Noreen Herman (#93) leaps over the hurdle. Inez Leong (#34) came in second with a time of 15.47s. Cheryl Lie (#206) finished seventh with a time of 16.75s. (Photo 1 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Friday, July 11, 2008- It was a remarkable conclusion to an almost epic rivalry in the B Division 100 Metres Hurdles as Noreen Herman from the Singapore Sports School brought the anticipating crowd to its feet by rewriting her name once more in the record books.
Noreen thought she had it wrapped and delivered for the Finals when she initially smashed the then-record in the Heats with a time of 00:15.55, but much to her, and all other observers' amazement, fellow favourite Inez Leong Hui Xin (CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’) responded with a virtuoso performance in her own Heats, clocking 00:15.42 to install herself then as the surefire choice for the winners medal.
Indeed, just prior to the race, the stadium was buzzing with excitement over the potential for this race to crack another record, such was the intense rivalry amongst both girls over only a single Gold medal. They had both upped the ante with their performances over the days, and you could almost feel the tension pervading amongst the lanes as the girls strutted nimbly to their starting blocks.
The command "Ke Garisan!" ("On your lines") and then, the sudden "Bang!" rang through the Stadium, and they were off.
As expected, it was neck and neck between both girls , right to the wire, it was always going to be either of the two, and in the end Noreen just pipped her rival by a mere 0.12th of a second to claim Gold. And yes, it was another record, the third in the same event in two weeks. Further checks with the Singapore Amateur Athletic Association records showed that Noreen also broke the National Junior Record, a first for the 49th Inter-School Championships! Here's a quick tête-à-tête with the Winner:
Redsports: Noreen, congratulations on the win. What was going through your mind throughout the race?
Noreen: Thanks! Oh, I was fully focused during the race. I was thinking: I need to stick as close as I can to Inez, and I also wanted to make my Coach proud. At the last part, I pushed myself to my limits, and when I saw her fall back, I saw that as an advantage and opportunity to finish first.
Redsports: Indeed, you clinched it. How confident of you of winning the race? Did you expect to break the record once again?
Noreen: I was quite confident that I could do it. I wanted it really badly, but I wasn't thinking of the record, it was more of getting the first position. I didn't want to aim that far, in case I get disappointed if I didn't reach the goal.
Redsports: How was training for the competition like?
Noreen: (Smiling) It was fun, very fun. We did our routines everyday, there was no letting up. My coach gave support advice and was always positively egging me on, telling me that "You can do it" and that we should concentrate on doing the simple things that can eventually make it better overall.
And it sure made things better, even though Nureen did not participate in last year's 80 Metres C Division Hurdles finals, she more than made it up for it with a maverick performance.
It was double heartbreak though, for Inez, as Goh Weiming, also from the Singapore Sports School, broke her 80 Metres Hurdles record with a new timing of 00:12:52.
Final Result:
100 Metres Hurdles B-Girls
1st- Noreen Herman (Singapore Sports School) 00:15.35 (National Junior Record)
2nd- Inez Leong Hui Xin (CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’) 00:15.47
3rd- Lee Mei En Sarah (Nanyang Girls) 00:16.12
Sarah Lee finished fifth with a time of 13.71s last year in the C Division 80m hurdles.
Noreen helps up a fellow competitor who collapsed of exhaustion after the run. (Photo 2 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
More photos in the gallery.
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