IT WAS a see-saw battle but, in the end, defending champions Raffles Institution managed to retain their A Division Boys' judo title at the National Inter-school Team Championships yesterday by holding off Nanyang Junior College (NYJC) 3-2.

It was an eagerly-awaited final because, for more than 20 years, it has always been contested between Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution.

Yesterday, amid deafening cheers from both sets of supporters, NYJC, who made history by entering the finals for the first time, led 2-1 before their opponents drew level.

While NYJC could not pull off a fairytale finish, Wesley Kam, 18, who won his fight, was still happy, saying that "it is always good to make history".

He and some of his NYJC team-mates will have another shot at glory when the individual events are held next week.

A Division Boys:

1st: Raffles Institution

2nd: Nanyang Junior College

3rd: Hwa Chong Institution

A Division Girls:

1st: Raffles Institution

2nd: Hwa Chong Institution

B Division Boys:

1st: Raffles Institution

2nd: St Joseph's Institution

3rd: East View Secondary School and St Gabriel's Secondary School

B Division Girls:

1st: Raffles Girls' School

2nd: Nanyang Girls' High School

3rd: Bishan Park Secondary School and Balestier Hill Secondary School

C Division Boys:

1st: Hwa Chong Institution

2nd: Raffles Institution

3rd: East View Secondary School and St Gabriel's Secondary School

C Division Girls:

1st: Raffles Girls' School

2nd: Hougang Secondary School