VAN TUNG
Malaysian table tennis players are confident of competing successfully at the upcoming 32nd SEA Games. The 10 players believe they will exceed their targets, after achieving very positive results at the recent Birmingham Commonwealth Games .
Alice Chang - one of the hopes of Malaysian table tennis at the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: Bernama
Female table tennis player Alice Chang, who will compete at the SEA Games for the fourth consecutive time, said that despite not being highly rated at the Birmingham Games (UK), Malaysian table tennis still created many surprises. Therefore, Malaysian table tennis players can completely "turn the tables" against opponents who are rated stronger at the 32nd SEA Games.
At the Birmingham Congress, Alice Chang said that the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia (TTAM) only set a target of 1 bronze medal, but Malaysian players brought home 2 silver medals. This is the best achievement ever for Malaysian table tennis.
“Since winning two silver medals (women’s team and mixed doubles), our confidence has increased. We are now much stronger mentally when competing against higher-rated opponents. We proved this at the Birmingham Games. The expectations placed on us will be much higher at the next SEA Games,” Alice Chang said.
At the Birmingham Games, the Malaysian women's table tennis team surprisingly defeated defending champions India 3-2 in the quarter-finals and went on to beat Wales 3-2 to reach the finals. In the mixed doubles event, the pair Javen Choong - Karen Lyne (Malaysia) excellently defeated the pair Clarence Chew - Zeng Jian (Singapore) in the semi-finals, but they had to finish second to the pair Sharath Kamal Achanta - Sreeja Akula (India).
Last month, Alice Chang also won the bronze medal in the women's singles at the World Feeder Table Tennis Championships in Antalya, Turkey. The world No. 193 player said that having defeated two "heavier" opponents, Huang Hsin (190) and Li Yu-Jhun (82), both from Taiwan, she was much more confident.
“My mission in Phnom Penh is to help the Malaysian table tennis team reach the finals. We have not played in the finals for nearly two decades. Although Singapore is very strong with naturalized players from China and Thailand and led by two Olympic players, we are still ready to beat them,” said Alice Chang, who has also won bronze medals in the women’s team event twice, at the 2017 and 2021 SEA Games.
Coach Beh Lee Wei said that the Malaysian players are ready to compete at the 32nd SEA Games, after a period of training and competition in Hebei (China). “I want the players to be mentally strong like they did at the Birmingham Games. TTAM only aims to maintain the achievement of 1 silver medal and 4 bronze medals, like at the previous SEA Games, but I want them to win gold medals.”
According to coach Beh Lee Wei, the Malaysian men's table tennis team, led by Javen Choong, has every chance of defeating defending champions Thailand.
The last time Malaysian table tennis won a gold medal at the SEA Games was 32 years ago, in the women's doubles event between Phua Bee Sim and Chong Choi Thing.
Table tennis at the 32nd SEA Games will start from May 9 to 16. The Malaysian table tennis team registered to compete with 10 players including: Leong Chee Feng, Wong Qi Shen, Javen Choong, Brandon Fong, Danny NG Wann Sing; Karen Lyne, Ho Ying, Alice Chang, Tee Ai Xin, Im Li Ying.
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