48th National Inter-school Cross Country Championships

CROSS COUNTRY

48th National Inter-School Cross Country Championships
Wednesday, 18 April 2007 at Turf City Course

Story by Lee Hwee Cheng. Pictures by Leslie Tan. Highlights of the event can be seen on episode 8 of RedSportsTV.

It was rather strange, yet very true.  That the words "cross country" had been lingering on our lips, that the much-anticipated event had been a quiet hype amongst the small Red Sports Crew – since weeks ago.

Maybe it was all the talk about the "drama" that usually takes place during the annual race:  runners fainting at the finish line, some collapsing from the intense heat, others turning all green or blue or white before puking their pre-consumed lunches.

Or maybe, it was the likely fulfillment of a secret desire harbored by individual members of the Red Sports Crew.  We have never had the fortune to don our school colors and run in a cross country race, though now we wish we had.  We have never seen the race course at Turf City since we were still the "MacRitchie kids" in our time.  So we thought, it still is never too late for us to be in some way part of the Inter-School Cross Country once again.

But most of all, it must have been the granduer of the event itself that had us feeling prematuredly excited.  Imagine, a racing event that has no use for pre-qualifying rounds or heats – you train gruelling hours and distances for months only to give your all in that one single fifteen-minute-or-so race.  Imagine, an event that brings together in one single afternoon all schools, both gender categories, all divisions in Singapore.  Imagine, all the supporters and all the cheers from all these schools that would create a sea of colors and motion.

The Red Sports Crew’s calendar had already been clearly marked for this not-to-be-missed race.

Wednesday finally came, but the weather had cheekily threatened to mar everyone’s day and wreak havoc on the event, when big black clouds loomed over the former race course at noon.  Then, miraculously, just when an impending downpour looked inevitable, the black clouds did a disappearing act – and never quite appeared again.  It must have been a blessing in disguise for the runners.  What turned out eventually was a cloudy afternoon that hid the sun – a perfect weather for a race-day.

The race started punctually, when the first ‘C’ Boys event was flagged off at 1600h.  Nothing ruined nor delayed the event, with the final flag-off of the ‘A’ Boys race well before 1700h.  The boys’ race was a 4.8km route, while the girls took on a 4km race-route.

The hordes of supporters in multi-colours, with their school flags and video cameras, started swarming toward the finish line as soon as the first finishers of the ‘C’ Boys race were spotted from afar some fifteen minutes after the first flag-off.  No major surprises were sprung in the finishing, except that traditional cross country powerhouses Victoria School and Victoria Junior College were overthrown this year.   The VJC girls, however, did their school proud by taking five of the top ten individual positions in the ‘A’ Girls race, clinching the team title as a result.

Here are the top ten individual finishers in the various categories.

‘C’ Boys
1.  0740  Sumanthiran s/o Selvarajoo (SJI) – 15:49:31
2.  0669  Yeo Si Heng (HCI) – 15:50:98
3.  0452  Rodrigo Eugene Cyril (VS) – 16:24:82
4.  0555  Chua Yang Qin (CH) – 16:28:51
5.  0427  Prakash s/o Arasu (SSP) – 16:32:33
6.  0426  Tan Kwan Shen Keith (SSP) – 16:36:73
7.  0627  Jonathan Low (ACS-Ind) – 16:48:34
8.  0429  T Haarishankar (SSP) – 16:57:84
9.  0444  Huang Peng Fei (RVH) – 16:58:95
10. 0739 Mohd Mahdi Marican (SJI) – 17:02:44

‘C’ Girls
1.  0102  Ranjitha d/o Raja (AND) – 14:52:07
2.  0031  Wan Zahrah Bte Ahmad Alif Lim (CG) – 15:02:88
3.  0032  Jedidah John (CG) – 15:07:33
4.  0204  Alexandria Wong Hui Shi (MGS) – 15:11:28
5.  0063  Mok Ying Rong (RGS) – 15:27:98
6.  0165  Samantha Sonia Pereira (KC) – 15:28:30
7.  0201  Wong Wan Qi Clara (MGS) – 15:31:31
8.  0028  Ee Wen Rei Charisse (SSP) – 15:32:12
9.  0130  Ng Wei Ting (SNG) – 15:43:99
10. 0203 Rachel Ng Rui Xiu (MGS) – 15:46:72

‘B’ Boys
1.  1420  Abdul Rahman Bin Mohd Zakariah (SSP) – 14:58:09
2.  1458  Lee Ming Hui (VS) – 15:04:69
3.  1599  Teo Ting Zhang (RI) – 15:20:08
4.  1598  Soh Rui Yong (RI) – 15:32:11
5.  1421  Foo Sik Boon Alfred (SSP) – 15:55:47
6.  1597  Lim Zhi Ming (RI) – 15:56:04
7.  1459  Ashraf s/o Naresh Kumar (VS) – 15:56:42
8.  1640  Guang Yunfeng (SAS) – 15:59:05
9.  1612  Lee Xuan De (CH) – 15:59:29
10. 1613 Brendan Chua (CH) – 16:07:87

‘B’ Girls
1.  1042  Chua Khai Leng (SSP) – 13:46:70
2.  1043  Lin Cui Wen Yvonne (SSP) – 13:51:29
3.  1169  Chew Hanyu (SNG) – 14:19:13
4.  1044  Leow Jia Hui Melody Joy (SSP) – 14:39:24
5.  1061  Ramandeep Kaur (NJC) – 15:15:75
6.  1049  Phua Song En Elsia (CG) – 15:31:14
7.  1047  Chia Xinying (CG) – 15:44:74
8.  1093  Look Xinqi (RGS) – 15:48:20
9.  1124  Chiew Yi Jun Louisa (CGS) – 15:52:50
10. 1250 Diane Low Ching Wen (MGS) – 15:52:62

‘A’ Boys
1.  2317  Jonathan Edward D’Cruz (VJC) – 15:11:31
2.  2408  Koh Kai Ming (HCI) – 15:18:80
3.  2315  Chan Farrell (VJC) – 15:22:30
4.  2376  Ng Wei Wen (RJC) – 15:28:20
5.  2401  Su Mingyan Landdis (ACJC) – 15:30:16
6.  2377  Lau Wen Loong (RJC) – 15:32:76
7.  2410  Tham Kai Jing Tommy (HCI) – 15:34:19
8.  2400  Allan Teng (ACJC) – 15:35:02
9.  2414  Chong Yaohe Samuel (HCI) – 15:36:67
10. 2409 Tay Yong Jie Jeremy (HCI) – 15:41:56

‘A’ Girls
1.  2084  Mun Wei Lin (ACJC) – 14:45:34
2.  2032  Ang Siew Min (VJC) – 14:49:24
3.  2029  Tan Huimin Melissa (VJC) – 14:49:66
4.  2091  Soon Jing Min Claire (HCI) – 14:50:34
5.  2028  Lim Sui Hui (VJC) – 14:57:46
6.  2083  Lee Jing Ci (ACJC) – 15:00:65
7.  2031  Megan Chang Yen-Li (VJC) – 15:03:27
8.  2067  Alisa Ng Xinyi (RJC) – 15:18:88
9.  2047  Lee Suling (NJC) – 15:19:53
10. 2030 Lim Wei Jing Agnes (VJC) – 15:23:62

Here are the top three teams in the various categories.

‘C’ Boys
1.  Singapore Sports School
    0427  Prakash s/o Arasu – 16:32:33 (Pos. 5)
    0428  Tan Kwan Shen Keith – 16:36:73 (Pos. 6)
    0429  T Haarishankar – 16:57:84 (Pos. 8 )
    0428  Koh Jun Jie Daniel – 17:11:54 (Pos. 13)
2.  Hwa Chong Institution
    0669  Yeo Si Heng – 15:50:98 (Pos. 2)
    0671  Ng Wei Lun – 17:10:91 (Pos. 12)
    0672  Cheng Xu Ying – 17:16:26 (Pos. 17)
    0673  Tian Yu Zhong – 17:23:62 (Pos. 20)
3.  Catholic High School
    0555  Chua Yang Qin – 16:28:51 (Pos. 4)
    0553  Jonathan Teo – 17:15:04 (Pos. 16)
    0556  Brian Cheang – 17:19:75 (Pos. 18 )
    0554  Roy Chiang – 17:20:54 (Pos. 19)

‘C’ Girls
1.  Methodist Girls’ School
    0204  Alexandria Wong Hui Shi – 15:11:28 (Pos. 4)
    0201  Wong Wan Qi Clara – 15:31:31 (Pos. 7)
    0203  Rachel Ng Rui Xiu – 15:46:72 (Pos. 10)
    0205  Janell Tan Shi En – 15:51:79 (Pos. 14)
2.  Cedar Girls’ Secondary School
    0031  Wan Zahrah Bte Ahmad Alif Lim – 15:02:88 (Pos. 2)
    0032  Jedidah John – 15:07:33 (Pos. 3)
    0033  Chen Li Tian Jasmine – 15:51:72 (Pos. 13)
    0035  Debbie Ho Min – 16:16:05 (Pos. 19)
3.  Singapore Sports School
    0028  Ee Wen Rei Charisse – 15:32:12 (Pos. 8 )
    0027  Wendy Enn – 15:42:12 (Pos. 11)
    0026  Chan Wan Ting – 16:42:49 (Pos. 24)
    0029  Nur Hamizah – 17:02:84  (Pos. 35)

‘B’ Boys
1.  Raffles Institution
    1599  Teo Ting Zhang – 15:20:08 (Pos. 3)
    1598  Soh Rui Yong – 15:32:11 (Pos. 4)
    1597  Lim Zhi Ming – 15:56:04 (Pos. 6)
    1600  Yong Shi Kai – 16:35:17 (Pos. 26)
2.  Catholic High School
    1612  Lee Xuan De – 15:59:29 (Pos. 9)
    1613  Brendan Chua – 16:07:87 (Pos. 10)
    1609  Su Yen Bing – 16:08:60 (Pos. 11)
    1608  Soh Hua Qun – 16:11:63 (Pos. 12)
3.  Victoria School
    1458  Lee Ming Hui – 15:04:69 (Pos. 2)
    1459  Ashraf s/o Naresh Kumar – 15:56:42 (Pos. 7)
    1460  Ho Kok Chung Thomas – 16:26:73 (Pos. 22)
    1462  Goh Di Yao Kevin – 16:28:93 (Pos. 25)

‘B’ Girls
1.  Singapore Sports School
    1042  Chua Khai Leng – 13:46:70 (Pos. 1)
    1043  Lin Cui Wen Yvonne – 13:51:29 (Pos. 2)
    1044  Leow Jia Hui Melody Joy – 14:39:24 (Pos. 4)
    1046  Lossini d/o Jayapandian – 16:05:22 (Pos. 12)
2.  Cedar Girls’ Secondary School
    1049  Phua Song En Elsia – 15:31:14 (Pos. 6)
    1047  Chia Xinying – 15:44:74 (Pos. 7)
    1050  Na Xue Bi May – 16:25:25 (Pos. 17)
    1052  Theodora Ho Yee Tin – 16:37:41 (Pos. 23)
3.  Methodist Girls’ School
    1250  Diane Low Ching Wen – 15:52:62 (Pos. 10)
    1248  Danielle Sim Dan Li – 16:13:29 (Pos. 15)
    1247  Sheryl Teo Ling Qi – 16:27:16 (Pos. 19)
    1253  Raina Lee Rui Na – 16:29:13 (Pos. 20)

‘A’ Boys
1.  Hwa Chong Institution
    2408  Koh Kai Ming – 15:18:80 (Pos. 2)
    2410  Tham Kai Jing Tommy – 15:34:19 (Pos. 7)
    2414  Chong Yaohe Samuel – 15:36:67 (Pos. 9)
    2409  Tay Yong Jie Jeremy – 15:41:56 (Pos. 10)
2.  Raffles Junior College
    2376  Ng Wei Wen – 15:28:20 (Pos. 4)
    2377  Lau Wen Loong – 15:32:76 (Pos. 6)
    2379  Li Shanghui – 15:45:43 (Pos. 11)
    2378  Norman Lim Fangxuan – 15:47:72 (Pos. 14)
3.  Victoria Junior College
    2317  Jonathan Edward D’Cruz – 15:11:31 (Pos. 1)
    2315  Chan Farrell – 15:22:30 (Pos. 3)
    2322  Ting Zhuo Min – 16:06:13 (Pos. 22)
    2321  Shi Ronghua – 16:19:35 (Pos. 29)

‘A’ Girls
1.  Victoria Junior College
    2032  Ang Siew Min – 14:49:24 (Pos. 2)
    2029  Tan Huimin Melissa – 14:49:66 (Pos. 3)
    2028  Lim Sui Hui – 14:57:46 (Pos. 5)
    2031  Megan Chang Yen-Li – 15:03:27 (Pos. 7)
2.  Anglo-Chinese Junior College
    2084  Mun Wei Lin – 14:45:34 (Pos. 1)
    2083  Lee Jing Ci – 15:00:65 (Pos. 6)
    2087  Lin Yuan Bing – 15:25:70 (Pos. 12)
    2085  Lee Hoi Yan – 15:44:85 (Pos. 18)
3.  Hwa Chong Institution
    2091  Soon Jing Min Claire – 14:50:34 (Pos. 4)
    2094  Zakiyah Binte Ibrahim – 15:23:92 (Pos. 11)
    2092  Chia Xian Fang Patricia – 15:37:27 (Pos. 14)
    2093  Koh Shi Man Samantha – 15:53:97 (Pos. 20)

Congratulations to all winners!

If you do recognize yourselves or your friends in these pictures, tell us your names and we’ll update the captions.

For more action shots, feel free to visit the picture gallery!