One leap for Lynette bags seven titles

She leapt into the history books last year, setting seven records in the triple jump.

Yesterday, Lynette Lim managed that feat again at the Schools National Track and Field Championships.

Last year, while representing Cedar Girls' Secondary School, she set the national triple jump record of 11.79 metres, as well as six others - the national junior, youth best performance, Under-23, Under-19, Under-17 and the Schools National B Division.

Yesterday, at Choa Chu Kang Stadium, the Victoria Junior College (VJC) student leapt 11.89m to smash the schools A Division mark as well as her six national records.

Said the 16-year-old: "It was thrilling to see all the coaches cheering the moment I made my jump, even though I didn't know the actual distance immediately."

It is Lynette's second triumph at the Schools Nationals this year, after winning the A Division long jump title on Tuesday.

Her new national record has enabled her to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games Asian Area Qualification meet, which will be held next month in Bangkok, but she is not dwelling too much on making the Nanjing Games.

"I just want to beat my personal best again and perhaps clear 12m," said Lynette, who picked up the triple jump in Secondary 1 and practised taekwondo in primary school.

Her coach John Seem believes that the future is bright for the youngster, saying: "She's a unique jumper.

"She's comfortable taking off with either foot in the long jump; that helps her in the triple jump."

His goal for her is clear - next year's SEA Games in Singapore.

"It's on home ground. We want to do well, clear 12m, maybe 12.5m. It's not easy at the SEA Games because she's competing against professionals who are jumping much further, but we'll do our best," he said.

The bronze-medal distance at last year's SEA Games in Myanmar was 14.12m, more than 2m better than Lynette's personal best.

Nevertheless, she is approaching the future one step at a time and lists her targets for the coming year.

"I hope to be able to strike a balance between studies and sports, to get a new personal best every year and to win competitions for Singapore," she said.

yuntingc@sph.com.sg

This article was published on April 11 in The Straits Times.

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