HCI bounce back, win B Division title

Despite finishing in last place in 2013, Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), who have dominated school gymnastics events, were determined to make amends this year.

Yesterday, they reclaimed the B Division Schools' National Trampoline Championships boys' title which they had won from 2010-2012.

Said Riley Yap, 16, captain of HCI: "This year, we made it a point to train together on the same days, and we were more organised during training, which really helped our team spirit leading up to the competition."

It was a closer contest in the B Division Girls, even though the 16-year-old duo of Fionna Chew and Yang Jia Yee of Nanyang Girls' High School (NYGH) finished first and second respectively in the individual category.

However, their efforts were still not sufficient to topple reigning champions CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School (SNGS), falling just short with 136.700 points to SNGS's 137.200 points.

Nevertheless, Fionna, who successfully defended the individual title she won last year, viewed it positively.

"We all did the best that we could, and our juniors did win the C Division title. We managed to narrow the gap down from last year, so that's good for us," said the 16-year-old.

SNGS captain Natalie Go, 16, who finished fourth in the individual category, took the loss of the individual title to NYGH in her stride.

"Team spirit is more important to us than our individual accomplishments.

"Having won the championships last year, we pushed ourselves to work even harder to achieve greater heights as a team."

Trampoline

WINNERS

A Division

Boys: Bao Jianda (Hwa Chong Institution). Girls: Chua Chelsea (HCI).

B Division

Boys: David Yao (HCI). Team: HCI. Girls: Fionna Chew (Nanyang Girls' High). Team: CHIJ St Nicholas Girls'.

C Division

Boys: Efilio Yodia Garcia (Whitley Secondary). Team: WSS. Girls: Seer Li (NYGH). Team: NYGH.

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