After one and a half month of valiant battle among six halls from court to swimming pool, from field to track, IHG finally comes to an end today. To see countless of hours spent on training, perfecting their skills and sharpen their edges, regardless of winning medals or not, all sportsmen and sportswomen have brought pride to their respective halls. Nonetheless, this year IHG 08/09 is a very special IHG indeed as our hall was on a mission to regain the throne from EH. Will our hall able to regain the coveted IHG Overall Championship this year?

The closing ceremony kick starts with a speech given by NUS sports director Lawrence Sim. After his inspirational and encouraging words, a cheerleading performance was presented by none other than our hall. Our hall’s cheerleaders team consists of Michelle (Captain), Edmund (Captain),Mak Heon, Hui Ping, Hui Shan, Cherlynn, Felicia, Ming Ee, Muthu, Jonathan, Zu Rong, Leon, Guan You, Yan Kai, Kenrick, Wilson and Byron. As the music started to roll, the cheerleaders quickly stood in their respective positions and the girls perform the basket toss, starting the show with a bang. This highly advanced technique propels Mak Heon, Hui Ping and Felicia to a height about 15 feet in the air, the crowd gives a huge ovation for their impressive performance. After the basket toss, it was the double extension prep and the 2-2-1 pyramid. After that, Guan You and Leon give the crowd a glimpse of TH hip-hop dance. At this point, the crowd’s cheers got louder and louder with each passing second. After the dance, the team regroups. They set up a triple deck and the girls jump and perform a very synchronized double reversed somersault. The performance ends with yet another bang with our cheerleaders performing a high risk 2 ½ high pyramid with the crowd not only from our hall, but also other halls cheering wildly for our cheerleaders’ spectacular performance.

Other than our hall, Kent Ridge Hall too has its own cheerleaders team, and they too, put up a splendid performance. Their finely executed stunts, and well- coordinated performance kept the crowd clapping all the way. This was then followed by a band performance from Sheares Hall. The band performed two songs entitled ‘Bush’ and ‘Symphony of Destruction’.

After the band performance, the next event is the event that everyone has been waiting for, the Award Presentation Ceremony. This is an event where the champions for individual sports are announced and medals are presented to winners. Our hall has won the female and male swimming, female table tennis, male floorball, female soccer, female basketball, female badminton and female handball. Our hall has also won the overall female championship with Zu Rong receiving the coveted trophy from Dr Gary Tan, Hall Master of Sheares Hall, while the overall male championship is won by Eusoff Hall. Finally the MC announces the overall winner for IHG 08/09, Eusoff Hall has emerged as the champion for this year IHG, while our hall has come in as runner up in the overall tally. This is followed by Kent Ridge Hall in the third place, Sheares Hall in fourth place, King Edward VII Hall in fifth place and lastly Raffles Hall in the sixth place.

Unhampered by the result, Zu Rong lead fellow Temasekians in a traditional Seven Plus One (7+1) Cheer, a fitting finale for our quest for IHG 08/09. As IHG 08/09 has finally ended, this will be one of those IHGs filled with unforgettable memories, be it sweet or bittersweets ones.

By Wei Yung