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Posted by Sha
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Our Team Singapore team that went to the Commonwealth Games. From left, Gary Yeo, Md. Elfi Mustapa, Calvin Kang, Md. Amirudin Jamal, Lee Cheng Wei, and coach Melvin Tan.
The recent Commonwealth Games saw our relays boys running third best time ever clocked by a Singapore team for the 4x100m men’s event.
The quartet, in the relay order of Gary Yeo, Md. Elfi Mustapa, Md. Amirudin Jamal, and Calvin Kang clocked 40.14 seconds, to establish the team’s season best timing.
Sprinters Gary Yeo, Md. Elfi Mustapa and Lee Cheng Wei shares their experience while they were in Delhi.
Relay Boys 4x100m Progress
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Commonwealth Games [11th Oct] 40.14s
1) Gary Yeo 2) Md. Elfi Mustapa 3) Md. Amirudin Jamal 4) Calvin Kang
Wings Meet [25th Sep] 41.29s
1) Gary Yeo 2) Md. Elfi Mustapa 3) Md. Amirudin Jamal 4) Calvin Kang
72nd Singapore Open 2010 [19th Sep] 40.71s
1) Gary Yeo 2) Md. Elfi Mustapa 3) Md. Amirudin Jamal 4) Calvin Kang
Hong Kong Open 2010 [11th July] 40.42s
1) Gary Yeo 2) Md. Elfi Mustapa 3) Lee Cheng Wei 4) Md. Amirudin Jamal
Gary Yeo
Editor: Gary ran a personal best of 10.66 seconds in the 100m event, managing to qualify for Round 2 before exiting. In the 4x100m event, the relay quartet (Gary ran the 1st leg) finished third in their Heats, clocking a season-best 40.14 seconds.
It was fun staying in the same apartment with the team. I think we had loads of fun in the village and in the apartment as well.
Contrary to media reports, the food was quite well done and the living conditions were rather good albeit a few dead insects and some dust around the house. The Games was rather successful.
Individually, I had a unlucky first race whereby there was a technical fault and I had to run a second race within 30mins; thankfully I clocked a PB of 10.66 for the 2nd race but by the time Round 2 came, I was already very tired to continue on and just clocked a 10.75.
As for relay, we are improving very consistently and get better as well so I am pretty satisfied.
For now we intend to load and train throughout inter-varsity games (IVP) and peak again at the Asian Games.
Md. Elfi Mustapa
Editor: Elfi clocked 10.73 seconds in the heats for the individual 100m event. In the 4x100m event, the relay quartet (Elfi ran the 2nd leg) finished third in their Heats, clocking a season-best 40.14 seconds.
Our stay in India was quite a memorable one. The condo style accommodation, where the whole team stays under one apartment, allows greater bonding within the team, which I felt was pretty essential for a team event like 4x100m.
The food was great, and we had a good time utilising the resident centres where there games and entertainment.
As for the media reports, they should never be relied upon. I have never been a supporter of the media, I believe they will do whatever they can just to create exciting news, often by blowing things out of proportion.
My 100m was not as what I had hoped for. I started my race quite well, keeping up with the pack. But somehow I lost focus on my own race as other runners kept getting past me, and I didnt do as plan to finish the race with stronger arm swings and keeping my frequencies till the end. It’s a good experience though.
I’m quite happy for the relay, to cut down from 40.7 at Singapore Open, to 40.14s is very encouraging, considering Calvin has just returned from injury. It’s not that far off from our 39.82s. In Asian Games, if all goes well, that will be the mark to beat.
What’s next? On paper it will be loading through IVP, and then probably maintain consistency. We will be peaking at Asian Games again, and then finish off the season with AUG.
Calvin Kang
The commonwealth games garners the same spirit of Olympism of excellence, friendship, respect.
Athletics has been the sport that garners attention, support and participation and the athletics level of competition is high.
Despite that, I think the guys did well in the individual event. Going there just for the relay, it opened my eyes to watch athletes train watching their (mechanics,their warm up routine), compete and it spurred me on to want to sprint well in the relay.
There was a gym session where we met a Canadian pole vaulter and she was doing a snatch, the weights which we were doing clean, and we realized that the strength of female athletes are like us so there is so much more we can do in strength to be at that level in sprints.
We made friends with other athletes too and Gary also took a picture with Steve hooker (pole vaulter, Olympic champion); I have a picture on my tumblr account, who eventually won the CWG.
The YOG has also given Singapore the recognition and the respect. I met a Ugandan swim coach on the bus on the way back from the stadium and he knew almost everything on athletics,the athletes biography.and there was a close connection in that team. Many other countries have the same closeness.
I find it strange that for Singapore we don’t have that same culture where other sports support each other as team Singapore rather as individuals from different sports living in the same country.
We hope to bring the same spirit of the CWG to the Asian games and give our best at the games. Not forgetting friendship and respect. Knowing the culture of the country and also enjoying the landscape and scenic of Delhi enhanced my trip experience with some pictures taken … https://calvinkang.tumblr.com.
Lee Cheng Wei
I enjoyed my stay in India. Regarding the the media reports, they definitely focused more on the negatives, rather than the positives.
We could evidently see much effort being made to improve the games to the highest standard possible.
I’m currently recovering from a hamstring injury. I’ve been going to physio/doctor at SSC.
After the Commonwealth Games it’s back to loading for the upcoming Asian Games. Preparation includes the IVP. I’m hoping to be fit by then.
I’m trying my best in the recovery process and training hard to join the team at the Asian Games. If injury still persists, I will then withdraw from the games.
Credit: Images courtesy of Asmah Hanim.
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24th Oct 2010
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