Smashing Start For Shuttlers At National Open

2021 Singapore Sports Hub National Open Championships

Singapore Sports School’s present and past shuttlers got off to a smashing start in their first local tournament in more than a year. The 2021 Singapore Sports Hub National Open Championships from 30 January to 7 February 2021 proved a successful outing for the shuttlers as they claimed 15 medals out of 20 on offer, including golds in all five events contested.

It was déjà vu for Singles players Jaslyn Hooi Yue Yann and Jason Teh Jia Heng who faced Grace Chua and Indonesian Vego Vio Nirwanda in their respective finals. In just two sets, an outcome similar to last year, they claimed victory to defend their title as national champions. Another pair that retained their crown was alumni Men’s Doubles duo Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee Yong Kai who defeated Albert Saputra and Bimo Adi Prakoso 21-16, 21-18. Terry won a second gold in the Mixed Doubles with alumna Elaine Chua Yi Ling.

In the Women’s Singles, Jaslyn, a post-secondary student-athlete in the Sports School’s customised Diploma in Business Studies (DBS) programme, met with stiff competition from fellow DBS student-athlete Nur Insyirah Khan Abdul Hamid Khan in the Semi-Finals. Jaslyn opened well, taking the first set 21-12, but Insyirah came back strong in the second set, winning 21-19, to push for a third set. It was a tense decider with Jaslyn eventually emerging the victor with final 24-22 set to end the 80-minute match.

Jaslyn continued to face resistance in the gold medal-match against national teammate Grace but the defending champion dug deep to wrap the match in all of two sets (21-17, 22-20). Insyirah and Megan Lee Xinyi (Secondary 4) finished joint-third. Megan won a second bronze medal in the Women’s Doubles with partner Ung Yi Xing, a former Sports School student-athlete.

In the Men’s Singles, Jason enjoyed a smoother run to the championship title. The alumnus remained unbeaten over eight matches, allowing his opponents to chalk up no more than 16 points against him in each set and giving himself a comfortable winning margin.

Student-athletes and alumni performed well over the week-long tournament, claiming three out of the top four spots in all five events. Altogether, they won 5 gold, 1 silver and 9 bronze medals.

RESULTS

Men's Singles

1st – Jason Teh Jia Heng

3rd/4th – Lee Wei Hong

3rd/4th – Darrion Michael Ng Weng Soong

Women's Singles

1st – Jaslyn Hooi Yue Yann

3rd/4th – Megan Lee Xinyi

3rd/4th – Nur Insyirah Khan Abdul Hamid Khan

Men's Doubles

1st – Loh Kean Hean, Terry Hee Yong Kai

3rd/4th – Kubo Junsuke, Wesley Koh Eng Keat

3rd/4th – Aaron Yong Chuan Shen, Howin Wong Jia Hao

Women's Doubles

1st – Bernice Lim Zhi Rui, Lim Ming Hui

2nd – Alexis Lee Ying Shin, Sabrina Lee Jing Yi

3rd/4th – Megan Lee Xinyi, Ung Yixing

Mixed Doubles

1st – Elaine Chua Yi Ling, Terry Hee Yong Kai

3rd/4th – Mok Jing Qiong (with partner Lai Zing Neng)

3rd/4th – Lim Ming Hui (with partner Danny Bawa Chrisnanta)