KUCHING: The Kuching Para Table Tennis Centre was launched at Arena Sukan, Jalan Wan Alwi here yesterday.
Open to disabled youths aged 25 and below, the voluntary non-profit community service centre is spearheaded by coaches Anthony Jong and Oh Kwong Foi.
Jong is head coach while Oh is assistant coach to the Sarawak table tennis team preparing for the 18th National Paralympiad to be held in Sarawak in August.
“We have 13 students from 12 to 16 years old from SMK Muara Tuang, Pusat Pemulihan Komuniti Mambong and Pusat Pemulihan Komuniti Siburan,” said Jong at yesterday’s launching event.
He added the centre would continue to welcome more to join the training as it is aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle amongst the disabled and to unearth talents to participate in competitions.
Sarawak has a proud record of producing national para table tennis players who have represented or are still representing Malaysia in regional and international tournaments like the FESPIC Games, SEA Para Games, ASEAN Para Games and World Table Tennis Para Championships.
The list includes Ting Ing Hock who is a national player and current national para youth development coach based in the National Paralympic Excellence Centre in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Toh Ing and Teng Hock Khun.
Oh himself was an ex-national player. He and Jong, who both possess the Sports Science Level 1 certificate issued by the National Sport Institute, have been actively involved in the sport since 2002.
They are calling on the generous public and organisations to support the centre with funding to buy more equipment.
Parents are welcome to bring their children to the centre for assessment. Jong can be contacted at 013-8158500 and Oh at 013-8161880.
Barisan Nasional-SUPP candidate for Batu Lintang Sih Hua Tong was guest-of-honour at the launching ceremony.
Also present were Sport and Recreational For The Disabled Association Sarawak president Matthew Chin and National Sports Council Paralympic Branch Sarawak assistant officer Nurul Asma Sani.