Andrea Tan (second left, back row) posing with winners of the respective age categories after the prize presentation.
KUCHING: Andrea Tan Ruen Yuen emerged as the best performer in the Kuching Age Group Table Tennis Competition at the Kuching Elite Table Tennis Training Centre along Lorong 8, Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho yesterday when she captured the Girls Under-15 and Girls Under-18 titles.
The 14-year old paddler from SM Lodge lifted her first title after beating Alice Chang Li Sian of SMK Sungai Maong 4-2 in the U15 final.
Joint third were Tay Lynn Jia from SJK Chung Hua No.2 and Elicia Tsai Xin Ni of SM Lodge.
Andrea completed her double win when she beat Alice Chang 4-2 in the U18 final.
Finishing joint third in this category were Kylie Teo Liyi of SMK Green Road and Elicia Tsai of SM Lodge.
In a thrilling Boys U18 final, Jason Siaw Ting Shen got the better of his opponent Andy Jong Ngu Suai from Institut Teknologi Maklumat Nusantra (NIIT) 4-3 to lift the title.
It was Andy who led 2-0 (11-4, 11-8) before Jason grabbed a point in the third set 11-9 but he lost the fourth set 6-11 to Andy.
Jason won the next two sets 11-6 and 12-10 to force the game into the final rubber set. In the final set, the scoreline went 2-2, 7-7, 11-11 and 12-12 before Andy committed errors 12-14 to concede the title to Jason.
In joint third were Clement Sim Kwong Zhi of SM Lodge and Rayford Kho Jin Hian of NIIT. The Boys U15 final saw Derrick Tsai Chang Fong of SM Lodge defeating Too Ying Chuen of SJK Chung Hua No. 2 by 4-2.
Finishing in joint third were Alan Teo Jie of SJK Chung Hua Batu 35 and Joel Chen Yu Chen of SJK Chung Hua No.2 respectively.
As an encouragement to the youngsters, the organiser Kuching Division Table Tennis Association also gave awards to three junior players.
They are Most Promising Boy Player eight-year old Kueh Jiin Jiang who was the champion in Boys U8 and third in Boys U10, Most Promising Girl Player eight-year old Too Ying Xin of SJK Chung Hua No.2 who is the Girls U8 champion and runner-up in the Girls U10, as well as the youngest participant five-year old Gilbert Kiew Shen Hong from Sunrise Kiddy House.
The competition, which was played over two weekends, saw the participation of 70 players from Kuching and Serian.
Also present at the closing were Table Tennis Association of Malaysia vice president and also Table Tennis Association of Sarawak president Michael Teo Kim Huat, KDTTA honorary chairmen Temenggong Lu Kim Yong, Wong Tiong Hock and Ngo Kie Hua.