Leaping Lynette

Leaping Lynette

SINGAPORE - With one leaping effort last year, she broke seven records, including the national mark, when she recorded 11.79m in the triple jump at the 2013 National Inter-School Track & Field Championships.

One would think Lynette Lim really enjoys competing in the championship, after she beat her own national record yesterday with a jump of 11.89m at this year's edition of the meet at Choa Chu Kang Stadium.

Speaking to The New Paper after her gold-medal effort, the Victoria Junior College student said: "I was hopeful of beating my own record today.

"I was lucky to be honest because it was my very last attempt at the event."

Lynette turns 17 in November, and while the bespectacled teenager refuses to toot her own horn, coach John Seem has nothing but praise for her.

He said: "She is so young, but she has so much potential. My challenge now is to get her to be dedicated enough to train more.

"She has what it takes to be the best, but it's also up to her to want this."

Lynette currently trains three times a week for about three hours each time.

Representing Cedar Girls' Secondary School last year, her jump of 11.79m broke the previous national record of 11.73m set by Mariam Shazana Jalalludin in 2009.

The distance also became the new record right through the seven junior categories.

Lynette has her heart set on this year's Youth Olympic Games (YOG), which will be held in Nanjing, China, in August.

QUALIFIERS

First, she will have to compete in the Asian qualifiers, which will be held in Bangkok on May 21 and 22, and meet the qualifying mark of 12.15m.

Seem believes Lynette can do it.

He said: "I thought she could meet the 12m mark today, but I think it's because she was also involved in the long jump event last Tuesday. She still has muscle aches.

"If she concentrates on just the triple jump, and dedicates the time for training, she will go far."

While Lynette balances her studies and her training, she knows that to represent the country on the big stage, she has to go the extra mile.

"I know I can still do better. It's been tough coping with the school work and training, but my parents and coach are very supportive.

"I really want to go to the YOG, and I will work hard to reach that goal."

This article was published on April 11 in The New Paper.


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