Zubin and Joshua in record-breaking form in 400m events

Anglo-Chinese Junior College’s Zubin Percy Mucherji signed off on his final appearance at the National Schools Track and Field Championships in style on Friday afternoon when he sprinted to victory in the A Division Boys 400m final, finishing ahead of Raffles Institution’s Calvin Quek and National JC’s Koo Kai Siang.

The 17-year-old, who won the same event in 49.39sec last year, clocked an improved 48.69sec to also set two new records – the championship record as well as the Schools National record. Both records (48.81) were set by Ng Chin Hui in 2012.

I assume Zubin will be serving his national service next year. He is a bright talent and  do hope that he plans to continue training during NS wherever and whenever possible, and that he will go on to represent Singapore at the SEA Games one day. The current top-three times in the event at the SEA Games (2013) are 47.22, 47.45 and 47.78. Zubin’s timing is less than a second off, and he’s only 18 this year which suggests to me that he has the potential to go further. So I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Another 400m championship record was broken today – in the C Div Boys 400m. Anglo-Chinese School Independent student Joshua Lim was just too strong for his rivals, sprinting home in 51.65sec. He not only broke Chin Hui’s record of 51.97 but was also more than three seconds ahead of nearest rival Darius Ng of Hwa Chong Institution (55.15).

In fact, to the crowd at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium today, it looked like the real battle was between Darius and HCI teammate Irving Alexander De Boer who finished third in a very close 55.17sec.

My heartiest congratulations to Zubin and Joshua. Well done, both of you!

Yours in sport

Singapore Sports Fan

Possible tougher reformative training for teenage thug who hit two ACS-I boys after rugby final

The report:

This report appeared in today’s edition of The Straits Times:

Rugby fracas: No probation for teen

(The Straits Times, 10 July 2010)

By Elena Chong

THE court yesterday ruled out putting a 16-year-old boy on probation for punching a student after a fractious inter-school rugby match.

Chan Yu Tat, formerly of St Andrew’s Secondary School (SAS) and now working as a part-time packer, will instead be assessed for tougher reformative training.

Community Court Judge Ng Peng Hong told the court that he had been ‘alarmed’ by the probation report, and said the teenager needed a structured environment to address his ‘delinquent lifestyle’.

Chan Yu Tat, 17 yrs-old accused for assaulting an ACS student at a bus stop after the school B division ruby match final. Picture taken from http://www.straitstimes.com.

If Chan is put on reformative training, he will go through a tough regimen of foot drills, counselling, education and vocational training for between 18 months and three years.

On the other hand, being put on probation, usually for two years, would have meant his being able to carry on with school or work while living at home; he would have a probation officer to check on him.

The court heard earlier that Chan had, on April 12, approached a 15-year-old student from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) after a keenly contested rugby match between their schools and punched him in the face.

The ACS (I) student fell and broke his nose.

A second similar charge against Chan for punching another ACS (I) boy will be considered when he is sentenced on July 30.

All three boys were not rugby players but supporters of their teams.

The match that ACS (I) won 8-7 was also marred by a fracas on the pitch, in which an SAS player hit his opponent. Supporters from both sides then invaded the pitch. The Singapore Schools Sports Council is investigating the incident.

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My thoughts:

I had written about this young thug back in April. You can read it here.

And I am glad that the authorities are strongly considering tougher reformative training for him as punishment.

I can only imagine the sort of trauma he must have caused those two unsuspecting Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) whose only crime was to support their school at the rugby final and be seen at the bus-stop in their school uniform after the game.

I do not hope for this chap to suffer any trauma. That would be self-defeating. But I do hope he will learn some painful lessons from this and that the punishment will help him to turn over a new leaf.

Yours in sport

Singapore Sports Fan

Arrested: The teenage thug who assaulted two ACS (I) boys after rugby final

The report:

This report appeared in today’s edition of The Straits Times:

Teen arrested over bus-stop assault

(The Straits Times, 23 April 2010)

Boy, believed to be student, surrendered after call from police

By Chan U-Gene

POLICE have arrested a 17-year-old boy suspected of assaulting an Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student at a bus stop after the Schools National B Division rugby final last week.

It is believed he is a Secondary 4 student from St Andrew’s School (SAS). The police succeeded in identifying and tracking him down with the help of a photograph an ACS(I) teacher took of him following the altercation.

It is understood the boy surrendered himself on Tuesday at the Tanglin Police Station after receiving a call from the police.

Both schools declined to comment as the police are investigating.

The attack on the ACS(I) student and his friend took place at a bus stop near the Old Police Academy, the venue of the April 12 final. They got away from the aggressor by boarding a bus. One of the victims suffered a broken nose and was taken to hospital.

The match, which ACS(I) won 8-7, was marred by an ill-tempered end. SAS player Daniel Tan hit ACS(I) opponent Leonard Wee, sparking an on-pitch invasion by students, parents and old boys from both camps.

SAS has punished Daniel and the Singapore School Sports Council is investigating.

The ACS(I) and SAS principals met last Friday and have agreed to a reconciliation session for both teams at a later date.

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My thoughts:

I had refrained from commenting on the post-match fracas and pitch invasion that took place after the National Schools Rugby U-17 Police Cup final between St Andrew’s School and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) because there was already so much being written about the incidents in the print media and online.

I didn’t think I had anything else to add to it.

But this was the report I was waiting for. I had wondered whether the police would ever catch the thug that did this to the unsuspecting ACS-I student whose only crime was to support his school at the final, and to be at the bus stop at the same time as him.

I really hope the law comes down really hard on this hooligan and I hope his school shames him too.

Stupid moron. What a stain he has brought upon his school’s name too.

Trust me, I will be looking to find out his name and picture and I will not hesitate to publish it here  if and when I do get my hands on this.

I hope the two ACS-I boys have recovered from their injuries and trauma, and I wish them well.

Yours in sport

Singapore Sports Fan