Alice Chang Li Sian
KUCHING: Sarawak will be banking on national paddler Alice Chang Li Sian and former Sukma player Kueh Wan May to deliver the goods in the 54th Malaysia Table Tennis Championships at the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) hall in Kuala Lumpur from Dec 20 to 23.
The state’s golden hopes will be placed on Alice and Kueh to capture the women’s doubles title and to spearhead the charge in the women’s team event.
Other members shouldering the women’s challenge are Tay Lynn Jia, Sammi Tay Yuen Ning and Foo Sze Hui.
Team head coach Chua Yeo Fong said it would be tough to win two medals in the championship as the competition would be very stiff with several current and former national players in the fray.
In the women’s competition, Sarawak are drawn in Group C with Kedah, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan.
Group A comprises defending champions Johor, Penang and Sabah while last year’s first runners-up Selangor have Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Perak for company in Group B.
“With Alice and Kueh in the women’s team, I hope they can win the golds in the doubles and team events,” she said.
The men’s team comprises Gabriel Ling Kerk Qi, Too Ying Chuen, Samson Tay Guan Seng, Ting Ung Kai and Pui You Min.
They are drawn in Group C with Perak, Perlis and Negeri Sembilan.
Defending champions Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Johor are in Group A while Group B consists of Armed Forces, Penang, Terengganu and Sabah, Group D is made up of Selangor, Kedah, Pahang and MSN.
The Sarawak team manager is Paul Ling Kiing Tasn while Grace Teng Ping is the other team coach.
At last year’s championships held at Gong Badak Sports Complex Indoor Stadium in Kuala Terengganu, Sarawak were place third in both the men’s and women’s team events.