Thirteen teams harbour high hopes for U13, U10 supremacy

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Nestle’s Ng Ping Loong (second left) hands over the sponsorship to TTAM executive director Soong Poh Wah (centre) while team representatives (from left) Tan Boon Tiong of Putrajaya, Kho Mao Sheng and Ang Guat Kee of Sarawak look on after the conducting of the draw for the 28th Milo-Malaysia Hopes Table Tennis Championship recently.

Nestle’s Ng Ping Loong (second left) hands over the sponsorship to TTAM executive director Soong Poh Wah (centre) while team representatives (from left) Tan Boon Tiong of Putrajaya, Kho Mao Sheng and Ang Guat Kee of Sarawak look on after the conducting of the draw for the 28th Milo-Malaysia Hopes Table Tennis Championship recently.

KUCHING: The 28th Milo-Malaysia Hopes Table Tennis Championship hosted by Sarawak at SJK Chung Hua No. 3 Alumni Hall from Nov 25-28 has attracted 13 teams to vie for supremacy in the Boys/Girls U13 and Boys/Girls U10 categories.

States/teams involved in the annual championship organised by the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia include Johor, Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Selangor.

Defending champions Sarawak, who are drawn in Group A in the Boys U13 together with Negeri Sembilan and Pahang, are likely to enter the quarterfinals while the Sarawak Girls U13 team are out to defend their crown and they are drawn with Penang, Pahang and Perak in Group Q.

In the Girls U10 competition, the absence of defending champions Penang has made last year’s first runners-up Negeri and semi-finalists Sarawak hot contenders for the title.

For the Boys U10, defending champions Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, who are drawn in Group E with Labuan and Perak, and in Group F with Pahang and Malacca, should not have much difficulty in making the last eight while Sarawak should be able to overcome the challenge from Putrajaya and Kedah in Group G to advance to the quarterfinals.

Group H is made up of Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Sabah.

Meanwhile, carrying the challenge for Sarawak in the Boys U13 category are Too Ying Chuen, Christopher Goh Kho Hian Hui, Tang Shi Han, Joel Chen Yu Chen, Alan Teo Jie, Lee Chen Hong, Lee Yee Jat, Wilson Kiu Teck Chien, Louis Chung Kian Fu and Boon Jia Xian.

The Boys U10 team comprises Brandon Tan Tze Yuan, Huang Kee Sheng, Alfred Ting Wei Hong, Tan Ern Quan, Chong Kai Jit, Vincent Tan Cheng Liang, Hary Lau Lee Hong, Boon Jia Quan, Bryan Ngu Zhu Kiet and Kueh Jiin Jiang.

Karen Lyne Dick will lead the state’s challenge in the Girls U13 and her teammates are Tay Lynn Jia, Phoebe Ting Wei Jia, Fion Soh Jia Xi, Faustina Su Kwong Ai, Chang Choy Xuan, Chee Yu Xuan, Tan Chung Jia, Su Siew Ling and Joan Ho Zhi En.

Sarawak’s Girls U10 team is made up of Sia Hsiao Ling, Too Ying Xin, Candy Tan Poh Tze, Liong Jie En, Joanne Yong Yah Sing, Angeline Tian Xuan, Joanne Chen Yu Xi, Patricia Bong Yee Hui, Eileen Lau Pei Weng and Then Pei Joo. — by Ting Tieng Hee