By Betty Ding (25A01B) and Jane Ng (25S03D) 
All images courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society.

An unusual number of Rafflesians gathered in the National Stadium’s OCBC Arena Hall on 8 May, bubbling with anticipation and excitement. 

The special occasion? The Badminton NSG Finals. 

It’s our girls’ team up against Hwa Chong Institution, who have been our rivals for many years. The stakes are high—we’ve defended our title as champions since 2016. Still though, it’s uncertain which side of the net the shuttlecock would fall on this time. Things are different every year, and the lead-up to the finals have been especially rocky this NSG season. 

In the bright hall, the Hwa Chong players wear red and yellow star hair clips that sparkle as they perform warm-up drills, perhaps a lucky tradition of theirs. On the other hand, our team’s lucky charm comes in a slightly more conspicuous form—a contingent of at least six classes, helmed by a team of energetic councillors. They’re armed with clappers, handmade boards and most importantly, a collective sense of vigour and school spirit.

As the announcer’s microphone booms across the hall to mark the start of the game, all eyes start to close in on Court 2. It’s then that a hush falls over the stands, and the buzzing anticipation hollows out into a sticky suspense. 

1st Singles Game: Wang Xinxuan (24S06L) vs Li Zhenghong 

On our side of the net, there’s a stark contrast between the green flooring and the bright red shirts of Hwa Chong’s coaches. They sit arms-crossed, looking over their National Team prodigy, Li Zhenghong. Facing her stands our own Wang Xinxuan, the first contender of the three singles slated to play in the finals. She assumes her starting position, eyes locked in on the shuttlecock.

The match starts swiftly. The shuttlecock soars upwards, imbued with the anticipation of all the onlookers. A flick of the wrist, and the shuttlecock flies back over the net. It’s a fierce rhythm of staccato beats, accentuated by the occasional exclamation from each player.

Hwa Chong starts strong, with a quick climb to 3-1. Nonetheless, Xinxuan maintains her composure, fighting to close the gap and level the scores. They each take turns to exchange points, grasping their way to 8-8 and 10-10 before the half-set break. 

Barely a minute later, the two players get back at it. It’s a whirlwind of rallies, but Zhenghong finds her footing first, coming out on top by the end of the first set. Hwa Chong’s momentum continues to the second set, earning them a steady lead by the half-set break. 

By now, it’s apparent that Hwa Chong would take the win home, at least for this game. 

Yet, Xinxuan maintains her cool, making sure not to go down without a fight. In a series of frenzied rallies, she valiantly squeezes out 4 more points before Hwa Chong could win their match point. And just like that, the first game of the finals ended 21-15, 21-11. 

Still, Xinxuan takes the loss in her stride. With a pat on the back from Coach Xiqing, she flashes a smile as she walks back from the court.

1st Doubles Game: Kwee Zhi Yi (24S03P) and Nicole Hu (25S03R) vs Chloe Lim and Tan Wen Shin 

Anyone who has watched a badminton game before knows that the pace of a singles match is a far cry from that of a doubles match. It’s a completely different rhythm and playstyle, which also translates into a different kind of suspense for the audience.

In this game, the duos start off relatively even, matching each other point for point at 2-2. It’s a delicate dance—dynamic agility and seamless teamwork pay off. Each rally starts with the player signalling to her partner before they take off into action. 

From then, it’s a flurry of action, full of powerful swings and close saves. Eventually though, a weak spot opens up in a pair’s defence, and the other takes advantage of it to land a merciless smash or a well-placed net shot.

The rallies were quick-paced and unpredictable, yet Zhi Yi and Nicole remained composed regardless. With every point won or lost, they uttered words of encouragement to each other before settling back into their starting positions. Although they lost 16-21 in the initial set, this fierce spirit spurred them on through the rest of the game, allowing them to stand their ground amidst the formidable plays that Hwa Chong pulled off. 

At the start of the second set, the energy in the arena was electric, with spectators letting out numerous “woahs” at the impressive plays. Zhi Yi and Nicole managed to break through HCI’s defenses with a powerful smash, eliciting cheers from the crowd. 

Despite their unyielding spirit and powerful plays, the set seemed to follow a similar pace as the previous one. An 8-9 score turned into 11-14 and a 14-17, before Hwa Chong eventually but assuredly reached 21 first. With the opposing duo’s impenetrable defense and formidable attacks, Hwa Chong slowly but surely pulled ahead, landing themselves another win. 

2nd Singles Game: Jennifer Wu (24S06N) vs Ong Yu Xian

Down 2-0 overall, the next match could very well be our last. The showdown: Jennifer, the team captain, against Hwa Chong’s Yu Xian.

Determined to place the first win for Raffles, Jennifer fights to gain the upper hand over her opponent. With every well-placed flick and smash from her, the gap between the scores widens. However, Yu Xian soon reciprocates with equally impressive shots, swiftly narrowing the gap to a tense 8-8. 

The intensity of the match reached its peak as the score climbed steadily, with neither player willing to yield. With each point crucial, the tension in the air was palpable with the scoreboard displaying 19-19. 

A strategic serve earns Jennifer a point, but Yu Xian responds with a swift counterattack, levelling the score once again. Each rally is met with bated breath from the spectators, and despite Jennifer’s best efforts, a well-executed shot from Yu Xian leaves her trailing by a single point. 

Victory was so close, yet so far, as Yu Xian clinched the decisive match point, sealing Hwa Chong’s win of the first set at 19-21. 

As the second set commenced, Jennifer wasted no time in delivering deadly and strategic shots to control the pace of the game. She quickly surged to a 7-5 lead, and the momentum continued to swing in her favour as a series of skilful shots were executed. 

Unfettered by Yu Xian’s attempt to rally, Jennifer delivered resounding smash after smash to extend her lead to 13-6. She left little room for Yu Xian to mount a comeback as the gap widened to 17-9. Her relentless onslaught continued, culminating in a commanding lead of 20-10. 

Jennifer sealed the set with the decisive winning point, securing the victory of the second set. With one more set left to play, there is still a chance RI could break the tie, win this match and fight for victory.

The final set kicks off with RI taking an early lead at 3-2, prompting jubilant cheers from supporters. However, Hwa Chong quickly levels the score at 3-3, setting the stage for an intense showdown.

Amidst the roaring crowd, Jennifer delivers a show-stopping smash, earning RI a crucial point and fueling their momentum. The players continue showcasing their skill and determination, executing breathtaking moves that left the spectators on the edge of their seats. 

With the fate of the match and the team’s championship status hanging in the balance, RI surged ahead to a 16-13 lead, sending waves of excitement through the crowd. Jennifer’s strategic shuttlecock placement kept her opponent on her toes and forced her opponent into a mad scramble to return her hits. 

The tension reached a fever pitch as the score climbed to 20-17 in favour of RI, with victory tantalizingly close. In a heart-stopping moment, Jennifer delivered the winning point with precision and finesse, clinching the set and securing RI’s triumph with a final score of 21-17.

2nd Doubles Game: Nicole Chiam (24S03H) and Wong Kylie Ann (25S07A) vs Michelle Zan and Qiu Yuxi

From the moment a player held the shuttlecock up high before the serve, to its final descension on the ground, it was just a matter of seconds in which a point was won. Exchanges are rapid, and Nicole and Kylie manoeuvre flawlessly as they ease into the rhythm of the game. It was as such that the game adopted a fast pace right from the start, with both teams showcasing their agility and reflexes. 

They started off mostly even, but the Hwa Chong pair, Michelle and Yuxi, push forward to take the lead by a single point. Their momentum is hard to stop—the score difference stretches to two points, then three. Nicole and Kylie fight on, but the other pair reaches 11 points first, cementing their lead in the mid-game break. 

Truth be told, this pairing was a rather last-minute one as injuries among team members forced adjustments to the line-up and pairings during the quarterfinals. Nicole and Kylie were chosen to take on the mantle of playing the 2nd doubles match together as they had paired up before in secondary school, and we could see the rekindling of their old synergy in this match.

The rest of the set was an uphill battle against the might that Michelle and Yuxi brought to the court. While Nicole and Kylie gave it their all, Hwa Chong’s point advantage tided them through to secure the first set with a final score of 15-21.

Determined to bounce back, the second set started with renewed vigour and a thrilling smash from RI. While Nicole and Kylie initially fell behind to 5-8, they were undeterred and slowly caught up to narrow the gap to 7-9. A powerful smash from the RI side brought some brief respite, but the score soon became 10-19. Despite their valiant efforts, the set concluded at 13-21. 

Kylie and Nicole exchanged encouraging pats on the back before walking off the court, while the red-clad stands opposite erupted into cheer. Unfortunately, our loss in this match translated to an overall win for Hwa Chong, 3-1. 

Yet, our side of the hall didn’t back down, and applauded as loud as ever. A loss is never a happy occasion, but the supporters cheered knowing that the entire team put in their all, despite all the odds. They made a valiant effort against a daunting opponent, and the games were well-played, especially this one. Friends, classmates and family members of the pair shouted words of encouragement to each of them, affirming their efforts.

3rd Singles Game: Suresh Harshidha (24S03L) vs Joelle Chee

Though the larger war for the championship title had already ended, this battle still went on. Despite the low stakes, Harshidha held herself to high standards and played earnestly. 

While Hwa Chong ended up coming out on top, Harshidha pulled off a great performance, and the supporters knew it too. Yells of encouragement could be heard from the stands, and we even caught a passing remark, in which someone commented, “Look at her improvement though!” 

It might have been a brutal match in which both sets were lost, but Harshidha stood fearless in the face of the storm regardless.

Reflections

Where others would have cried, the girls’ team cheered. As the final standings were announced, the RI team stood tall and proud with their medals and their arms around each other. A resounding cheer sounded off from the stands, showering the team with shouts of affirmation.

For the team, the lost title wasn’t so much as important as the experience. While it might seem  unfortunate that the eight-year streak was broken on paper, the truth is that making it to the 8 May showdown was equally as significant of a success for the team. 

“Getting to the finals wasn’t easy,” Coach Xiqing commented. “The girls could have lost previous games.” Having faced other strong competitors in previous rounds, the team was already overjoyed to have made it to the finals. 

“I’m actually very proud of my team,” Jennifer, the Team Captain, affirmed. “Despite our loss today, everyone played their best and held up against the pressure of playing against a much stronger opponent today.”

“My life’s purpose has been fulfilled!” A player giddily exclaimed during the post-match celebrations. As soon as the award ceremony ended, parents and friends of the team members swarmed them with smiles and hugs. 

Heartfelt congratulations were offered, bouquets were given, and many, many photos were taken. The sincerity of these interactions was infectious, and as fellow Rafflesians, we found ourselves filled with joy for the team. 

For the Year 6 players, the end of the match likewise marked the conclusion to their NSG careers. For them though, this milestone was not about the colour of the trophy they got in the end, but rather the times they have shared over the past two years. 

Indeed, when asked what her favourite part of the team was, Jennifer’s immediate response was the sense of unity and bondedness that held them together. In fact, many of the seniors’ connection extends back even further to their secondary school days in RGS, where they first started training with each other. 

This NSG season was a core experience for them not just because of the rallies they have played, but more importantly because of the blood, sweat and tears they have poured into their craft.

For the Year 5 players, there’s still another year left—a chance for them to reclaim the coveted title of champions. As Coach Xiqing aptly put it, “We will get there.” But for now, they would celebrate the end of the season, and party it out with the rest of the team. 

If there’s one word we would use to describe our girls’ team, it would be gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to play, for making it to the finals, for each other. It’s this kind of spirit, no matter the outcome of the match, that truly represents what it means to play from the heart.

Girls’ Badminton Team

Jennifer Wu 24S06N – Captain
Wang Xinxuan 24S06L – Vice-Captain
Nicole Chiam 24S03H
Suresh Harshidha 24S03L
Kwee Zhi Yi 24S03P
Lim Rui Bin 25S03M
Janelle Lim 25S03E
Nicole Hu 25S03R
Tiffany Teo 25S06J
Wong Kylie Ann 25S07A