The Straits Times' winning entries at Asian Media Awards

Lieutenant Tan Kay Jek’s face tautening as he plunges through the air over Sembawang Air Base. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

As he steps off the ramp, the forward momentum and slipstream from the helicopter cause Lieutenant Tan Kay Jek’s body to yaw almost horizontally to the ground as his parachute inflates. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Led by a jumpmaster, parachutists march to a C-130 Hercules transport plane at the Paya Lebar Air Base for their first jump of the day. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Looking like a pair of water lily pads, two parachutists drift over the drop zone after jumping out of a Chinook helicopter. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Corporal Joel Tang scrambles to deflate his parachute canopy before it catches air and drags him across the field. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

A string of parachutes bloom behind the old but reliable C-130 Hercules transport which carries 56 paratroopers and is the SAF's mainstay for dropping soldiers into combat. Introduced by the United States Air Force in the late 1950s, the "Charlie" has ferried the cargo and troops of over 60 nations into conflict zones around the world. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Trainee J. Y. Chen is hauled through a muddy field by eager coursemates simulating what happens when a gust of wind catches his open parachute on landing. Chen must quickly release his harness buckles, collapsing his canopy to stop it dragging him across the runway. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Packed into the cavernous belly of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, paratroopers clutch their static lines as they wait for the aircraft to reach jump altitude. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Updated

Published

Apr 25, 2014, 02:28 PM

The Straits Times (ST) clinched two golds and one silver at the prestigious Asian Media Awards in Hong Kong on April 24.

The Asian Media Awards, now into its 13th year, is organised by Wan-Ifra, an organisation of the world's press that represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries.

Read the stories and view the photos:

Gold - Newspaper Feature Article
The award went to ST's China bureau chief Kor Kian Beng, 36, and correspondent Ho Ai Li, 34, who covered China's relaxation of its controversial one-child policy last year. The focal point of the article: whether the reform was too little too late, looking at the momentous policy change across generations and cities. http://bit.ly/1ijTrha

Gold - Feature Photography
The top feature photography accolade for a package on the Singapore Armed Forces' combat parachutists came as a bonus for photographer Alphonsus Chern, 34, who had pursued a project on the Singapore Air Force's Basic Airborne Course for years. Pictures in the gallery above.

Silver - Newspaper Breaking News Article
ST's coverage of the Malaysian election results won it a silver in the breaking news category. The win was gratifying for Malaysia bureau chief Carolyn Hong, because the race had been unpredictable until the end. Malaysians also turned to ST for credible, unbiased coverage of their elections, and reproduced the reports in Malaysian media, added foreign editor Ravi Velloor. http://bit.ly/1lb1jae

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