NEVER GIVE UP: Despite being the underdog in the recent 52nd Sarawak Table Tennis Championship, 10-year-old Louis Chung Kian Fu never gave up his dreams of becoming the best paddler in the Boys’ under 10 category and won two gold medals after defeating fellow team mate and top gun Joel Chen Yu Chen.
KUCHING: One of state’s promising junior paddlers, 10-year-old Louis Chung Kian Fu has never given up hope of becoming among the best and he did it in the recent 52nd Sarawak Tan Sri Datuk Jimmy Lau Hieng Wui Table Tennis Championship.
His strong determination and sheer hard work finally paid off after he defeated teammate Joel Chen Yu Chen in the Boys under 10 singles final at Miri Indoor Stadium.
The primary three student from Chung Hua Primary School No. 4 was the runner-up in previous event but he got the better of Chen this time round and won the title after beating his highly fancied team mate 16-14, 11-9, 11-6 in the exciting final.
Earlier during the competition, the gutsy Chung had also beaten another teammate Alan Teo Jie 3-0 in the semi-finals.
“I am very happy to win the title. It was a dream come true for me because I wanted to beat him (Chen) and to become the champion this year,” said the elated Chung.
He thanked coaches Helena Wee, Chua Chiaw Lian, Chai Kiang Peng and Ang Bee Hua for their guidance as well as giving him the confidence of achieving his dream.
“I must also thank my parents for their great support for me in this sport,” said Chung who won another gold medal in the Boys under 13 Hopes team competition.
The diminutive player was only seven when he first joined the game while at the same time the talented Chen had a head start after joining the Kuching Elite Centre at Tai-Chi Centre along Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho.
Chung reached the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Milo Hopes Table Tennis Championship this year which was also a stark improvement to his last year’s achievement of finishing in the last 16.
“I will continue to work hard to improve my skills and I hope to represent Kuching in the MSS Sarawak that will be held in Mukah next March,” said Chung who in September finished as the runner-up to Joel Chen in the Kuching Age Group Competition.
His coaches Chua Chiaw Lian and Helena Wee were all praises for the fast improving paddler.
“He is a very diligent and disciplined boy who comes to train more than eight sessions (up to three hours each session) a week rain or shine. He even wants to train if he is unwell,” said state coach Helena Wee on Chung who is the only child in his family and hopes to represent the country one day.
According to her, Chung’s love for table tennis is ingrained that he would not go without playing it a single day.
“With hard work, commitment and good attitude, I believe he can go far in table tennis,” she said on Chung who was one of those exceptional hard working players and training very hard to get good results.