Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Asian Youth Games - Singapore's 6th gold - Sailing

From TODAY online.com & Monday July 6,2009, Page 23, TODAY
http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/pdf/20090706/0607SPC023.pdf
By Tan Yo-Hinn, yohinn@mediacorp.com.sg
Unbeatable Darren
Sports School star shows huge promise after cruising to sailing gold


AsiaOne, Mon, Jul 06, 2009, http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20090629-151611.html
Sailor Darren Choy proves his mettle over 6 days

DAY 1 of the sailing programme at the Asian Youth Games began last Tuesday, and at the end of each daily session, Darren Choy emerged at the head of the pack in the boys’ Byte CII class.

Yesterday, the 15-year-old completed his 10th race of the event and as usual, led the field. This time, though, there was a prize at the end of the day, gold, the first for Singapore in sailing.


From TODAY online.com & Monday July 6,2009, Page 23, TODAY
http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/pdf/20090706/0607SPC023.pdf
By Tan Yo-Hinn, yohinn@mediacorp.com.sg
Unbeatable Darren

So dominant has been the performance by the Singapore Sports School student that his coaches predict a great future for Darren at the highest levels of his sport.


Darren (with mum Kelly and dad Calvin) has been in all-conquering form, winning eight races and never finishing out of the top two. By Tan Yo-Hinn

“Darren had always been a raw talent in the Optimist, very inconsistent,” said Singapore Sailing chief executive officer Andrew Sanders. “But in the last six months, something’s changed in him. He’s become more and more consistent and he’s a (medal) potential for the future, including next year’s Youth Olympics.

“For him to dominate the competition like this, with the unpredictable wind shifts and conditions here and second place his worst result, it is almost unheard of in sailing.” Singapore Sailing’s high performance chief Mark Robinson added: “He’s got the boat craft now and a maturity about him.”


An-A-for-sailing

Secondary Three student Darren won Race 10 to give himself an unassailable 10 nett points in the 12-strong fleet. Going into today’s 11th and final race, he holds a seven-point lead after one discard over Thailand’s Pongwichean Supakon (17.00), who is assured of a silver. Malaysia’s Muhd Amirul Shafiq (32.00) will receive the bronze.


This is the Time, this is the Moment (Gallery)

Darren has won eight of the 10 races in the Byte CII so far and finished second in the other two legs. He struggled to shed light on his stunning form. “I don’t know how to explain it, except I can switch ‘On’ (into competition mode) very easily,” he said. “I can be joking one moment, but can turn it on in just seconds. It’s probably from years of training and competitions.”

Darren is part of a 15-strong training squad for next year’s Youth Olympics and he will be competing with five other sailors for a spot to represent Singapore in the boys’ Byte CII event. He should be the favourite, based on how his parents described their youngest son’s mindset. “He’s always been self-driven and it’s his way of doing things,” said mum Kelly, 43.


Darren (with mum Kelly and dad Calvin) has been in all-conquering form, winning eight races and never finishing out of the top two. By Tan Yo-Hinn

Dad Calvin added: “Four years ago, when he was still attending karate lessons, he was required to chop bricks as part of his test to attain the green belt, and he did it without hesitation. That’s him, always giving it his best in whatever he does.”

Singapore is assured of a silver in the girls’ Byte CII class with one race remaining. Najwa Jumali, the 15-year old Raffles Girls’ School student, is second with 20 nett points after winning Race 10. She is five points behind leader Jittiwa Thanawitwilat of Thailand, who has 17 points. China’s Gu Min (25.00) is set to finish third.


花开富贵 (The valuable blooming flower) by 黄晓君 Huang Xiao Jin & The Stylers
huā kāi fù guì
Picture is from http://www.youtube.com/ created by Alvin EH Tan, December 2008

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