IT WAS a dream come true when he started school at Raffles Institution (RI) this year, but for Secondary 1 student Tee Yan Chyuan, 12, the dream was short-lived.

Yan Chyuan, who was St Hilda's Primary School's top PSLE student with a score of 284 last year, died suddenly after a game of badminton at Tampines Sports Hall on Sunday.

At the wake yesterday, his mother, Madam Tan Guat Eng, said his death came as a shock to the family.

'It was just another Sunday, then it happened so suddenly. We were in shock,' said the 47-year-old civil servant.

Yan Chyuan and his sister, Zhi Yu, 17, a JC1 student at RI, were having their weekly badminton lesson on Sunday afternoon. After the two-hour session, they continued playing.

Then Yan Chyuan said he was thirsty and left the court for a drink. Within minutes, Zhi Yu was told that her brother had collapsed. 'I ran over and saw him lying on the floor,' recalled Zhi Yu. 'There was no pulse.'

Yan Chyuan was rushed to Changi General Hospital in an ambulance but doctors were unable to revive him. The cause of death is still unconfirmed although the death certificate stated he died of 'cardio-respiratory failure, pending further investigations'.

His family said the lively boy had no history of medical problems and consistently achieved gold for his National Physical Fitness Award (Napfa).

His father, Mr Tee Swee Huat, 49, described his son as 'a responsible and obedient boy' who excelled academically.

'We will miss him,' said Madam Tan. 'But we also find comfort knowing he's in a better place.'