By Christopher Ong

LAST year, Raffles Institution (RI) judoka Tan Wei Chuan watched on helplessly as his team lost the Schools National B boys' judo team final.

As one of the reserves, he could not do anything to stop the Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) team from winning the title.

Yesterday, the two schools squared-off again in the Schools National B boys' judo team final at the Hougang Secondary School.

And Wei Chuan, who was to figure in the fourth match, was determined not to let his side down.

He played his part to perfection. He executed a throw that left HCI's Foo Weng Siang on his back. He scored an ippon, which ended the match.

Said the 15-year-old: 'I just grabbed his back, after I countered his throw, and threw him. It was an instinctive move.'

He secured his school a second point, and they emerged 2-1 winners in the best-of-five final. Two matches were tied.

The triumph was especially significant for Wei Chuan as it was his first Schools National judo team final and the team had not won anything since being together from Secondary 1.

He said: 'We trained so hard to get here and face Hwa Chong. I'm just glad the team won after three years without a trophy.

'In judo, even when you win, you must be humble. Someone you beat today may beat you in another competition. It's a long process by which you train and grow together.'

RI (Junior College) claimed the A boys' title and HCI the C boys' title.

The A girls' title went to HCI (JC), while Nanyang Girls' High School emerged tops in the B and C girls' divisions.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.