IHG 17/18 Series 2 #chasingoalsdreamsunfold
Overall standings:
Boys: 1st: EH, 2nd: KR, 3rd: TH, 4th: RH, 5
th: SH, 6th: KE
Girls: 1st: TH, 2nd: EH, 3rd: SH, 4th: RH, 5th: KR, 6th: KE
The newly-opened University Sports Centre invited hundreds of spectators and competitors, all donned in their halls’ t-shirts and electrifying energy.
The Swimming Inter-Hall Games kickstarted with the individual 50m freestyle races. Unfortunately, on the first men’s heat the horn blared without a proper start command, leading to a domino-effect of panic-stricken dives by the competitors and protests abundant from the spectators. The officials then voided the race and proposed for a re-race. That did not affect KR’s men’s freestyle individual swimmer, Jeremy, at all who later claimed for second-place overall, losing out by a mere 0.02 seconds. Thaddeus also won second during his heat, losing out to Eusoff Hall, in a nail-biting end to the race. Our female swimmers Priscilla and Amanda then took to the water, unfortunately losing out to their opponents but still smashing their personal bests. Good job girls! For the freestyle relays, the men’s team (made up of Zane, Auston, Benjamin Lee, and Soon Kon) sprinted across as fast as they could in a nail-biting event, but unfortunately they were not fast enough for our biggest rivals; Eusoff Hall. The girls’ team (comprising of Li Wen, Samantha, Sydney and Shiqing) started out strong but were overtaken toward the end, finishing 4th.
Next up were the individual breaststroke races and representing Kent Ridge for the men’s were Joshua and Thaddeus. The former, who is also a lifesaver, began the race with war cries. He then outswam his competitors and emerged first. Thaddeus, once again, fought his way for a second placing during his heat. Karin, KR’s sole girls representative in the individual breaststroke, placed 4th in her heat. The men’s breaststroke relay team (made up of Zane, Auston, Benjamin Lee and Soon Kon) managed to turn the tides on their rivals, securing first place. The girls’ team (Xenia, Samantha, Sydney and Shiqing) fought hard but ended 6th.
Amidst the tight competition and battle for points, the novelty race had everyone loosen up. The ten-men relay race was amongst the newbie swimmers in every hall. The horns blared and a perfect dive and freestyle swim was led by Chong Ee. Following that, there were several spectacular dives that could very well end one up in the chiropractic clinic. Gao Wei, a breaststroke specialist in the novelty race, took over a minute to complete his fifty meters race. When asked about his experience, he mentioned: “It might have looked like a belly flop but I was actually gliding,”Hafiz, who had consistently belly-flopped every training before the race, managed to not land on his belly this time. Instead, his vertical dive took him over ten seconds of struggle to resurface.
Last, but definitely not least, it was time for the combined medley relay. The team representing KR (Zane, Samantha, Li Wen and Soon Kon) swam hard against the other halls and eventually placed 4th. Overall, the guys placed 2nd and girls placed 5th. Good job all!
15th January 2018
Reported by Hafiz Nasruddin and Leow Li Wen
Badminton (F): KR 4 – TH 1
Continuing on their epic winning streak, our female shuttlers kept their energy high during their match against Temasek Hall last Wednesday. Hannah, our first singles match, awed the crowd with her impressive saves. Despite her strong efforts she failed to give KR the lead. Following tightly behind, our first doubles pair Crystal and Nicole took to the court. Showing off their impressive teamwork, the pair easily secured the second set for KR, bringing the score to 1-1. Keep it up girls! Next up was Clara. Despite this being her first match for KR, she maintained her composure, pushing KR to a lead of 2-1. Our second doubles pair made up of Aretha and Jing Rong kept up the momentum. Both players’ experience in the sport showed through, as they sealed KR’s victory with confidence. Last but not least, Shu Zhen gave her opponent a good final set, eventually coming out tops to anchor KR’s streak in badminton, bringing the final score to 4-1. Let’s wish the badminton girls all the best for their remaining matches. Go KR, let’s get the gold!
17th January 2018
Reported by Teri Chong
Soccer (M): KR 5 – KE 0
On Thursday evening, our Football Boys kicked off their IHG season in style with a convincing victory over KE. The relentless rain and the water-logged field made for harsh playing conditions for both sides, but the return of KR Football Legend Mohamad Shijudeen (Shija) added some sunshine for our football team.
The game kicked off with great intensity as KR immediately mounted the pressure on KE, sending wave after wave of attack at the KE defence. KE simply couldn’t deal with the attacking threat, giving away many cheap corners that KR eventually capitalised on. In the 10th minute, KE were only able to clear a KR corner as far as the edge of the 18-yard box, where Nigel Lee was strategically situated. He sent back in an absolutely delightful chip into the penalty box and David Chew headed KR ahead 1-0. Unfortunately, David’s heroic goal celebration had to be cut short as he was rushed to the A&E for a suspected fractured jaw. Thankfully, he was only left with a black-eye. Rest well David! KR continued their attacking play and were soon rewarded with another goal from yet another corner. Shija delivered a beautiful ball into the penalty box and some scrappy defending by KE allowed Aravinth (Thambi) to poke the ball into the back of the net. 2-0 to KR at half-time.
During the half-time break, Team Captain Wilbert made some tactical substitutions, and our football boys continued their attacking dominance in the second-half. Another corner saw KR pull further ahead, as star striker Aravinth outjumped his defender to head Shija’s corner into the top corner, dazzling fans with his amazing Cristiano Ronaldo-esque athleticism. What a lad indeed. 3-0 didn’t seem to be enough for KR as they continued tormenting the KE defence, and they were duly rewarded with a fourth goal. Another delightful set-piece by Shija saw Hiu Fung head the ball straight into the path of Jeremy Yew, who instinctively nudged the ball in. Finally, to add the cherry on top, another poorly defended corner by KE allowed Jin Tat time and space to smash in a fifth goal into the top corner. KR had many chances thereafter to extend the score-line, including an individual effort from substitute Edmund Pun that came off the post, but our boys settled for a 5-0 win at the final whistle.
Nonetheless it was a convincing win from our Football Boys as they head into their second group stage match against defending champions, Sheares Hall. All the best boys, let’s top this group!
18th January 2018
Reported by Nicholas Tan
Squash (M): KR 2 – SH 3
While most students headed home this weekend after a week of school and games, our Squash boys headed to the squash courts for what was to be an exciting night of highs and lows against our neighbours, Sheares Hall. It was heartwarming to see dozens of our supporters staying back on a Friday night to give their cheers and claps for our Squash players.
The night kicked off with our Final year student Sellek playing first. The more experienced Sheares player got off to an early start with a winning first round. However, Sellek, not to be defeated, fought hard in the subsequent rounds, never once giving up. It almost seemed like he could gain back his footing in the second round and got a few points ahead. However, Sheares managed to be the better player at the end of the match and won.
The second game was played by Kia Wei. After just coming off from a back injury, it was evident that the recovery was taking its toll on his ability to reach for certain balls. It was a close fought battle as Kia Wei fought hard against his opponent and his injury. Disappointment evident in his face and actions, our supporters shouted hard to cheer him on and his team mates similarly pushed him on. However, it proved to be too much of a strain for Kia Wei as his opponent’s varying shots made it hard for him to hit back at some points. Kia Wei might have lost, but he certainly won in our hearts as he fought on hard despite the injury.
As the game progressed to the third match, our supporters also grew with the passing of the night. At this point, it was clear that Kent Ridgeans were outnumbering Shearites hugely. Jey Sng took to the courts to the growing number of supporters. As if the large number of fans helped, Jey Sng outclassed his opponent and won the first 2 sets. However, in the 3rd set, the Sheares player made a commendable effort to fight back and won.
With the score at 2-1 for KR, it was a test of will and mind as both players who were visibly worn out continued on. As if things weren’t exciting enough, the Sheares player won the fourth match and tied the score to 2-2.
With the game at breaking point, the crowd watched on in suspense and at this point it was clear that the Kent Ridge supporters were the bigger group. After an intense back and off, backed by the gigantic roars of our supporters, Jey Sng won the match to the screaming applause of Kent Ridge. On to a 2-1 overall score! It seemed that Kent Ridge could gain back its footing.
The fourth match was played by Felix. This was an important match as a loss would determine Sheares as the winner, and a win would allow KR to fight for the victory in the final round. The game got off to a reasonably good start as Felix seemed to outclass his opponent with his alternating hard-soft hits- leading to a leading score of 2-1. However, the Sheares opponent seemed to have discovered his own weaknesses and changed up the strategy, slowly fighting back and drawing the game to a 2-2 score. With everyone on the edge of their seats, it was a game of mental warfare as every athlete would know. The losing athlete had to fight against the pressure of potentially losing in every set, and the winner had to fight against the building pressure of an opponent catching up slowly. In the end, despite fighting hard, the Shearite player came out as the better man that night.
Even though Sheares had officially won the game that night, the final match by our Captain Russell would still go on. This is a Squash rule and perhaps a rule to reward the sportsmanship of the game. Our supporters continued to watch and cheer Russell on as he played in the final round. Russell fought a good match but as with every game- there will be winners and losers and Sheares would win in the final round as well.
It was a hard-fought battle for our KR players and their spirit and determination to fight on despite the circumstances is to be greatly admired. This loss spelt the end of the season for our Squash boys- but it was a loss that made us see the love and support that our Kent Ridgeans had for our players. Our hearts were definitely won that night.
19th January 2018
Reported by Kenny Lee
Table Tennis (M): TH 5 – KR 0
Last Saturday was an extremely busy day for our athletes and the supporters who spent their precious weekend cheering our KR warriors on, and our Table Tennis boys were on at 6pm at the stuffy, very stuffy, humid and insanely warm KEVII Hall MPSH. The rain didn’t put out the fire in our boys as they were determined to give TH a run for their dollahs
The lineups were as such:
1st Singles: Wei Jie #10
1st Doubles: Chester Yan #13 and Daryl Chua #10, the fantastic duo whose ages add up to an astounding 5 0
2nd Singles: Daniel Tam Meng Ian #77, the boy with the dragon serve
2nd Doubles: Lye Yu Xuan #19 and Kristoporus Nathan Wilianto #30
3rd Singles: Andrew Shan Hua Yang #18
Supporters crowded the table as Wei Jie stepped up to the table and started an intense match with his opponent. It was extremely intense as both sides made some mistakes and awarded points to the other. Wei Jie had some pretty sick shots that roused the crowd to cheer triumphantly with对对对s but was unfortunately outplayed by his equally strong opponent in their 3rd set.
Next up, was the FYF duo, Chester and Daryl, who went up against experienced opponents from TH. Though they lost the match, they hustled for every ball that flew past their faces and definitely earned loud cheers from the crowd for their effort. It’s definitely not easy to be playing like them when you are this age.
Not forgetting the boy with the dragon serve, Daniel definitely won the title of the most entertaining player and supporter of the night, lightening the mood and showing how KR is always about playing hard and working hard! Our next two matches were extremely exciting as well, with Yu Xuan and Kristo displaying the same amount of tenacity and perseverance as their seniors did in the previous doubles match. Andrew definitely did not disappoint the crowd that turned up for a good show as he displayed his skills and wowed even the TH supporters.
Our KR Warriors definitely stood out in the crowd of Table Tennis players for being remarkable. If you were there, you’d know what I mean. They were great sportsmen and continuously encouraged their team mates no matter the score. Go down for more matches to find out for yourselves!!! :-)
20th January 2018
Reported by Amanda Poon
Table Tennis (F): KR 3 – TH 2
Last Saturday evening, our very own KR Table Tennis girls kickstarted the IHG season with their first preliminary match against Temasek Hall, which culminated in a smashing success.
The first singles match was played by Sherby, who recorded a great victory over her opponent with 3 consecutive set wins, bringing the total score for KR to 1-0. Sherby’s consistently skillful serves often left her opponent struggling to receive, hence giving her a good control over each point from the get go, paving the way for her eventual win. In spite of Sherby’s consecutive set wins, Sherby and her Temasek opponent both did not let their guard down and fought for point after point with fierce determination, making for an enjoyable match and well-placed victory.
Next in the lineup was the first doubles match which pit Chang En and Fion against their Temasek opponents. The first set took off with fierce intensity, and both teams fought on with great teamwork and tenacity. However, KR narrowly lost the first set to Temasek as the girls were unfamiliar with the Temasek opponent’s use of long pimpled rubber for their bats, which made for a difference in the opponent’s strategy, speed, and bounce. However, the KR girls were not disheartened, and instead displayed great camaraderie throughout the next set as Fion gave Chang En guidance, allowing the to duo complement each other well and attack and defend as one impenetrable unit. The duo clinched the next 2 sets with skill and spirit, reversing the match in KR’s favour. In the last set, with KR one point away from winning the set, Chang En delivered a critical smash which sealed the win for the duo, prompting a tremendous cheer from the spectators. Fion and Chang En hence extended the lead for KR, now standing at 2-0.
The third match saw Teng Yue stepping up for the second singles game, which was arguably one of the most spirited and intense matches that day, as spectators had their eyes peeled on the two seasoned players who played on with unwavering resolve. After 4 passionate sets, the players were tied 2-2 and both the players and the audience focused their energy on the last set which would determine their fate. KR and Temasek supporters gave a loud hurrah whenever each player scored, culminating in a 10-10 nerve-wrecking deuce which kept everyone on edge. The next point was scored by the Temasek player, but till the end, Teng Yue admirably kept her composure and fiery spirit, unrelentlessly chasing for every point. However, the Temasek player scored the next and last point which ended the set and match in a victory for Temasek, bringing the total score to 2-1 with KR still in the lead.
Subsequently, the second doubles match was helmed by Roxanne and Hui Min, a dynamic duo with an eagerness to bring KR to an overall win. The duo made consistently good plays and exhibited great chemistry. Hui Min often threw her body and ran for each ball, managing successive returns no matter how powerful the opponent’s attacks were, while Roxanne had a skillful smash and made the opponents run to return many of her attacks. Even though they were pitted against a tough opponent, the duo eventually won 3 sets and clinched a 3-1 win, which was greeted by roars of joy as KR had secured another point for an overall score of 3-1, hence winning their overall game against Temasek!
While KR had already emerged triumphant, in a great show of sportsmanship, Steffi played the last singles match with immense effort and perseverance, and gave her all to defend against her opponent and protect every point to the end. The crowd cheered her on relentlessly and kept their gazes fixed on the last match of the night. However, Temasek eventually won the last singles match, bringing the overall score to 3-2 in KR’s favour.
When asked about her thoughts towards the overall game, captain Cheryl cheerily expressed that she is extremely proud of the girls and that every one of them did an amazing job. She commended the unwavering determination and perseverance of the girls who played singles and the compelling teamwork and communication evident amongst the girls who played doubles. Lastly, on behalf of the team, Cheryl also extended her gratitude towards the supporters who came down to lighten the atmosphere and cheer them on!
The KR Table Tennis girls have trained hard and reaped their rewards in their preliminary match. Let us all continue to gather and cheer them on for their future matches! All the best, KR Table Tennis girls!
20th January 2018
Reported by Jamie Koh
Special thanks to PhotoComm for the photos and to SMU for supporting our sportsmen.