Story by Stefanus Ian/Red Sports. Photos by Lee Yu En/Red Sports.

Hu Tianqi (#434) of Nanyang Girls' High School makes a leap. (Photo 1 © Lee Yu En/Red Sports)

Hu Tianqi (#434) of Nanyang Girls’ High School makes a leap. (Photo 1 © Lee Yu En/Red Sports)

Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Monday, April 9, 2018 — Hu Tianqi of Nanyang Girls’ High School (NYG) cleared a height of 1.52m to break her personal best and secure the gold medal in the B Division Girls’ High Jump final during the 59th National Inter-School Track and Field Championships.

With Tianqi’s teammate Charmaine Chua clearing a height of 1.48m, the result ensured a 1-3 finish for Nanyang, with Yasmeen Marie Lutfi of Singapore Sports School taking silver. It capped off a strong outing for Nanyang, who also won the C Division high jump title through Jade Chew, who rewrote the championship record with a height of 1.61m earlier last week.

Coming off an ankle injury in end February, Tianqi said she came into the competition without expectations so as not to put too much pressure on herself.

“I didn’t have any expectations (going into the competition) because just in case I don’t meet it then I’ll be very sad, so I just jump,” said the 14-year-old with a laugh.

In order to clear her personal best, Tianqi said she moved her marking one step behind and slightly to the right.

“My coach asked me to decide by myself whether the marking was good or not. I thought I was a bit near and a bit too inside, so I changed it to outside,” said Tianqi.

“When you approach the bar you can feel it. If the bar is too near you, you won’t jump upwards, you will lean out then you won’t clear it, so yeah that’s how I changed it,” she added.

In the C Division, Jade Chew, who competed on April 3, said she dedicated her record-breaking jump to all the people who have helped her along the way.

“I was trying to do it for all my coaches previously like coach Ronnie and coach Michelle, who have helped me,” said Jade.

“I was really trying to do it for everyone who supported me along the way.”

The 14-year-old Jade said she took only one attempt to clear the championship record height and she admitted it was a surprise even to herself.

“I was really shocked I could do it yeah but (the bar) shook a lot so I was very thankful it could stay there,” Jade said with a laugh.

Her clearance of 1.61m broke the championship record of 1.60m set by Low Seow Ting, then of Cedar Girls’ Secondary, in 2013. That mark was also the national under-15 record.

The 59th National Schools Track and Field Championships will continue on 11th and 12th April at the National Stadium at the Sports Hub.

B Div Girls High Jump Results
1st Hu Tianqi (#434, Nanyang Girls’ High School) — 1.52
2nd Yasmeen Marie Lutfi (#104, Singapore Sports School) — 1.50
3rd Charmaine Chua Yu En (#425, Nanyang Girls’ High School) — 1.48
4th Rena Edward (#47, CHIJ St Nicholas’ Girls School) — 1.48
5th Wong Oi Shin (#277, Cedar Girls’ Secondary School) — 1.46
6th Sherlynn Yen Chin (#100, Singapore Sports School) — 1.43
7th Lock Yi Qing (#263, Cedar Girls’ Secondary School) — 1.40
8th Sherell Toh Li En (#272, Cedar Girls’ Secondary School)— 1.40

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