The victorious Miri team posing with Teng (seventh left) and team managers Jaffry Jaafar (left) and Tan Chiew Boon (right) after the prize presentation.
KUCHING: Miri paddlers scored a historic victory in the Sarawak Schools Sports Council (MSSS) Table Tennis Championship when they emerged as the overall champions in the competition that ended at SJK Chung Hua No. 3 yesterday.
They captured three gold, one silver and four bronze medals to finish ahead of Sibu who had three gold and three bronze medals.
Kuching and Sarikei were joint third overall with the former winning two gold, seven silver and four bronzes while the latter bagged three bronze medals.
Making the biggest contribution to Miri’s triumph in the four-day competition organised by the Padawan District Education Office were the boys who lifted the U18 and U12 team titles on Wednesday while Lee Yee Jat took the Boys U12 singles gold yesterday after he beat Benjamin Thian Khang Chern of Kuching 3-1 in the final.
“This is indeed a historic achievement and meaningful victory for Miri and this is the first time we have won so many gold medals (three) in the state schools table tennis championship,” an elated team coach Teng Jit Kho said.
“We deserved to be the overall champions as all the paddlers had worked extra hard to ensure the victory,” she added, hoping that Miri Education Office and sponsors would continue their support for Miri paddlers in their chase for more glory in future competitions.
Furthermore, Miri were up against powerhouses like Kuching and Sibu who made it tough for them.
Meanwhile, Clement Sim Kwong Zhi of Kuching and Crystal Tiong Man Hui won the Boys U18 and Girls U18 titles after beating their respective opponents in the finals.
The 17-year old Clement, who finished runner-up in 2013 and champion last year, defeated Miri’s Tian Fatt Sheng 3-1 (12-10, 11-5, 5-11, 11-4) for his second U18 title while Crystal stamped her class by beating Kylie Teo Liyi of Kuching 3-0 (11-1, 11-8, 11-9) to make a hat-trick of wins (2013, 2014, 2015).
“It was very tough for me this year and my opponents gave me stiff opposition right from the first round,” said the 15-year Crystal.
‘I would to thank the Sibu Division Table Tennis Association for grooming me and coach Kong Tung Sing for his guidance as well as my parents, teammates and all those who gave me strong moral support,” she added.
She also collected a gold medal from the Girls U18 team event where Sibu collected eight points by edging Kuching 3-2, and beating Miri 3-1, Sarikei 3-0 and Samarahan 3-1. The Girls U12 gold went to Foo Sze Hui who whitewashed Tan Chung Jia 3-0 in an all-Kuching final.
To motivate the paddlers, CSL Table Tennis World Centre and Yasaka company jointly presented a sponsorship of Yasaka X, Rakza 7 and Mark V racket covering worth RM3,100 to the top two winners in each category.
They added in another RM1,000 as financial assistance to the state team bound for the national meet.
The sponsorship was handed over by CSL Table Tennis World Centre chairman Ling Kiing Tasn.
One hundred players from Kuching, Samarahan, Sarikei, Sibu and Miri took part in the championship aimed at selecting the best players to represent Sarawak in the MSSM Table Tennis Championship in Kuala Lumpur from Mar 10-13.
Deputy Padawan District Education Officer Chong Choi Ling closed the event and gave away the prizes.