy warming up, an undercurrent of tension was coursing throughout the stadium. There soon came a growing sense of anticipation among the feisty supporters in the Rafflesian audience, when it was time for the races to begin.

Sprints Events:

Laura Tan in a close fight for 3rd place. Unfortunately, after the neck-and-neck race, she ended up fourth.

The first event was 100 Metres in Sprints. After a close dash in which all participants finished under 14 seconds, Laura Tan Ling Ying came in 4th place with a timing of 13.22 seconds, just a mere 0.2 seconds after Jerrinne Lim from Anglo-Chinese Junior College. Laura was also the Champion for 100m hurdles event.

Next up was the 100 Metres (A-Boys), in which Kennard Chin earned 2nd place with a timing of 11.18 seconds. Lee Jun Lei was 7th with a timing of 11.62 seconds, and Poy Meng Han Ian came in 8th just 0.1 milliseconds after Jun Lei.

Kennard Chin (2nd from left) sprinting past the finish line behind the first-place runner from Millenia Institute.

The 800 Metres (A-Girls) race saw Team Raffles clinching the top two positions. Having run at the front of the pack throughout the race, Haidah and Natalie established a considerable lead in the last 300m. The duo got off to a long kick, with Natalie ahead of Haidah. Unfortunately, a stumble near the finish line saw the pole position handed over from Natalie to Haidah, who finished just 0.12 seconds ahead with a timing of 2 minutes 26.58 seconds.

What made her achievement more admirable was how, as Natalie commented, she had been exposed to a new pace this season.

As for Girls’ Vice-Captain Haidah, it was a happy ending for her. Since this was her final race in A Division, she “went all out”, and her effort eventually paid off as her timing was the fastest in six years. Because she had come in 2nd for the same event last year, she wished for this year to come in “fighting for gold, and thankfully, did it with the support of teammates, coaches, teachers, and parents.”

Natalie and Haidah congratulating each other after their victory.

Next was Marianne, who also gave her all for the race, coming in 7th with a timing of 2 minutes 44.79 seconds.

Marianne, fully in the race.

In the next event, the 4 x 100 Metres Relay (A-Girls), Team Raffles was closely overtaken by HCI team at the third runner. Eventually, they came in 3rd with a timing of 52.09 seconds, a little more than 1 second behind first place HCI.

Laura Tan from RI trailing closely behind ACS(I) and HCI runners during the final 100m of the relay.

Team Raffles did well in the 4 x 100 Metres Relay (A-Boys). They came in 1st, achieving the season’s overall best timing of 43.30 seconds. The runners, Damien Kee, Ian Poy, Kennard Chin, and Lee Jun Lei, expected a tough fight from Hwa Chong Institution, since the latter had qualified the fastest in the heats, but our team still tried their very best, achieving a laudable result. The first half of the relay saw the first two runners obtaining a good head start. It was a pivotal turning point in the race as Kennard caught up to the first-place runner at the bend, while Jun Lei gave his all in the sprint and won it for the team. The team confessed that they were “very stressed over the race,” but “support from their coach, Mr Melvin Tan and teammates gave them the confidence to press on.”

Jun Lei, with baton in hand, speeds ahead for the team.

By then, ominous clouds had gathered in the Westward sky. Still, the events continued. All the Rafflesians present, from Year 1 to 6, cheered vivaciously for the trackers and kept spirits up.

As said by Choo Qian Ke, (15S03M),”Match support is always integral in giving our competitors the strength they need… because it [lets them know] the school is behind them in whatever they do,” and as such she was “happy to be able to cheer them on because it gives athletes the drive needed to perform.”

Sprints Events Results
100 Metres (A-Girls)

• Laura Tan – 4th (00:13:22)

100 Metres (A-Boys)

• Kennard Chin – 2nd (00:11:18)
• Lee Jun Lei – 7th (0:11:62)
• Poy Meng Han Ian – 8th (0:11:63)

800 Metres (A-Girls)

• Nur Haidah Bte Ahmad Kamal – 1st (02:26:58)
• Natalie Soh – 2nd (02:26:70)
• Marianne Elizabeth John – 7th (02:44:79)

4 x 100 Metres Relay (A-Girls)

• Raffles Institution – 3rd (00:52:09)

4 x 100 Metres Relay (A-Boys)

• Raffles Institution – 1st (00:43:30)

Jumps Events:

Bryan after clearing a jump attempt.

High Jump (A-Boys) was the event next in-line, in first place was Wong Jingkai Bryan, with a stunning height of 1.95m. Zong Sim Hao from HCI also attained the same height, but a count-back determined Bryan’s 1st place. Outside this championship, Bryan had previously achieved a height of 2.01m, hence, it was understandable that afterwards, despite his first placing, Bryan felt there was room for improvement with his sub-2 metres result. However, he was determined to do better the next time round.

Blazer, triumphant as he completes a jump attempt.

Blazer Quanjie James Challander secured 4th place with a new Personal Best height of 1.87m. He was happy about his performance: “I had not been doing as well as expected for the past one year, and I was working hard to get back to my best…  But today, I just wanted to ‘give God the glory’, and I’m proud because my result reflected what I had put into it.”

The stellar showing by our team also marked the first time Rafflesians clinched the high jump gold medals in the boys’ C, B and A divisions.

Jump Events Results
High Jump (A-Boys)

• Bryan Wong – 1st (1.95m)
• Blazer Challander – 4th (1.87m)

Cross Country Events:

Shohib (extreme left), also a Crosser, is accustomed to running long distances.

Due to the imminent downpour, the last event of the day was the 1500 Metres (A-Boys) event. Shohib led from the start while Glen Palmer and Paxton Hong of Victoria Junior College trailed 5 metres behind, along with the rest of the pack. Shohib continued to widen the lead in the second round. His teammates, Larry Law and Chester Lee, followed his lead and overtook Glen and Paxton.”It really boiled down to the last lap.” Larry remarked. By the third lap, Shohib had sprinted ahead to establish a 15m lead and eventually finished almost five seconds ahead of his teammate, Larry. Thus, Shohib B Abdul Wahab Marican finished in 1st place, with Law Ann Liat, Larry concluding the race in 2ndplace. Shortly after, Lee Zhong Kian, Chester followed past the finish line in 4th place.

Prior to this event, Shohib had won the champion titles for the 5000m event and March Cross Country events. He also led the Raffles Institution team to a podium sweep last year.

For Larry, this was an emotional victory as this was his first medal in 6 years. “I’m very happy. The plan was to set a fast race … and [Chester and I] did. The race was almost perfect for me.”

Larry, emotions running high.

Chester shows no signs of stopping during the 1500m race.

Cross Country Event Results
1500 Metres (A-Boys)

• Shohib Marican – 1st (4 min 18.56 seconds)
• Larry Law – 2nd (4 min 23.29 seconds)
• Chester Lee – 4th (4 min 29.09 seconds)

Onset of Bad Weather
Unfortunately, the 4 x 400 metres relays for both the A Division Boys and Girls were called off due to the rain, and carried out on another day. After the completion of all the events, Raffles Institution’s A Division Boys had come in 2nd Place, while the A Division Girls had come in 3rd Place.

The news that the school team had lost the title of 1st Place (and by a mere 2 points for the A Division Boys) was demoralising at first. However, the fortitude and courage exhibited by our athletes was undeniable.  When quizzed about his thoughts on the results of the Championships, Teacher-in-Charge Mr Melvin Tan offered a resiliently optimistic view: “You can’t change the past, but you can do something about the future.” He also imparted a few words of advice that he wished to communicate to athletes: “You should embrace what lies ahead and do something [about it], such as working on weak areas. Continue [striving for] the common goal your team has, because months or years of training can go to waste if you are not motivated.”

After the competition, the Captains of the Girls’ and Boys’ teams also had many important insights to share.

Girls’ Captain Gabrielle Ong (15S06A) professed that it had not been easy for the trackers. “This year’s nationals was challenging, because [our competitors] had a lot of injuries and some people underperformed in their competitions, but today’s finals truly made up for everything.”

Girls’ Vice-Captain Nur Haidah (15S03E) shared that, “Our A Division girls are in the top three positions [currently], and stagnating there. (laughs) Considering we had no DSA trackers this year, it was a good result for us.”

As for the Boys’ Captain Joash Tan (15S03K), he had been impressed by the perseverance that some of his fellow Rafflesian trackers had demonstrated: “There were instances where athletes persevered to compete [though they didn’t have to], just in order to gain 1 point for RI.”

Among the many eye-opening and exhilarating happenings the audience witnessed today, the strength and bonds within the Track and Field team itself was one of them. We found that besides general moral support from fellow teammates or team relays (4 x 100, 4 x 400), even in singles’ races, which are perceived widely to be the fight of only individuals, there is an uncanny tendency to pace yourself with your race-mates and finish the race together. About its team spirit, Mr Melvin Tan maintained that despite impressions of Track as a fragmented CCA due to the separation of members into different event groups, “there is sharing of a common vision, which is what brings the CCA together,” such as “striving to do our best in competitions, not always for a title, but for ourselves.”

The Championships’ results may not have come out as planned, but ultimately, as long as there are lessons learned, there are no losers. The team had done well, as said by Nur Haidah: “Today, I saw that everyone truly gave their all, and I’m very proud of them.”

Raffles Press would like to commend the Track and Field team for their laudable performance despite the odds stacked against them. May everyone continue to persevere with ‘their teammates beside, and their limits behind’!

The results of the 2015 National Inter-School Track and Field Championships can be viewed here.

by Agatha Lim (16A01B) and Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E)

Photos by Chang Po Chun (16S03K) and Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E)

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Press was only able to cover the finals on 22/4, and was unable to attend the heats and finals from 16/4 to 21/4.

The Swim Team banner, flying high

Students’ Council (and their trusty drum), rallying the supporters

“And there go the drums from Raffles Institution!” It was a lively scene at the Singapore Sports School pool, with all three Raffles schools enthusiastically cheering on the Raffles Swim Team with every event. Months of gruelling training and intense preparation—an incredible 11 times a week for some—culminated in this one moment: the final leg of the swimming school nationals.

Raffles Swimming 2015 celebrating their victories: Girls A Division Champions and Boys A Division First Runners-Up

Boys 200m Individual Medley

The day’s A division events began with the Boys’ 200 m Individual Medleys, which are effectively four sprints (one per stroke – butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) done back to back—a gruelling test of all-round competence. With that in mind, our swimmers’ strong showing of 2 medal positions was all the more impressive: Damian Chong (15S03J) led all the way and came in 1st, finishing with a time of 2m 17.63s, and Puar Yue Hong’s (15S03G) timing of 2m 24.47s took home the bronze.

Damian and Yue Hong, congratulating one another after their impressive swims

Girls 100m Breaststroke

The 100m breaststroke event was the first A Division girls event of the day. Both our finalists had participated in the 50m breaststroke the day before, and they were put to the test once again. Though neither emerged as medalists, our girls did us proud by fighting hard to contribute points to the team: Rachel Lee (15S03K) clocked a time of 1m 20.52s at 4th place and Jeannette Some (16S07A) came in 8th at 1m 30.37s.

Boys 100m Breaststroke

Three of our swimmers took part in the 100m breaststroke finals in a fast-paced race of two laps. Russell Tang (16S03R) appeared to lag behind in the first lap by one whole second, but managed to overtake his opponent to clinch the silver medal at 1m 09.03s. The other finalists also fought hard and Ngampakdeepanich Phuripong (16S06C) finished 6th at 1m 15.31s while Puar Yue Hong finished 8th with a time of 1m 19.40s.

Girls 50m Freestyle

For the Girls’ 50m Freestyle, Song Ai Vee’s (15S07A) 27.85s swim and Richelle Ang’s (15S06B) 28.83s won the gold and bronze medals respectively. Our other finalists also did well, with Nicole Ong (15S06D) in 4th place and Teo Ee Lynn (16S03S) finishing 6th. Of note is how all four managed to improve on their already impressive heats times, a clear testament to their commitment to the sport.

Boys 50m Freestyle

Ben Yeo (16S06Q) and Nathan Wong (16S03K) competed in this race, and it was a close one with the swimmers giving their all, making huge waves and splashes as they raced. Ben came in 8th, at 25.36s, a valiant effort, especially considering that he swum against older J2s. Nathan finished 3rd, with a timing of 24.26s, just three hundredths of a second shy of silver — an intensely close finish.

Girls 4x50m Medley Relay

As for the medley relay, four competitors each swim one lap in the following order of strokes: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. In the exciting last event of the Girls’ A Division, we got off to a good start as May Chua (15A13A) and Rachel Lee led the first two laps, with Anglo-Chinese Junior College trailing behind by a mere fraction of a second. Unfortunately, they managed to overtake us in the third lap, and our subsequent swimmers Chan Fang Yi (16S06R) and Song Ai Vee attempted to make a comeback but eventually emerged as 2nd by 0.33 seconds with an overall timing of 2m 05.22s. The team left with their heads held high knowing they did their best.

Relay teammates Rachel Lee (left, in black) and Song Ai Vee (in blue), there for one another after their narrow loss

Boys 4×50 Medley Relay

To finish off the swim meet, Jerome Kwang (16S06M), Russell Tang, Andrew Toh (16S06C) and Nathan Wong participated in the medley relay. In a close race, the boys trailed behind the 1st position by one second, and fought neck and neck with Temasek Junior College for a hard-won 2nd place. With Nathan Wong swimming freestyle, he bested the 50m Freestyle meet record of 23.71s by 0.01s. With their strong efforts, the boys managed to clinch the silver medal with a timing of 1m 50.66s.

Overall the Raffles Swim Team won a total of 155 points for the Boys A Division, narrowly losing to Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) by 22 points. The A Division Girls managed to defend their title against strong opposition from other schools with a whopping 185 points. On the whole, they certainly performed very well; as captain Damian Chong said, “it was one of [their] strongest showings in recent years” and he was “really excited about the direction that RJ swimming is taking”.

Indeed, Damian shared that it was the annual swim camp and centralised trainings (which began this year) that helped them forge a sense of unity so evident in the finals. Many swimmers faced injuries and personal problems, but ultimately pushed on, and “broke through a lot of their personal bests because they knew that they were swimming for something greater”, for one another. Watching the swimmers as they cheered for their teammates and swum alongside each other in events, one could see and hear, and ultimately feel their team spirit.

The swimmers cheering on their teammate in the closely fought last lap of the Girls’ 4 x 50m Medley Relay

We usually think of swimming as an individual sport, but Raffles Swimming showed us another side—it is not merely an individual sport, but a team effort. Every point won by the swimmers is one won for the team. Their support for one another was commendable and heartwarming, and evidently, to them the team mattered as much—if not more than—the trophies won.Team captain Damian summed it up nicely: “I’m really proud that the team stuck together, we cheered as a team, and we competed as a team, and I think that the bonding element of Raffles Swim Team was incredible this year, and I’m really really proud of how the swimmers performed.”

Congratulations to the A Div swim team, and indeed to all of the swimmers from the three Raffles schools! They truly swum as one out there, and we at Raffles Press would like to wish them all the best in their future meets!

“‘Cos we’re for, we’re for RAFFLES!”

by Shikhar Gupta (15S06M)

photos by Hee Xin Wei (15S03I)

On the 28th of May, Orchid Bowl came alive for the final day of the 22nd National Schools Tenpin Bowling Championships. The eleven-day event saw twelve schools competing  to win what would be the last competitive bowling event for many.

As the RI team warmed up, the situation looked difficult. With ACJC putting up strong performances in both the Boys and Girls subdivisions, top spot seemed to slipping out of the Rafflesian bowlers’ hands. Neither the boys nor the girls were able to win the team championships, but they put up fierce fights, right until the last pin had been toppled.

A Division Boys

The boys with their championship trophy!

With Captain Ian Siow and Jonah Goh leading the charge, the possibility of the win was always on the cards. The day began without a hitch, as the boys bowled strikes and spares to push hard for the win but there was a wobble midway through the third game where there seemed to always be at least one pin left standing. It was a passing choke-up, after which the boisterous support of the RI Student Council gave the bowlers the resolve to push forward, with every strike met with roars of approval.

Luck did not seem to be on the bowlers’ side, however, as ACJC pipped them to the win with an extremely fine margin of 2 points. Nevertheless, Ian was upbeat even in defeat, rating the team’s performance a “9/10”. He also described the competition as a “very good conclusion to [his] inter-schools bowling career”.

Boaz Chan and Bertrand Yan dazzled in the Singles Boys event to claim 1st and 2nd respectively.

Jonah Goh had a standout individual performance as well, spurred on by a vocal support contingent, and he finished 2nd in the All-Events Boys subdivision. “Grateful” for the support, he affirmed that he had “no regrets” and had “tried [his] best”.

Results (Boys):

• Team – 2nd

• Singles – 1st (Boaz Chan), 2nd (Bertrand Yan)

• All-Events – 2nd (Jonah Goh)

A Division Girls

The girls with their first runners-up trophy!

With national bowler Joey Yeo on their side, the RI girls were also shaping up for a strong drive towards the championship trophy. There were a fair bit more wobbles here, with some games nearly going for as few as 100 points. Hence, the girls’ mistakenly announced 3rd placing was met with much disappointment.

It was with much surprise and jubilation that the girls found out they had actually placed 2nd, also behind ACJC. Vice-Captain Jaime Lim was satisfied with the girls’ performance, labeling it as “expected”. As with Ian, she was wistful when faced with the reality that this would probably be her last competitive tournament, though she hopes to find time to compete in Open division events in the future.

Joey herself placed strongly in the individual events, finishing 2nd in the Singles Girls and 3rd in the All-Events Girls. Together with Jaime, they also clinched 3rd place in the Doubles Girls event.

Results (Girls):

• Team – 2nd

• Doubles – 3rd (Joey Yeo and Jaime Lim)

• Singles – 2nd (Joey Yeo)

• All-Events – 3rd (Joey Yeo)

When asked if he was satisfied with the bowlers’ performance this year, team coach AK Yong was more balanced in his view, giving an answer of “Yes, and no.” He lauded the fight shown on the last day, calling it a “very good recovery” but lamented the lack of practice with which he thought top spot would have been possible.

If this showing was anything to go by, then we can say with just a little more effort, RI Bowling can definitely wrest the title back next year.

by Chew Cheng Yu (16S06L) Photos taken by Hee Xin Wei (15S03I), Nigel Gomes (15S06R) and Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A)

Amidst the cloudy weather that afternoon, the humid air was heavy with expectation as the hockey boys broke from their huddle and tensely walked to their positions, ready to play.

Last Thursday, 7th May, at Seng Kang Sports and Recreation Centre, this year’s A Division Hockey Finals saw our boys pitted against Anglo-Chinese Junior College. In a spectacular show of skill and control, our hockey boys emerged as champions once again, earning them their fourth gold in five years. While our RI hockey team is well-known for being a powerhouse, their streak was stopped in 2013, with Victoria Junior College claiming the Gold instead. Sheer hard work brought them back the gold in 2014, and it seems to be the case this year as well. In an interview with captain Darryl Ong Ming En (15S06R), he said he was “feeling a little wary and anxious at the beginning of the game, as ACJC definitely had a good team”, but they just had to keep a cool head and play on.

A whistle blew; there was a wild scramble for the ball; the game had started. Keeping up a ruthless attacking front, RI made several scoring attempts, including a penalty shot, but to no avail. However, RI eventually managed to break through ACJC’s defensive ranks, with Adam Aniq (16A03A) scoring our team’s first goal barely 10 minutes into the game. This was followed in quick succession by the next goal; Ryan Jay Naidu(16S03J) received a deflected ball to score successfully, bringing the score to 2-0 for the first half.

Adam Aniq (#16) keeping the ball away from an opponent.

Throughout the first half, ACJC was forced onto; they made an incredible effort to land a shot during the first few minutes of the second half, and even received a penalty, but they missed their chances due to excellent defence and goalkeeping on RI’s part. Regaining control of the field afterwards, RI managed to get a penalty shot, which was handled well by Gurveer Singh (15S05A), with a lob over the goalkeeper’s head. Despite the score disadvantage, ACJC put up a brave front, constantly pushing the ball towards RI’s side, maintaining the score. Eventually, RI managed to break the ball out of ACJC’s lock, and Mohamed Haseef (15S06P) scored the final goal of the match.

Ryan Jay Naidu (#13) contesting for the ball with an opposing player.

The game was set – RI defended their title with relentless offensive and solid defence. However, ACJC had been no pushover either; despite several of their players sustaining injuries and having to be subbed out during the second half, they pushed on with unwavering spirit – Captain Darryl Ong mentioned that the ACJC team had “put in a lot of effort, and improved a lot overall”, and that it was “very commendable”.

With this, the A Division Hockey Boys have secured the Champion title for the second year running. We at Raffles Press would like to congratulate them, as well as wish good luck to others in their upcoming seasons!

by Louisa Li (16A13A)

Photos by Hee Xin Wei (15S03I) and Nadya Ang (16S03D)

The team huddled together before the game.

On the 8th of May, the Raffles Softball A Division Boys team played their national school championship finals against ACS(I). Despite the stormy weather and showers before the game, the boys looked excited and ready to play. RI was undefeated thus far, and had beaten ACS(I) in the preliminary rounds by a landslide victory of 9-0. There was a strong showing of support from alumni and schoolmates alike as many looked forward to seeing RI battle against ACS(I) as the defending champions.

To give some context: softball is a complicated game but simply put, consists of 5 innings each divided into two halves. The first half sees one team bat and try to score runs, while the other team occupies the field and tries to record 3 outs. In the second half, the teams reverse their roles. The team that scores the most runs (points) wins the game.

The defensive innings were unremarkable early in the game – Edward Lee (15S03K) struck out the first 3 batters easily to hold ACS(I) to no runs. Now it was RI’s turn to score: though Ye Zi An (15S03D) managed to bring Jonathan Chua (16S06D) back home to score our first run, we were unable to capitalize on this momentum, and the first inning ended 1-0 to RI.

Edward Lee pitching

Urged on by RI’s batting, the batters from ACS(I) fought back valiantly. ACS(I) made the first hit of the game in the second inning, but Benjamin Loke (16S06F) made a diving stop to prevent the runner from advancing further. More hits ensued, but thankfully, tight fielding and solid defensive plays by RI ended the inning with no runs from ACS(I) as we breathed a collective sigh of relief. Offensively, we were aggressive; after being cornered at 2 strikes, Howe Lee (15S03U) hit a lead-off homerun, Hugo Tay (15A01A) pulled off a successful steal, and to cap it off Cher Wee Zheng’s (16S05A) hit to the outfield brought Hugo back home for yet another run.

The fielders managed to shut out ACS(I) again in the third inning, and were eager to increase the score difference – which they did. With Daryl Kow (16S06R) on base, Andrew Tan (15S07B) hit another homerun, bringing both Daryl and himself in for 2 runs, as supporters belted out loud strings of cheers. The situation repeated itself as Hugo hammered the ball past the ACS(I) short-stop – Howe (who was on base) used this opportunity to score yet another run.

ACS(I), desperate to fight back, managed to get a lead-off hit that went clear over the fielders. A series of pitching errors then lead to two more runners on base, and the bases were now loaded. The next hit drove the ball past the fielders, and one run from ACS(I) came in. Was ACS(I) mounting a comeback? The tides seemed to be shifting in their favour, but sharp fielding on our side prevented this. A quick and accurate throw from Zi An prevented a run from scoring while Benjamin easily fielded a ball for the third out. RI managed to hold ACS(I) to one run despite the precarious situation.

Daryl Kow swinging at a ball

Then came the 4th inning. With two runners on base, Daryl whacked the ball past the short stop, and both ran home for 2 runs; another hard hit from Howe lead to Daryl and Andrew running home for our 9th and 10th runs. Now the winning run was on second base – if the score difference was larger than 10, the game would have ended there without a need to play the last inning. Raffles was poised to win the championships, with just one out, and 2 runners on base. Wee Zheng then stepped up to the plate and drove the ball past the fielders, bringing Howe home to end the game with a final score of 11-1 to Raffles.

A photo of the team with coaches Barathan Ariezstinger (extreme left) and Farhan Harahap (extreme right)

RI consistently got on base through their impressive batting and running, while Edward’s indomitable pitching was key to RI’s defence as he struck out 7 batters in a mere 4 innings. Even though RI won the finals with an arguably better scoreline than the previous time they faced ACS(I) (9-0 to RI), the team still had high expectations for themselves. In the words of Coach Farhan, “The defence could be a bit better, I expected no runs from the other team.” One may think that winning means everything in sports, but RI has proven this to be wrong – the team put in long hours of training, of sweat and toil, not to prove that they are the best, but so that they could say they did their best, and the results will speak for themselves. This sentiment is echoed in the words of teacher mentor Ms Lynette Soh as well, who was impressed by the match and said, “They did very well, and I’m proud of them.”

Vice-captain Joshua Tam (15S06N) sums it up nicely: “Today was a good game, and I think we all played very well. There were some hiccups, but we gave it our all and it was the best game of our season.” And indeed, what a compelling win it was. We at Raffles Press wish the softball boys all the best for their future competitions following their spectacular season this year!

Scoreline by inning:
First inning: 1-0 to RI
Second inning: 3-0 to RI
Third inning: 6-0 to RI
Fourth inning: 11-1 to RI, RI wins by mercy rule (score difference larger than 10)

List of players:
Daryl Kow (16S06R), Russell Boon (16S03S), Cher Wee Zheng (16S05A), Mukund Bala (16S06O), Tien Chun (16S03F), Benjamin Loke (16S06F), Jang Yu Joon (16S06I), Jonathan Chua (16S06D), Joshua Chan (16S06O), Jorrell Low (16S06H), Ye Zi An (15S03D), Joshua Tam (15S06N), Andrew Tan (15S07B), Howe Lee (15S03U), Hugo Tay (15A01A), Edward Lee (15S03K)

by Kristal Ng (16S07C), Tasharani Palani (16S03P), Ian Cheng (16S03M)

Photos by Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A)

The rumble of thunder marked a sense of foreboding over the spectators in Yishun Sports Hall as the A Division Floorball boys took to the floor. Despite the heavy rain, the hall was filled with Rafflesian supporters as they cheered on the floorball boys.

After drawing with them 1-1 during the group stages,the Raffles Boys Floorball team were once again faced with their fierce competitors, Victoria Junior College. Buoyed by an undefeated streak all season, our floorball team looked set to claim their championship trophy once again.

Our boys definitely proved themselves worthy as defending champions as RI flew to an impressive start with three successive goals within the first period. The first was made by Jun Wei (#17) from mid court, and the mint green ball streaked past the the defenders into the waiting net. The subsequent goals by Zong Wei (#88), and Amirul (#45) were no less impressive, and it invoked roars from the watching crowd.

Amirul and Jun Jie grappling for the ball.

The second period was no less intense with great saves by both goalkeepers, their quick reflexes swooping to scoop up the ball and shut out any attack; Haziq’s (#29) skillful maneuvering was clear as he wrested the ball from VJC players’ grasp. VJC successfully took advantage of a slight falter to slip in a goal at the 10th minute. Nearing the end, our boys seemed to take a more defensive stance, executing practised long distance passing and dribbling.

RI players keeping possession of the ball.

Tensions were definitely high in the last period, with Amirul (#45) getting whalloped on the head three minutes into the game and having to sit out. However the injury was not serious and he resumed play once more. An alarming clash between Jun Wei (#17) and the opponent goalie also drew gasps from spectators on the stands, but both boys recovered quickly, patting each other on the backs in a show of sportsmanship.

Tumbles were not uncommon throughout the whole match.

RI regained control of the arena again as Zong Wei executed a “well practised” move of sweeping around the goal to flick in the ball, two and a half minutes before the end. VJC tried to make a last minute comeback in the last 17 seconds, with an impressive shot that flew in an arc over the players heads into the goal, but it was not enough as RI once again emerged as the A Division Floorball Boys’ Champions.

Later, goalie Jared Tan attributed their success to “the three early goals… we expected this game to be close later on and [when] it got closer, we were afraid [we] cannot score.” But ultimately, “We won thanks to a good team.”

To add on, some floorball members pointed out two players who outdid themselves during the game and generally overall during the season. In particular, we have Shaun Pua (#13) (15S06S), who despite picking up the sport only in J1, managed to improve tremendously within the short few months leading up to the season to “become really, an integral member to the team”, to quote a member who chose to remain unnamed. Apart from Shaun, Zong Wei (#88) was also highlighted for his tremendous efforts and performance during the game, scoring “two amazing wrap goals that really got the crowd going and got our team pumped up”, one to get the ball rolling, and the other that eventually sealed the game for RI. Silas (#22) had a few words of commendation for him: “As he and I rotate in the same positions, I know how hard it is to play as a forward and keep our composure at times. He really showed me today how to keep calm and patient and use his chances well, and refocused after every shift to do better in the next.”

To provide a brief behind-the-scenes glance into the floorball boys’ preparation for the season, they slogged for hours at physical training in thrice weekly sessions, that led up to as late as 8.45pm at times. Aside from that, their coach also ensured that they didn’t neglect their personal mental and emotional development as a member of a team, putting them through reflective thinking to analyze their performances during games and trainings. Even as training intensity and frequency lightened, players still ensured that they were in optimal physical condition via runs and exercises in their own time. Thus, it is with resounding agreement that the team members claim that they were “really proud of the team after seeing their hard work come into fruition”. Lee Minhao (16S03P) mentioned that even as “a non-team member of the CCA, I can’t help but feel honoured to be part of this CCA”.

In retrospect, to summarize one player’s sentiments over the game, we quote Silas Choe (16S03P) who said “All in all, we went out on court and got the job done, and that’s what matters. Honestly, the win was not very important to me at the start, but it just made the privilege of playing the match that much sweeter.”

A Div Floorball Boys with Mr Mag and Mr Chan.

Final Score:

RI – VJC : 4 -2

Scorers:

RI

Tng Zong Wei (#88) – 2 goals

Foo Jun Wei (#17)

Muhammad Amirul Afiq (#45)

VJC

Josiah Lim (#3) – 2 goals

Players:  

#1 Sean Jou (15S03L), #3 Julian Quak (15S03B), #7 Kenny Goh (15S07B), #9 Joshua Teo (15S06N), #10 Ethan Lim (15S06E), #11 Ng Juin Jie (15S03G), #14 Nicholas Ho (15S06S) #13 Shaun Pua (15S06S) #16 Daniel Ong (15S06G), #18 Brian Tan (15S06M), #34 Russell Yip (15A01E), #45 Amirul Afiq (15A03A), #60 Justin Tan (15S06O), #77 Clement Chew (15S06N), #92 Gerald Peh (15S07A), #8 Sean Toh (16S03R), #71 Jared Tan (16S03K), #88 Tng Zong Wei (16S03J), #22 Silas Choe (16S03P), #29 Haziq Rased (16A03A), #19 Kamal Hariz (16S07D), #17 Foo Jun Wei (16S03S)

by Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E), and Olivia Tan (16A01E)

photos by Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E), and Raffles Photography Society

May 15 saw our Basketball Girls playing a decisive match against National Junior College in their (successful!) quest for third place. The team had fought hard on their way to the finals, facing formidable opponents, such as Hwa Chong Institution in their semifinals. During the intense match, #4 Bernice drew first blood with a clean shot that was met with cheers by the Rafflesians watching. Throughout the first quarter against Hwa Chong Institution, the adept team managed to stay ahead of their opponents with a score of 24-16, leading by an impressive 8-point difference.

#9 Starter Charmaine in tip off.

Together with Captain #12 Woon Wei Jing keeping the team together with a spark of her own, the girls managed to press on with extraordinary three-pointers at the most unexpected moments of pressure. Both spectators and players could feel the intensity of the atmosphere during the third and fourth quarter, it wasn’t a surprise that both sides made a couple of slip-ups in the passes. We changed our line-up periodically to break the flow of Hwa Chong’s play, as #4 Bernice substituted #9 Charmaine, and #9 Charmaine later subbing #12 Wei Jing. Time-outs were called at the most burning moments with the coaches on each side rattling out strategy by strategy, raising their voices at times to get their points across with fierce sternness.

Despite making efforts to resist the mental and physical pressures on them, the girls experienced severe cramps nearing the buzzer, rendering them immobile with pain. It was also unfortunate that out of the eight players that played that day, at least four were fouled or injured. But in the end, it was a moving to watch how each and every one of them got up, stood strong, played on — against pain or pressure, they never once gave up.

#6 Starter Rachel on court looking for a pass.

There were moments when the Rafflesian crowd was slightly miffed, especially when the referee called travelling and pushing; despite protests and the incredulous looks on the team’s faces. With Hwa Chong narrowing  the point gap in the game’s last  few minutes, tensions climaxed, pressuring both sides’ coaches to call a timeout whenever the opponent had control. The court had an air of cutting distress during overtime, with each side searching desperately for an edge over their opponents. But throughout the process, several accidental fouls were made under pressure—resulting in a constant exchange of free throws. As expected, making two clean shots under such intimidating circumstances with all eyes on you (including the ticking time) is not an easy feat. However, the team’s #10 Lim Jie En who was subbed in at the crucial time managed to make both shots to the roaring cheers of the crowd, upping the team’s morale by a notch.

“Team, we got this.”

If anything at all, it was their teammates’ injuries that caused the most mental pain for each player. #4 Bernice Yeo crashed to the ground with a serious cramp that ran from her toes to her thighs, refusing to subside despite efforts to apply muscle sprays. However, Bernice was not the first to experience the cramps. Due to muscle fatigue from high intensity workout, several of Bernice’s teammates experienced similar pains—yet it was apparent that her cramps were of much higher severity. The girl’s coach, concerned and anxious, went onto the court to carry Bernice on her back to the bench, calling for timeout. It was indeed heart wrenching to see a fellow Rafflesian in such pain, but the sight of the coach’s care and concern was met with a warmly-moved applause from the spectators of both schools.

Coach expressing her concern for #4 Bernice.

With a couple of key players down, it was indeed a rough time for the team, considering that they were already shorthanded due to injuries. Moreover, it was evident that Hwa Chong was not going to back down as they managed to break the draw on the scoreboard by making two consecutive two-point baskets, thus having a lead over Raffles. The atmosphere on the court was taut with concentration and desperation; and despite #4 Bernice’s re-entry into the court, the girls, under pressure and not in their best condition, were having trouble keeping up, thus ending the match with a close 62-58.

Captain Woon Wei Jing was gracious in agreeing to answer our questions, in spite of the team coming so close to winning. She admits that they “could have done better”, and that they should not have “let their guard down” during the first half. However, Wei Jing was clearly proud of her teammates, as she knew that they had “fought really hard” and she was very “impressed” with the team’s “good spirit”.

The Coach’s statements echoed that of the captain’s, agreeing that each and every one of the girls “played their best” and “persevered to the last minute” despite being clearly “shorthanded”. So that afternoon, the girls went home with their hearts heavy, but also determined, as they looked ahead to their third-fourth match against National Junior College on Friday.

62-58. A close match indeed.

The 3rd – 4th match began well, as we gained an early lead,  with #4 Bernice scoring the opening points, and the girls managing to win rebounds and constantly pressure their opponents, causing NJ to miss many shots. But midway through the quarter, NJ subbed all 5 players, while our 5 remained. With their fresher players, NJ managed to turn the tide in their favour.  Within the last two minutes of the quarter, NJ scored 9 consecutive points, and it didn’t help that their last two baskets were 3-pointers. Our morale took a definite blow, as we ended this quarter down 8 – 12. The pressure was on to catch up.

The second quarter saw a bit of a stalemate, and a subsequent breakthrough by our girls. Initially, it was frustrating to see that whenever we closed in, NJ would score and pull away again, keeping us under constant pressure. Our team held on though, with a notable play being where #4 Bernice made a spectacular move to keep the ball in play by jumping out of the court and knocking it back in before she touched the ground — a testament to the skill level of the players in this match. The pressure escalated further however, when NJ began to score unanswered, till by mid quarter, the score stood at 11 – 20. The tension was palpable. NJ was pulling away, and the girls had to turn the game around. The coach called a timeout, breaking NJ’s momentum, and giving the girls a breather and strategy refresher. It seemed to work, with #9 scoring right after, and again later on, this time with 2 defenders on her. It was clear that we’d regained our momentum. We ended the quarter well, closing the gap to 17 – 22 with some satisfying plays. One which stood out was when #6 Rachel failed to convert her free throws but kept going, intercepting a pass immediately after  her throws, and successfully scoring a 2 pointer. So for this quarter, though we were still trailing behind, now we had the momentum, and we were chasing NJ down.

During the half–time break, one of the boys’ basketball players (who declined to be named) mentioned NJ’s strategy of continually substituting their players, while we were, as the coach mentioned in the semi-finals, “shorthanded”. It was thus an uphill battle, with the girls facing more well-rested opponents. As he said, “the only limiting factor is stamina.” But the girls pushed on, with the 3rd quarter seeing them close the gap and really chase down NJ. Captain #12 Wei Jing opened the quarter with a brilliant 3 pointer which closed the gap and ramped up the pressure on NJ, which mounted even further when #9 Charmaine equalized at 22 all, setting off a wave of cheers from our side. What followed was an almost point-for-point exchange for the rest of the quarter, and at one point the score stayed unchanged for three and a half minutes  The atmosphere was charged, with our spontaneous cheers of “Defeeeeeend defend!…” interspersed with shouts of “D-UP!” from the boys’ basketball team. Both teams had fought neck and neck this quarter, with every point being hard fought, and that set the mood as we entered the intense final quarter.

#7 Carisia going for the ball and defending hard despite the exhaustion.

The final quarter started with NJ trying to pull away as they widened the point gap to a 26 – 34. In between the fight for an upperhand, NJ subbed everyone, again trying to wear us out. Perhaps because they were more energized than our players, resulting in a subsequent pair of free throws, bringing the score to 30 – 36. But they couldn’t take away our momentum, as we caught up 35 – 36, with a stunning shot from #4 Bernice from under all three of her defenders, converting one free throw, and #9 subsequently scoring both her free throws to thunderous cheers, an incredible feat considering how exhausted she would have been this late in the game. The comeback was real.

#9 Charmaine sinking that free throw

Perhaps all too real for NJ, as they called a timeout; maybe feeling the need to restrategize and break our flow. During the timeout, there was anticipation in the air. We were a mere point behind, and down to the last minutes. So when a decisive 2-pointer was made our side erupted in cheers, with the score of 37 – 36 putting us in the lead for the first time since the first quarter. The girls were on a roll, and at 1m16s to go, #12 Wei Jing scored a stunning 3 pointer from the right, straight down into the hoop, securing our lead in a truly spectacular fashion. With a minute to go, the girls were able to maintain their cool amidst the cheers, the palpable tension, and their own exhaustion, and it was incredible to watch. When the buzzer finally sounded, all of the supporters on our side simply exploded with mirth, shouting and cheering with wild, total abandon (this writer was hoarse by the end of it all, and had to desperately search for water before doing the interviews). The girls were too worn-out to celebrate, but one could see it on their faces — that mixed in with all the exhaustion, was also joy at having just played an incredible match.

#12 Wei Jing’s incredible 3 pointer, which cemented our lead at 40 – 36.

After the match and their team talk, we again caught up with the captain Wei Jing about the game. As it turns out, they has been training thrice weekly for three hours at a time since the holidays, and she shared that in fact one of the most memorable parts of the season was the trainings, “that [they] were able to endure the trainings as a team” and “never gave up”. Their training clearly paid off, as they managed to overcome “all the cramps, all the injuries, foul trouble” and mental and physical pressure, as Wei Jing shared. For this match, they faced a couple of obstacles in particular, with one being their short-handedness, since as Wei Jing shared, they really had “few that can play such long minutes, up and down” for about an hour, and it was “mentally and physically tiring” for those on the court. Also, nearing the end of the season, many had sustained injuries, and couldn’t continue to come down for training, further exacerbating this issue. This game also saw them facing foul troubles, and Wei Jing provided an insight into this. Apparently, they were taking a  “long time to adapt to a new style of defense”, from ‘zone defense’ (which is slower) to ‘full court man’ (which is faster paced). On the whole though, they pushed through and overcame these, and as Wei Jing said to sum up, though it was “not exactly what we expected earlier on, [she] would like to thank the team for putting in so much effort, and that they hope to continue this intensity for next year, and get even better results”. That afternoon, despite the constant pressure, the exhaustion, and the tension as the game wore on,  the girls played even harder and eventually ‘bounced’ back. It was incredibly moving to watch, and Press would like to give our most heartfelt congratulations to them on their 3rd place! Through these two games, the girls’ basketball team truly showed us what it means to hang in there, and give your all. They showed us what it meant to be a team — that they didn’t simply support each other because they were a team; they are a team because they support each other.

40 – 36. This match was so much more than just the score – the tense moments, the emotions, and above all, the spirit of the team the girls displayed that day.

12: Woon Wei Jing (Capt)

6: Rachel Mok

4: Bernice Yeo

7: Carisia Lee

9: Charmaine Koh

14: Sevilla Chea

10: Lim Jie En

13: Thamim