Story by Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports. Photos by Lim Yong Teck and Lee Jian Wei/Red Sports

A Division Girls' Shot Put

Nur Naazilah (#135) of Victoria Junior College in action. She threw a distance of 10.04m to clinch the gold medal. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)

Kallang Practice Track, Friday, April 10, 2015 — Victoria Junior College’s (VJC) Nur Naazilah (#135) registered a throw distance of 10.04 metres to top the A Division girls’ shot put field at the 56th National Inter-School Track and Field Championships.

The 17-year-old, who turns 18 in June, established her dominance in the event right from her first attempt, as she averaged a throw distance of more than 9.50m.

Teammates Livia Rachmad (#129) and Nikki Pereira (#134), touted as fellow podium finishers, likewise, separated themselves early from the field with average throw distances of 9m.

Rachmad (#129) finished in second place with a throw distance of 9.47m. Just as VJC were about to complete their podium sweep, Hwa Chong Institution’s (HCI) June Lau (#190) threw 9.11m on her last attempt to beat Pereira (#134) by a single centimetre.

Lau’s (#190) third-placed finish also ended Pereira’s (#134) four-year run on the shot put podium.

This is the VJC trio’s final year competing together at the National Inter-School Championships. All three girls have been competing together since their days at Cedar Girls’ Secondary.

Nur Naazilah (#135), despite setting a new personal best with her throw, was visibly disappointed.

She said, “I came here today wanting a podium sweep with my teammates, but we missed it by that little bit, and it’s quite sad.”

VJC’s trio of Naazilah (#135), Rachmad (#129) and Pereira (#134), including HCI’s Lau (#190), were the only athletes in the event to throw a 9m distance.

The A Division girls’ shot put record stands at 11.56m, and it was set by VJC alumna and national thrower, Hannah Lee, in 2010.

A Division Girls’ Shot Put Results
1st: Nur Naazilah Bte Hidayatullah (#135, Victoria Junior College) – 10.04m
2nd: Livia Rachmad (#129, Victoria Junior College) – 9.47m
3rd: Lau Yen June (#190, Hwa Chong Institution) – 9.11m
4th: Nikki Suwanee Pereira (#134, Victoria Junior College) – 9.10m
5th: Lim Jia Ying (#156, Anglo-Chinese Junior College) – 8.81m
6th: Naomi Elizabeth Gregory (#55, Catholic Junior College) – 7.89m
7th: Ong Yu Xuan, Luisa (#3, Anderson Junior College) – 7.74m
8th: Phua Shi Ni (#114, Tampines Junior College) – 7.68m

More photos next page