Fernel Retains Title As Best Youth In East Asia

2020 East Asia Youth Airgun Competition

The 2020 East Asia Youth Airgun Competition (EAYG) was scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan, but athletes found themselves competing on homeground instead. The EAYG was organised from 11 to 12 December 2020 in a hybrid format comprising both physical and virtual competition.

Over the two days, competitors from China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, between 15 and 18 years old, gathered at a single location in their respective countries before the competition commenced over the online platform Zoom. In Singapore, eight Singapore Sports School shooters, out of the Republic’s 12, gathered at SAFRA Yishun for the international competition.

Post-secondary student-athlete Fernel Tan Qian Ni revealed none of the nervousness she was feeling to retain the 10m Air Rifle Women Individual title on 11 December, ahead of Chinese shooters Xu Hui and Yan Jingjing. What made the feat more impressive was that her score of 252.7 points in the Final was a mere 0.2 points from the World Record set by Indian Apurvi Chandela at the 2019 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi.

“This year’s competition was different. It was held online, and of course, I still felt pressured and nervous before the competition. Especially because it has been a while since I last shot at SAFRA Yishun. However, I’m glad that I was able to carry out my routine which I have been consistently practising during training at Singapore Sports School. This win would not have been accomplished without the guidance of my coach Lim Chea Rong,” said Fernel who is in DBS Year 2.

In addition to Fernel’s gold medal, Sports School’s shooters also contributed 4 Team bronze medals to Singapore’s tally. Three other Sports School shooters also made the top eight in their respective events: Teo Jia En (10m Air Pistol Men) finished 4th, while Emily Kek Jia Yi (10m Air Pistol Women), and Tang Hong An (10m Air Rifle Men) came in 7th.

RESULTS

10m Air Rifle Women Individual

1st – Fernel Tan Qian Ni

10m Air Pistol Men Team

3rd – Kevyn Loh Zheng Lin, Teo Jia En

10m Air Pistol Women Team

3rd – Chan Yi Xuan, Emily Kek Jia Yi, Shirlene Hew Yun Ting

10m Air Rifle Men Team

3rd – Tang Hong An

10m Air Rifle Women Team

3rd – Cecilia Ng, Fernel Tan Qian Ni