Selangor table tennis team confident of winning more golds this year

Selangor table tennis team confident of winning more golds this year

By Y.P. SIVAM

SELANGOR, armed with an intensive training programme, are looking forward to an impressive outing in the Milo-Malaysian Youth table tennis championships starting at the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) Arena today.

At the last championships, catering for Under-14 and Under-17 for both girls and boys, Selangor returned with two gold medals and a bronze.

However for this year’s championships, Selangor’s head of delegation Lim Kwee Hong said they were optimistic of a better outing.

“We had initiated an all-year training programme. And our players have shown tremendous progress. Most of the juniors have been consistent in training.

Great stuff: The juniors looking at the products sponsored by Fusion Excel International.

“We have also initiated a week-long centralised training programme. We certainly have reasons to be optimistic of an impressive outing,’’ said Lim.

At the last championships, Selangor’s gold medal winners were Lee Rou You (girls’ Under-14 singles) and the girls’ Under-14 team while the bronze came from the boys’ Under-14 team.

Most of the players in the teams had represented Selangor in the Milo-Hopes Malaysia table tennis championships last year. Selangor won seven gold medals in the championships for Under-10 and Under-13.

Lim said the impressive players from last year’s Under-13 age group have gained promotion to the Under-15 teams.

“We hope to see them make an impact in the competition. It is also an excellent opportunity for our juniors, particularly those in the Under-15 age group, to show their potential and earn place in the national junior squad,’’ added Lim.

Lee Rou You and Lim Ann Er, representatives in the girls Under-15 team, have been selected to represent Malaysia in the Asian Junior championships in Singapore.

The Selangor contingent, comprising 18 boys and 16 girls, have also received sponsorship from Triox Trade, the distributors of Xiom brand in Malaysia, and Fusion Excel International.

Triox Trade director Hew Fen Phin said they were happy with the Selangor Table Tennis Association (STTA)’s development and training programmes.

“Their juniors have shown tremendous commitment and the officials are dedicated. We are proud to be associated with them. We hope to see Selangor excel in the championships,’’ said Hew.

The Selangor contingent

Boys

Under-17: Chong You Tiang, Chong weng San, Foo Duncan, Foo Chie Jing, Mohd Rahmad Abdullah, Mohd Nzari Baharuddin, Wan Firdaus Ishak, Lim Yan Zhang, Leong Chee Feng.

Under-15: Foo Dunley, Sung Eng Jen, Mohd Hasri Fikri Mohamed, Ong Wei Li, Chua Tzong Lin, Leong Chee Feng, Muhammad Hafiz Salehudin, Lee Yik Chen, Muhammad Akmal Safwan.

Girls

Under-17: See Iu Xiuan, Tan Kai Lin, Chua Wan Zhen, Wong Wei Chin, Nurufarahin Najif, Valery Kho Ke Shin.

Under-15: Lim Ann Er, Lee Rou You, Lim Ja Ja, Alisa Wong Yoke Mei, See Mei Yee, Amanda Wong Ee Ling, Ho Yen Xin, Joseline Ngu Tze Qin, Tan Kai Chen, Ng Shi Jie.

Officials: Lim Kwee Hong, Foo Siang Meng, Lee Chew Heok,. Lean Chowa Hok, Zhang Xiang, Choo Sim Guan, Lian Tan Yong, Ramli Mohamad.