Andrea Tan reigns supreme in Kuching Age Group meet

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KUCHING: Two-time MSSM Girls Under-12 singles champion Andrea Tan Ruen Yuen, proved her mettle in the Kuching Age Group Table Tennis Championship when she won two titles in the competition that commenced on July 21.

The 12-year-old paddler from SJK Chung Hua No. 2 beat an older opponent in Ting Ying Hii from Chung Hua Middle School No.1 4-2 in the final at the Taichi Centre along Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho yesterday.

Finishing in joint third were Kylie Teo Liyi from SMK Green Road and Alice Chang Li Sian from SJK Chung Hua No. 6.

Andrea also won the Girls Under-13 singles contest while Alice Chang was the runner-up and Elicia Tsai Xin Ni of SJK Chung Hua No. 3 and Sim Yu Qi from SJK Chung Hua No. 6 were joint third.

She was the Girls Under-12 singles champion in the MSSM table tennis championship last year and this year.

Alice Chang made amends for her second place finish in the Girls Under-13 by winning the Girls Under-15 singles title, beating Kylie Teo in the final.

In joint third were Andrea Tan and Elicia Tsai.

The Girls Under-10 title was won by Tay Lynn Jia of SJK Chung Hua No. 2 who beat Chong Chuing from SJK Chung Hua No. 3 in the final match.

Coming in joint third were Janice Chung Yi Xuan of SJK Chung Hua No. 1 and Ting Wei Jia of SJK Chung Hua No. 3.

In the Girls Under-8 category, the champion was Too Ying Xin of Tadika Sri Mawar while second and third were Chiew Yee Xin of SJK Chung Hua No. 4 and Phyllis Lim Pei Xuan of SJK Chung Hua No.2 respectively.

Meanwhile, in the Boys Under-13 final that was also played yesterday, Gabriel Ling Kerk Yu of SJK Chung Hua No. 3 beat school mate Derrick Tsai Chang Fung 4-2 to claim the title.

Louis Chung Kian Fu of SJK Chung Hua No.4 and Joel Chen Yu Chen of SJK Chung Hua No. 2 finished joint third.

Gabriel Ling also finished joint third with Rayford Kho Jin Hian of SMK Green Road in the Boys Under-19 competition.

The winner of this category was Andy Jong Ngu Suai of SMK Sungai Maong who beat Clement Sim Kwong Zhi of Lodge Secondary School in the final.

Jason Siaw Ting Shen won the Boys Under-15 title after he overcame Clement Sim in the final.

SJK Chung Hua No. 3’s Gabriel Ling and Derrick Tsai were joint third.

In the Boys Under-10 contest, Joel Chen was the champion, with Louis Chung as the runner-up while Too Ying Chen of SJK Chung Hua No.2 and Dareen Siaw Ting Shuin of SJK Chung Hua No. 3 finished joint third.

The Boys Under-8 title was won by Benjamin Thian Khang Chen from SJK Chung Hua No.3 and Aw Jong Yee Shiuan of SJK Chung Hua No. 2 was second.

Finishing in joint third were Alfred Ting Wei Hong of SJK Chung Hua No. 3 and Hary Lau Lee Hong from SJK Chung Hua No. 2.

The tournament that was played over two weekends attracted more than 50 players from nine primary schools and six secondary schools from the Kuching Division.

Kuching Division Table Tennis Association (KDTTA) honorary president Dato Song Swee Yong, accompanied by KDTTA president Wong Tiong Hock, gave away the prizes.

According to organising chairman Helena Wee, who is also KDTTA chairman, the championship was one of the association’s annual activities aimed at unearthing potential players.

“The selected potential players shall undergo systematic training with the hope that they will be included in the back-up squad.

Our other objective in organising this event is to give more competition exposure to our young players.”

Wee said 50 players and officials will be sent to compete in the 52nd Sarawak Tan Sri Datuk Jimmy Lau Hieng Wui Table Tennis Championship at the Miri Indoor Stadium from Dec 7-11.

For this purpose, she said KDTTA is now in the process of launching a fund-raising project.

“We would like to appeal to our honorary presidents, honorary chairmen, the parents and the corporate sector to come forward and give us their full financial support,” said Wee.