Alice Chang displaying her medals and prizes at the recent MSSM Table Tennis Championship in Kelantan.
KUCHING: After competing at the Perfect World Team Table Tennis Championships at Melawati Stadium in Kuala Lumpur from February 28 to March 6, Alice Chang Li Sian has been listed for more national duty.
The 16-year-old paddler from Kuching is the only female player from Sarawak selected by the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia to play in the Olympic Qualifying Round in Hong Kong from April 13-17.
After the Hong Kong trip, Alice will represent Malaysia again in her third international outing at the Thailand Junior and Cadet Open in Bangkok from May 11-15.
Kuching Division Table Tennis Association chairperson Helena Christine Wee was among local officials who have expressed satisfaction with the high level exposure that Alice has benefitted from.
“Ever since she left for Bukit Jalil Sports School early this year, we are very satisfied with her performance and achievement.
“She had played well in the World Team Table Tennis Championships and performed up to her expectations, knowing very well that she was up against world class paddlers.”
“I believe that she has gained a lot of valuable experience and learnt many new techniques after playing against different players,” she said.
Recently, Alice also helped the Sarawak team which won three gold, five silver and seven bronze medals to finish second overall in the national schools championship.
She took the Under-18 singles title after beating teammate Crystal Tiong Man Hui in the final. She then joined Crystal, Karen Lyne Dick, Sia Hsiao Ching and Andrea Tan Ruen Yuen to win the team event. She partnered Karen to also pick up a silver in the U18 doubles after losing to Sarawak teammates Crystal and Sia Hsiao Ching.
“Alice is a major source of inspiration to our younger players. She is our best girl player to have made it to the national squad after Kueh Wan May,” Helena added.
Wan May, now studying at HELP university, was a three-time Sukma girls singles champion and had played for Malaysia at the SEA Junior Championship in 2009.
She also competed in the Commonwealth Youth Games in New Delhi in 2008, SEA Championship in Cambodia and Asean University Games in Palembang, Indonesia in 2014.