Story by Rebecca Yip/Red Sports. Photos by Lim Yong Teck, Soh Jun Wei and Clara Yuan/Red Sports.

SEA Games athletics

Michelle Sng of Singapore in action during the women’s high jump final. She cleared a height of 1.81m to win the bronze medal. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)

National Stadium, Friday, June 12, 2015 — Michelle Sng cleared a height of 1.81m to win bronze in the women’s high jump on the last day of the athletics competition at the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

The gold medal went to 2013 SEA Games silver medallist, Thailand’s Wanida Boonwan, who cleared a height of 1.85m. Vietnam’s Pham Thi Diem cleared a height of 1.83m to win silver.

Michelle said she felt a little over-excited in front of the home crowd and it showed when she only managed to clear the 1.78m and 1.81m heights on her third attempt. However, Michelle, who holds the national record of 1.84m set in March this year, regained her composure to leap her way to the bronze medal, just ahead of defending champion, Duong Thi Viet Anh of Vietnam.

“I am really happy that I managed to make the podium. I was up against really good jumpers. All three of them are 1.90 jumpers and have qualified for the Olympics before, so it was a really strong field. But anything can happen on the day itself, so I try to keep the faith and I am happy that I managed to make the podium today,” Michelle said.

Despite not being able to achieve her goal of a personal best and new national record, Michelle remains confident of her ability to achieve more.

“For this SEA Games, I did hope to break the national record. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to do it, but you will definitely see national records coming from me,” Michelle said.

In the men’s long jump, Singapore’s Khan Meng Linn and Shaun Moh fell short of their personal bests and came in eighth and ninth with leaps of 6.87m and 6.73m respectively.

Meng Linn said of his result, “It could have been much better. It was quite far off my personal best (of 7.26m), so I probably need to go back and train harder.”

Despite the result, Meng Linn was encouraged by the home crowd and cheers coming from around the packed stadium. He said, “(The crowd) is everything I expected and more… when you are not doing well initially, the crowd is there to pick you up.”

Women’s High Jump Final Results
1st Wanida Boonwan (Thailand) – 1.85m
2nd Pham Thi Diem (Vietnam) – 1.83m
3rd Michelle Sng (Singapore) – 1.81m
4th Duong Thi Viet Anh (Vietnam) – 1.78m
5th Jaruwan Kittiphat (Thailand) – 1.74m
6th Yap Sean Yee (Malaysia) – 1.74m
NM Valerie Cheong (Singapore)

Men’s Long Jump Final Results
1st Supanara Sukhasvasti Na Ayudhaya (Thailand) – 7.75m
2nd Pham Van Lam (Vietnam) – 7.52m
3rd Donovant Arriola Junior (Philippines) – 7.51m
4th Jirapon Sutumma (Thailand) – 7.31m
5th Sompong Vongphakdy (Lao) – 7.31m
6th Henry Dagmil (Philippines) – 7.28m
7th Nguyen Van Mua (Vietnam) – 7.20m
8th Khan Meng Linn (Singapore) – 6.87m
9th Shaun Moh (Singapore) – 6.73m
10th Sharmin Nain (Brunei) – 6.38m

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