SINGAPORE — In one of the most commanding performances in recent years, the Singapore Sports School produced a remarkable show to be crowned overall champions at the 20th National Schools “B” Division Tenpin Bowling Championship.

At the Orchid Bowl in Yishun yesterday, the Sports School swept half of the 10 titles at stake.

It was the best possible response to losing the Boys’ Overall crown to Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) last year, and the Sports School’s Bowling Academy Head Coach Thomas Fox said the task now is to maintain their position at the top.

“When we lost the title last year, I told myself it’s not going to happen again,” said Fox, 58.

“This increased our will to win, so we single-mindedly worked really hard towards that ... The school gives us three overseas trips per year. We’ve been to Australia earlier this year for the Australia Youth Championships and we plan to go to Thailand next month for the Thai Open.

“All these will give them more experience to be calmer and teach them how to deal with competitive situations and pressure.”

Admitting that he made a couple of tactical and strategic errors last year that contributed to them losing the championship, Fox believes they have regrouped well and learnt from their mistakes.

Oh Xin Qi, part of the Sports School’s victorious girls’ team which clinched the overall girls’ title, admitted there was more pressure on them to do well as they had to live up to their reputation as one of the leading teams in the school sports scene.

“I’m very happy and relieved at the result. It was only towards the last two days that I felt like we had a good chance of winning,” said the 16-year-old.

And if the school needed a reminder that staying at the top can prove more difficult than getting there, it came in the form of Tan Gian Yion.

The 15-year-old Secondary 3 student from ACS(I) edged out the Sports School’s Darren Ong to clinch the boys’ individual All-Events crown by 3,832 pinfalls to 3,769 over 18 games in the singles, doubles and team events.

“I’ve to give it to him because he gave it his all and is a really good bowler. I did my best, but it probably just wasn’t my day,” said Darren, 16.

Gian Yion, however, downplayed his own achievement.

Said the 15-year-old: “I think it’s really quite a feat. It was technical and mental. I just kept focusing on each shot. I actually cared more about my team.”