Raffles Institution’s Nixon Yap fulfils expectations by winning A Division boys’ badminton title
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Raffles Institution’s Nixon Yap is hoisted into the air by his teammates after they defeated ACS(I) in the A Division boys' badminton final.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
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SINGAPORE – Being the youngest out of three brothers, Raffles Institution’s (RI) Nixon Yap had faced pressure to do well in badminton over the years.
His eldest brother Nicholas had tasted success in the A Division boys’ competition previously, while his other brother Nigel is with the national training squad.
On Wednesday, 17-year-old Nixon added to his credentials by winning his second A Division title. He played a crucial role, as RI retained the crown by defeating Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 3-2 at the OCBC Arena.
Nixon, who beat Lucas Chiu 21-12, 21-14 in the deciding match, said: “There were certainly high expectations (of me). My brothers were really good, so people expect me to be as good, if not better than them.
“This is especially because I’m the youngest, so my friends will always pressure me and ask why I am performing differently from my brothers.
“I put pressure on myself too, I don’t want to be the odd one out. Seeing them achieve success makes me want to follow in their footsteps.”
With the final tied at 2-2 going into the fifth match, he did not feel any added stress despite knowing his team’s fate lay in his hands.
“I was quite confident in myself actually,” said Nixon, who had also played in the 2022 final when they beat Dunman High School 4-1. “In fact, I was ready to play the decider. Being mentally prepared for this gave me an advantage, and winning the first few points also relieved the pressure.”
His mentality showed as he remained composed in front of nearly 500 spectators who were raising the decibels in the stands.
RI coach Ronald Susilo, 43, who has been at the helm since 2015, has seen Nixon grow in the sport since Secondary 1.
The former Olympian said: “Nixon has a stronger mentality now and has improved on different aspects like his speed, especially in the past two years.
“The improvement came from his own will, he always pushes himself to improve.”
Raffles Institution’s Nixon Yap played a crucial role in helping his team clinch the A Division title.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Vice-captain Kon Zhan Li, 18, was also full of praise for his teammate, saying, “He trains hard, and the team was confident he could win the title for us.”
RI had gone ahead twice after the first and third matches, but were pegged back by ACS (I) both times as they failed to secure both doubles matches.
Zhan Li called the losses “little mishaps”, adding: “But we got ourselves together and fought for the win.”
RI captain Loh Yi Rui was forced to miss the final, but he played a big part in the team’s success. “He may have been injured, but he helped and supported us all the way. We couldn’t have won without him,” Zhan Li said.
Raffles Institution lifting the trophy after emerging as champions in the A Division boys’ badminton final at the OCBC Arena on May 17.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Despite the defeat, ACS (I) captain Benjamin Chionh felt they had put in a “commendable effort”.
He said: “We were underestimated by many, but did our best and pushed on.”
In the A girls’ final, RI swept Hwa Chong Institution 5-0 for their sixth consecutive title, helping the school achieve a double.
In the A girls’ final, RI swept Hwa Chong Institution 5-0 for their sixth consecutive title, helping the school achieve a double.
PHOTO: LIM KAI YUE
Captain Tan Li Ting, 18, said: “We fought really hard. There was no pressure being defending champions, we just focused on getting more.”
As for Nixon, the focus turns to the A-level examinations. “I will train more after (the exams), and hopefully challenge myself to reach national standards,” he said.
