School sports

School sports: HCI maintain pole vault dominance with B Div sweep

Hwa Chong Institution's Clevon Wong, 16, won the B division pole vault with a leap of 3.85m. In his last year competing in the category, he finally won his first schools national gold medal.
Hwa Chong Institution's Clevon Wong, 16, won the B division pole vault with a leap of 3.85m. In his last year competing in the category, he finally won his first schools national gold medal. ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

Continuing their success from last year when they won both the Schools National B and C Division boys' pole vault titles, Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) swept the B Division pole vault podium at the National Inter-School Track and Field Championships at Bishan Stadium yesterday.

Clevon Wong clinched his first schools gold when he vaulted 3.85m, beating school-mate Saciin Esan's 3.80m. Last year's C Division winner Kyler Ong (3.55m) completed HCI's podium sweep.

The meet record still stands at 4.64m, set by HCI alumnus Chan Sheng Yao in 2012.

Clevon, 16, said: "The main aim for these nationals was the podium sweep so as to get more points for Hwa Chong.

"I did expect a first-place finish because in the last few training sessions, I was crossing a lot more heights and was reaching my peak."

HCI's track and field teacher-in-charge David Woon welcomed the podium sweep.

He added: "It's a good start and it'll help to boost the confidence of the other boys going into these nationals. We are pretty excited and we got a good shot at all the division championships, but it's still too early to say."

HCI also won gold in yesterday's C Division boys' triple jump, as Tedd Toh hopped, stepped and jumped 12.81m to clinch the title. It was the 14-year-old's first C Division triumph.

Runner-up Hansel Loh from Catholic High School managed 12.60m, while Raffles Institution's Joel Tan claimed third place (12.21m).

Tedd said: "I owe it down to a lot of luck and hard work. I've been working hard for the past two years and it finally paid off."

"The support from my friends, teachers and coaches also helped me out a lot. Without all of them, I can't be where I am today."

In the A Division girls' long jump, Victoria Junior College's Daphne Kwok leapt 4.97m to edge out HCI's Natasha Audrey Weers (4.96m) and take the gold medal.

Vivian Ho from Singapore Sports School was third with 4.90m.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 13, 2016, with the headline School sports: HCI maintain pole vault dominance with B Div sweep. Subscribe