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Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Lya Chua battles cramp to help Hwa Chong claim fourth straight A Div volleyball title
Lya Chua of Hwa Chong Institution continued to play on despite having cramp in both her legs. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM SINGAPORE – Leading 2-1, Hwa Chong Institution were under the cosh after squandering a seven-point lead in the fourth game in their bid to win a fourth straight National School Games A Division girls' volleyball title on May 27. That was when regular libero, Lya Chua, suffered cramp, forcing her to be substituted, as the momentum swung the way of their final opponents Nanyang Junior College. With the match finely balanced, Lya decided to brave the pain and return to the court. The vocal presence of the 17-year-old proved to be the tonic her team needed as the gruelling game went to deuce before Hwa Chong prevailed 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 30-28) at Our Tampines Hub. 'I got cramp in both my legs. But I wanted to do my part and I felt that my role at that point was on the court with my teammates, so that's why I decided to push through,' said Lya, who admitted she would have played a fifth set despite the cramp. Hwa Chong Institution's Chrystel Lim (in red, 11) and Elizabeth Chia (12) blocking a spike by Melanie Yong (in black, 3) of Nanyang Junior College. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Captai n Elizabeth Chia , 18, added: 'It feels very exhilarating (to win) because Hwa Chong volleyball is really like a family and I feel very grateful and proud to be able to play and win for this team.' Nanyang captain Loo Yu Wen was satisfied despite the defeat, after leading the team to their first final since 2019 . 'We've had quite a few injuries this year but for every set, we always pushed until the end and I'm just glad the team tried their best,' said the 18-year-old. While the Nanyang girls were disappointed, their boys took revenge by beating Hwa Chong 3-0 ( 25-18, 25-22, 25-23 ) in the final for their third A Div title in a row. Nanyang Junior College captain Renfred Eng (second from right) holding the trophy aloft. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Nanyang boys' captain Renfred Eng, 18, said: 'I'm very proud of this team because they have been so adaptable. I've played open spiker for basically my whole volleyball career but this year, coach decided to put me as a setter because he wanted me to help with the blocking. 'Our (usual) setters are not very tall. We wanted to make use of my height to block and I think it worked out because no one could stop us.' Rehan Fernando, another standout player, attributed his explosive jumps to the intensive gym training. 'Before training, we will always go for an hour or hour-and-half sessions,' said the 19-year-old. Rehan Tharusha Fernando was one of his team's best players in the final. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Hwa Chong captain Sean Yu, 17, was content despite the result. 'I think we really played as a team. Even when we're down, we help each other and lift each other up. Hopefully, this (experience) will make the (future batches) more hungry for the elusive title.' Eunoia Junior College (EJC) beat Dunman High School 3-1 in the girls' third-place play-off while Victoria Junior College beat EJC by the same score for the boys' bronze. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Loh Kean Yew a hit with kids at HSBC clinic for ST School Pocket Money Fund beneficiaries
National shuttler Loh Kean Yew showing beneficiaries of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund how to adopt a proper stance for hitting the shuttlecock during a coaching clinic organised by HSBC Singapore in partnership with STSPMF at SBH East Coast @ EXPO on May 24, 2025. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM SINGAPORE – As men's singles world No. 10 and a father to a 10-month-old boy, Singapore badminton star Loh Kean Yew proved to be a natural when it comes to coaching kids. On May 24, the 27-year-old led a coaching clinic organised by HSBC, in partnership with The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF), which supports children from low-income families with financial assistance to help them through school. Through the 90-minute clinic at SBH East Coast @ EXPO, Loh was a hit with the 30 primary school pupils as he interacted, warmed up and sparred with them. He patiently taught the weaker players to 'swing forward' their rackets, and reacted animatedly with a laugh whenever a kid smashed a shuttlecock past him. He said: 'I'm excited to share my passion for badminton with these young players and be part of this meaningful clinic with HSBC and The Straits Times. 'My journey in the sport began at a young age, and I understand how transformative these early experiences can be. I look forward to inspiring these children and perhaps discovering Singapore's future badminton stars.' For the kids, it was a rare opportunity to meet, play and learn from the 2021 world champion. Aiden Leo, a 10-year-old from Ang Mo Kio Primary School who had just switched his co-curricular activity to badminton, said: 'The clinic was super fun. I learnt new skills, got better at playing, and made some new friends. Now I feel more confident when I play.' For HSBC, the clinic represents the bank's ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for its global community. Drawing on its rich portfolio of sports partnerships in badminton, rugby, golf, tennis and more, HSBC has benefited more than 550,000 children worldwide through its grassroots programmes. Within Singapore, HSBC has a strong history of supporting youth sports development. They include the long-running HSBC Youth Golf Challenge in partnership with the Singapore Golf Association, which has nurtured professionals like Olympian Shannon Tan, Gregory Foo and James Leow. The bank also conducted its first rugby coaching clinic in April, continuing its tradition of leveraging global sports partnerships to benefit local communities. Wong Kee Joo, CEO of HSBC Singapore, said: 'Aligned with Singapore's Vision 2030 for sports development, we hope to leverage our international network in sport to inspire the next generation and contribute meaningfully to our community's sporting ambitions.' STSPMF general manager Lau Hui Ling added: 'We are deeply appreciative of HSBC's continued support for our cause by creating these unique experiences for our students. These opportunities expand their horizons and encourage them to pursue their dreams with confidence.' In addition to the coaching clinic, the participants got to keep their rackets and each received a pair of tickets to the May 27-June 1 KFF Singapore Badminton Open, which features world champions such as Thailand's men's singles world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn and South Korea's women's singles world No. 1 An Se-young. But there is no question who the top draw will be for Khairul Amri, a 12-year-old from East Spring Primary School. He said: 'I really look forward to seeing Loh Kean Yew, who is such an inspiration. His speed, power and fighting spirit make every match exciting to watch. 'Seeing him play live will be a big moment for me.' Loh will be eyeing a deep run at the US$1 million (S$1.28 million) event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, where he will open his campaign against European champion and world No. 9 Alex Lanier. In their only previous encounter, the 20-year-old Frenchman edged out the Singaporean in three games in the 2024 Denmark Open quarter-finals. Loh, who will meet either the 18th-ranked Frenchman Toma Junior Popov or Japan's world No. 23 Yushi Tanaka if he progresses, said: 'It's going to be challenging, because we're up against the very best in the world here. 'But playing at home in Singapore is always special. The cheers from the crowd lift me, and I'm ready to give it everything I've got.' Meanwhile, the 22nd-ranked Jason Teh faces a daunting first-round test against defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi. In the women's singles, world No. 12 Yeo Jia Min is looking to break a 3-3 head-to-head deadlock with Thailand's 10th-ranked Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the opening round, with the winner likely to meet Olympic champion An in the last 16. In the mixed doubles, world No. 28 Terry Hee and Jin Yujia will take on Indonesia's 27th-ranked Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja. Following overwhelming demand, organisers released additional tickets earlier this week via Ticketmaster, with daily passes ranging from $40 to $330 and season passes priced from $100 to $450. David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Hwa Chong regain girls' A Div basketball title; ACJC complete three-peat for boys
Eunoia Junior College's Gweneth Low (left) attempting to block a layup by Hwa Chong Institution's Eda Kong (right) in the National School Games A Div Girls' basketball final at Jurong East Sports Hall on May 23, 2025. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM SINGAPORE – A strong defence was the key as Hwa Chong Institution's girls' basketball team regained their National School Games A Division title by defeating Eunoia Junior College 53-36 at Jurong East Sport Hall on May 23. In the process, Hwa Chong, who had lost 57-44 to Nanyang Junior College in the 2024 final, also claimed a record-extending 14th title. When asked what was the key factor behind their success, Hwa Chong coach Neo Beng Siang replied: 'Defence, always emphasise on defence. We needed to match our opponents' intensity and play good defence. 'I need to thank all the players for their effort and intensity and, of course, our opponents and their never-give-up mentality to keep fighting, although they were down by 20.' His captain, point guard Madelin Lock, who scored a game-high 18 points, said: 'I felt that the team was really nervous at first, but our fighting spirit and our team camaraderie allowed us to push through, even though we were missing our shots. 'We fought for everything, and for me personally, they (the team) really lifted me up and they kept encouraging me.' Hwa Chong Institution's Madelin Lock sinking a free throw in the National School Games A Div Girls' basketball final at Jurong East Sports Hall on May 23. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Both teams got off to a scrappy start and it took two minutes before Hwa Chong opened the scoring via a free throw from Julia Sim. But they soon got into their stride and held a commanding 18-6 lead heading into the second period. Eunoia coach Allen Lee said: 'We didn't play according to our game plan. In the first quarter, Hwa Chong managed to pull ahead and open a lead against us. 'So from then on, it was an uphill battle, but I'm very proud of the girls, because we never gave up.' Hwa Chong further extended their advantage in the second and third quarters, leading 31-15 and 48-25 respectively. Eunoia fought back in the final quarter, outscoring Hwa Chong 11-5, but it was not enough to overturn a 23-point deficit. Eunoia captain and power forward Allysa Lidya Bintang said: 'In this final, we had really a lot of hope to win. 'Throughout the game, our level of fight was really there, but unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted, but it's okay, I'm really, really proud of my team, because they really fought all the way until the end.' Anglo-Chinese Junior College captain Eshan Kaul holding the trophy aloft as his teammates celebrate their win over Raffles Institution in the National School Games A Div boys' basketball final at Jurong East Sports Hall on May 23. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM In the A Division boys' final, Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) overcame a slow start to beat Raffles Institution (RI) 64-57 and claim their third consecutive title. RI flew out of the blocks and quickly gained a 10-5 lead over the defending champions. But ACJC eased into the game and finished the first quarter 15-14 up. 'I think we came out of the gate with a very strong belief that we could have done it,' said RI captain Ignatius Lau, a shooting guard. 'That was probably the best start we could have asked for. We knew that they were going to hit us back. But I feel like my team has responded really well, we still kept in the game and made sure that we gave them a good fight.' RI coach Kua Hiong Yong added: 'To reach this final and then post such a big fight to the team that has two consecutive championships... I think they have done whatever they can, so I'm very proud of my boys today.' Raffles Institution's S Adityah (in white) attempting to block a reverse lay-up by Anglo-Chinese Junior College's captain Eshan Kaul (in dark blue) in the National School Games A Div Boys' basketball final at Jurong East Sports Hall on May 23. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM ACJC then turned up the heat in the second quarter, going into the half 32-23 up, before maintaining their lead despite RI outscoring them 15-14 and 19-18 in the third and fourth quarters respectively. ACJC coach Lee Boon Hian, who was very animated throughout, shouting instructions from the sidelines, said he believes this helped 'the players to push further, because I think they were kind of lost'. He added: 'Being vocal will lead them to the championship.' His captain, power forward Eshan Kaul added: ' Our coach is always like that. That's his way of encouraging us and motivating us. And through training he's like this, and it's a lot of pressure, but it trains us for this moment exactly, so that when the time gets tough, we can execute his plan. 'The feeling is great, we train super hard and have had a lot of problems, but to come back and win it, it's an incredible feeling.' Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Raffles Institution learn from past mistake to win first A Div cricket title since 2018
SINGAPORE – During their previous meeting in the National School Games A Division boys' cricket competition on May 13, Raffles Institution (RI) were confident they could outscore the 114 runs in 20 overs accumulated by defending champions Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). Confidence soon turned into complacency however, as RI, batting second, fell just short, amassing 113 runs in the same amount of overs, losing by just one run. As the two schools squared off again in the final at Ceylon Sports Club on May 23, RI were determined to not repeat that mistake. Keeping their focus in the sweltering heat, they won by eight wickets. RI captain Shreevathsa Chihnan said: 'That loss (by one run) helped us realise that we shouldn't be complacent at any moment of the game, regardless of whether we're leading or when we're losing. 'That's what we learnt from that game, and we won today because of that loss. It was a really needed loss.' Captain and wicket-keeper Shreevathsa Chihnan (centre) celebrating with bowler Sehgal Aarav (left) after bowling out Anglo-Chinese School's (Independent) captain and batsman Bhatnagar Aditya (right). RI recovered from their earlier loss to ACS(I) to win the title. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM The win marks RI's first A Division cricket title since 2018 and ended ACS (I)'s run of four straight titles from 2019 to 2024, excluding the Covid-19 pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. 'I think if any batch could do it, it would have been our batch because it's not about the skills or the talent. It's about how much chemistry we have and how well bonded we are. And I think truly for the last six, seven months of training, we deserve this really much,' added Chihnan, 18. There was immediately a sense of deja vu when ACS (I), just like in their last meeting, won the coin toss, elected to bat first and racked up 125 runs in 20 overs . Shree Bhala Raj, 17, who contributed 46 of those runs, said: 'I batted well and bowled well. Even when you're not on the right side of the score, it's important that you (still) get a (sense of) self-satisfaction that I've given my best.' It gave RI an even bigger mountain to climb when the teams changed hands between innings. What followed was a stellar batting performance from the Rafflesians, in particular, Nikhil Arora . In extraordinary circumstances, Nikhil found himself out on the pitch for the entirety of the inning, having not been caught out. In that spell, he greatly contributed to his team's score, slamming the ball out of bounds without bounce five times, a hit typically known as a six. Nikhil Arora (centre) scored five 6s during his time batting. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM RI went on to overcome ACS (I)'s 125 runs in emphatic fashion, scoring 126 in 18.5 overs, resulting in them winning by eight wickets. 'I think for every batter, hitting a six feels magnificent,' said Nikhil. 'But you have to tell yourself to not get carried away. In the game against ACS (which they lost by one run), we lost right at the end. So I just made sure that this time I had to be there to finish it.' The 17-year-old admitted that he got tired during the second inning, but 'all the adrenaline' kept him going. He added: 'We've really had such a shortage of trophies in the past. I hope my team has influenced the younger generation to carry on a tradition of success.' ACS (I) captain Aditya Bhatnagar had mixed emotions about his side's loss in the final, but they were not 'entirely negative'. 'We didn't panic today, nor did we choke. If you go to all 11 people who played, we all consider each other brothers. Everybody was calm and composed until the very last ball. That's the way it should be,' said Bhatnagar, 18. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
JS-SEZ received up to S$709 million investment interest
These intended investments will contribute to the development of the 11 Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone economic sectors. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Johor could see up to S$709 million in investment from Maybank's Singapore clients – Johor could see as much as RM2.35 billion (S$709 million) in investment inflows over the next three to 10 years from Maybank's Singapore-based clients, the Malaysian bank said on May 19. These intended investments will contribute to the development of the 11 Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) economic sectors, particularly in the green economy, manufacturing, logistics and healthcare. The Malaysian bank said its three Singapore clients have expressed interest in investing in Johor's special economic zone: Thomson Medical Group and Centurion Corp – which are both listed on Singapore's stock exchange – and Alpine Renewables and Edible Oils, a supplier of feedstock to biofuel producers in the United States, Europe, South Korea and China. The three Singapore-headquartered clients submitted letters of intent (LOIs) to the Iskandar Regional Development Authority at the JS-SEZ Partners' Dialogue: Advancing Facilitation event hosted by Malaysia's Ministry of Economy on May 19. 'These LOIs signal confidence in the JS-SEZ's strategic value,' said Maybank's president and group chief executive officer Khairussaleh Ramli. The bank has also launched initiatives to position the JS-SEZ as a regional hub – this includes strengthening the local ecosystem, including upskilling micro, small and medium enterprises in areas of supply chain and halal facilitation, he said in a statement. Thomson Medical Group, which is controlled by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim, is banking on the JS-SEZ's medical hub potential to develop Thomson Hospital Iskandariah on a 1.5ha site in Stulang, Iskandar. The healthcare player specified a 'strong interest' to invest up to RM1.5 billion over the next 10 years on a multi- specialty tertiary care facility that could create about 1,500 jobs, Maybank said. Meanwhile, Centurion, which owns and manages worker and student accommodation worldwide, has expressed interest in investing RM300 million to RM500 million in the next five years to double its bed capacity in the JS-SEZ to address employers' needs for centralised living quarters in key sectors of the zone. And Alpine Renewables and Edible Oils plans to invest around RM350 million over the next three years to develop renewable energy feedstock pretreatment and renewable biodiesel refinery facilities in the Tanjong Langsat Industrial Port, in anticipation of rising demand for sustainable biofuels. As well as facilitating the submission of the LOIs from its Singapore clients, Maybank also signed an LOI with Malaysia's Economy Ministry, outlining interests in joint efforts to promote the JS-SEZ. In addition, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli told media at the event that six international banks are keen on signing LOIs to invest in the JS-SEZ . 'The idea is to make sure that we have large international banks to cater to each region. That's why you have CGS International looking for primarily Chinese investors, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation to look after East Asia, CIMB and Maybank for local and regional investors. 'We also have Bank of America and HSBC for the Americas and we have one European bank that we have been talking to for a while. I think they will come on board, they have been working with us. They are taking slightly longer (to sign on), ' said Datuk Seri Rafizi. Already, Johor has secured about RM23 billion in its investment pipeline for the month of April alone, said Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi. This comes on top of the RM27.4 billion in investments the state recorded in the first quarter of 2025. 'If these numbers hold – and we believe they will – Johor will exceed RM50 to RM60 billion in total investments in (full-year) 2025, surpassing last year's RM48.5 billion. This will position Johor yet again in the top three investment destinations in Malaysia (after Selangor and Kuala Lumpur) ,' said Datuk Onn on May 19. For the whole of 2024, Johor attracted RM48.5 billion in investments, up from RM43.1 billion in 2023, according to data from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). Johor's Chief Minister added that the government is actively engaged with 47 other potential investors in countries such as Singapore, China, and South Korea for possible investments totalling RM40.1 billion i n key areas such as manufacturing, data centres and energy. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
