Story by Nicole Lum/Red Sports. Photos by Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports

Pole Vault Girls' Open

Felicia Tan (#102) of Raffles Institution in action. She cleared a height of 2.68m to clinch the gold medal. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)

Bukit Gombak Stadium, Monday, April 13, 2015 — Raffles Institution’s (RI) Felicia Tan (#102) struck gold when she cleared a height of 2.68 metres in the girls’ open category pole vault final at the 56th National Inter-School Track and Field Championships.

Despite clearing the same height of 2.68m, Cedar Girls’ Secondary’s Natalie Wong (#273) and Hwa Chong Institution’s Beatrice Teo (#196) settled for the silver and bronze medal respectively after a count back. Felicia (#102) hence bagged the gold as she emerged with the fewest number of failed attempts at the final height of 2.68m.

18-year-old Felicia (#102) has been competing in the pole vault event for six years. This win in her final year at the National Inter-School Track and Field Championships was the cherry on top for her.

“Even though I could’ve done better, I’m happy that I rounded off my last year with a win,” said the RI student.

This is also Felicia’s first victory at the National Inter-School Championships. Last year, she finished in seventh place.

“I was expecting it, but I still think that it was a tough fight. My nervousness showed in some of my jumps,” Felicia said, as she faced strong contenders like last year’s silver medalist Chang An Zi of HCI, and then fourth-placer, Natalie (#273).

HCI’s An Zi botched her attempts and was eliminated early in the competition.

However, this year’s final height is a far cry from last year’s 3.18m winning effort from Carmel Teo of Jurong Junior College, who also set the record of 3.32m in 2012.

Open Category Pole Vault (Girls) Results
1st Tan Ying Lin, Felicia (#102, Raffles Institution) – 2.68m
2nd Wong Shi Qi, Natalie (#273, Cedar Girls’ Secondary) – 2.68m
3rd Beatrice Teo Chin Theng (#173, Hwa Chong Institution) – 2.68m
4th Yap Fang Ling (#56, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School) – 2.53m
5th Tan Chek Jen, Abigail (#202, Hwa Chong Institution) – 2.53m
6th Tessa Goh Jia Ling (#270, Cedar Girls’ Secondary) – 2.53m
7th Tan Junn Faye (#47, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School) – 2.13m
8th Tan Misaki (#46, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School) – 2.13m
9th Ma Su Myat Phyu Sin (#255, Cedar Girls’ Secondary) – 1.88m
10th Eunice Ter Wei Wen (#330, Tanjong Katong Girls’ School) – 1.63m
11th Petrina Leow Wan Leng (#96, Raffles Institution) – 1.63m

More photos next page