Combined Sports Meet: FUN!

12X200m was so much more fun than i expected.

I never knew our class was that fast.

1st runner: Denzyl

He really started the ball rolling, the lead was very big.

2nd runner: Jonathan Chuang

WOW~! HE WAS SO FAST!! The serious look he had on his face is so priceless.

.

.

.

.

12th runner: Sean Lim

When i passed the baton to him , he totally exploded with energy. Sadly, i could not see how we ended the race, but we knew that 2A1 won by a very very large margin. 100m? 80m? Either way, it is alot.

Well, 12x200m has become a to-do on my list of sports events. To run together with nearly half your class in a race is so unifying. Gotta try that next year.

Absence

Makes the heart grow fonder.

Another loss.

Another stab to the heart.

Another blow to the mind.

Another life, in eternal peace.

This would be twice this year. Just before Chinese New Year, my great-grandmother from my father's side passed away. Only then did i truly realise how fragile life was.

Kris Allen sings it best "gotta live like we're dying".

Yet, now.

There is another to add to the list. She has become a statistic. Still, she will remain in our memories. This post is a tribute to her. Most of you out there will probably ever see her in the obituaries page now. I am lucky.

Every person i have seen.

Every person i have entertained.

Ever person i have helped.

Becomes a memory etched into my mind.

She is no exception. I may not have shed a tear, but my soul has already flooded my mind with tears. The first death shook me. Now, she will etch it into me. Until now i have not seen her body. I hope it is soon that i finally lay my eyes on her for the final time.

Rest in peace my dear great-grandmother.

Now, i have none left.

SMOPS

Ushering

Not as easy as it sounds. To put it simply, all we ushers had to do was to "usher" people. Yes, it would have been easy if there was only one person but there was... ... well, hundreds. Class by class, we shuffled them to their registration areas.

The sheer number of students was overwhelming. Looking back, it already makes me feel tired looking at the crowds that would choke up Oei Tiong Ham Hall. An hour of hustling, running, talking. I was never as tired. (except for the cross-country stuff, those really are killers)

All the buses arriving

Unloading of students

Asking of Group numbers

Guiding of Group

Towards the Registration areas

Dashing back to clock tower

Next bus

Repeat

Repeat

Repeat

Take a little break

Repeat

How.. exhausting.

Finally with the arrival of 9.00am did we ushers get to take a break. Off to LT3 we go...

Until, we realised that we were late. Apparently, we overshot the time. Giving out brochures to the teachers and a few last minute instructions from Daryl have cut into our break.

Big deal. We eat fast enough. Better to finish our job first.

Alas... ....

We get to relax a bit at Aphelion Room. One hour. Maybe a bit more.

Dismissal

Somehow, i managed to get re-assigned to the clock tower. Immediately, i scan for my alma mater's name and quickly get the responsibility of returning them back to their school. The teacher keeps shaking my hand. Long time no see.

Ah!

One school done.

8 more to go.

When to whole scenario ends, all ushers are sweating like a polar bear in a sauna. My shirt was never that wet. Except the time i played ...... at the ...... court. oops. shouldn't have said that. Warrants a demerit.

Dismissal- for us

Off to home. Good thing we aren't fully-fledged yet. Or ... we might have to stay even longer. I'm beat.

Glory is Forever

I am. Happy.

Firstly, i would want to begin by congratulating my awesome senior, Nicholas Yeo for showing us his best in the A'Division highjump. Despite a crushing injury, he has managed to maintain such a cheerful exterior. Gosh, sometimes, he is such an inspiration. Every jump that he took, my legs trembled for him to cross, literally. But now, his final jumps of his entire high jump career could only be described as fantastic. 1.8 meters.

After that, he went up with the Secondary One's and inspired so much morale from them. His speeches really shook. Still, he remained very humble. Such a rare trait. Such a great person.

Next. If i remembered clearly, there were rumours of Hwa Chong having trouble attaining for the 10th CONSECUTIVE time, the C'Division Title. Gosh, it was so scary. To think that you would lose before you even walk into the arena. But still, we proved everyone wrong. A big thank you to Mitch for attaining that javelin gold. It was so awesome watching you hurl that stick 41meters. Great job!

Finally, the track and field dinner... i have to say was quite a success. The fact that most of us, in fact i believe that all of us, managed to return with a full stomach, was pretty fulfilling. When i returned home, i never felt so tired. But, it was all worth it. C'Division and B'Division titles are both back in our hands. B'Division for 20 consecutive years, C'Division for 10 consecutive years. Great job everyone!

However, the newspaper totally understated it. Even last year, all Hwa Chong had was just a single line summarising the B and C division win. Perhaps, THEY SHOULD HAVE WROTE A BIT MORE! About what? Well, for a start they haven't even mentioned the fact that B'Division has held on to the title for 19 years and that this year was our 20th. Hey, its their job to write, they should at least write more.

TIme to shine

Tomorrow is the 51st Track and Field Nationals finals. The finale is about to come. I can't wait.

Looking back, it has been exactly a year since the last finals. So much has changed. So much improvement. Yet so many set backs too.

Looking back. i see just how much i have changed. Just two years ago, HPPS IT and Media club member has suddenly been chosen to join HCI's track and field. Unbelievable. I never thought that i would do a sport. Yet, now it is so different. I just cannot imagine how it would have been if i didn't join track and field. Life would be so different, i would be so much less tanned.

Not very good.

Though sometimes i get really really irritated when Gary shows off his untanned exterior by calling me "coloured folk". How funny.

Even so, i earned that name. Toiling for hours under the insanely hot sun. The countless shin splints and luckily, i remain injury-free... touch wood touch wood. My fellow jumpers are so friendly. Its great to be in their company. Jumping together, running together, chatting together.

Sometimes, i think Singapore is too task-oriented. We all aim for points, results, medals... the goals are endless. But how many can actually achieve it? Everywhere i see, i see success. Mr Tan once said "why can't we have a cca just for fun?" It would be pointless, we need the accolades. But yet, he has a point. Why? Lets just blame the system for now.. or us chinese being too competitive. The thrill of competing is indescribable. Just walking up to the high jump mat already has my heart throbbing. Even thinking of it makes me feel excited. But, it is not the competition that is thrilling. Its the experience.

Can you believe it? During a competition, a NATIONAL competition, we laugh at each others names? WAH! Amazing ain't it. So relaxed. Perhaps. Its nice to make more friends. Especially across schools. The perspectives given are so varying.

I enjoy seeing both sides of the coin. It gives me a better view. Instead of 2D, i see it in 3. Also, it is easier to understand. Well, i hope we win the C'Division and B'Division title AGAIN. It has become a minimum. An expectation. In school, people use your title as "tracker" as reason for your ... success in sports. Yet, they fail to understand that "tracker" is but a label. We are still the same. Just that we are required to train on a scheduled basis. Viva la trackers.