Sibu pip Kuching for table tennis crown

KUCHING: Sibu claimed the overall championship title at the 56th Sarawak Table Tennis Championship at SJK Chung Hua No. 3 Alumni Hall after they captured seven out of the 25 titles at stake in the competition held from Dec 19-24.

They also won six silver and seven bronze medals in the annual championship organised by Table Tennis Association of Sarawak ( TTAS) and hosted by Samarahan Division Table Tennis Association.

In fact, Kuching also won the same number of titles - boys U18 team, men’s open singles, women’s singles, boys U18 singles, girls U13 singles, and women’s doubles - but lost out in the medal count to Sibu with four silvers and nine bronzes, to settle for second place.

Sibu’s gold medals came from the women’s team, men’s veteran team, women’s veteran team, girls U18 team, girls U18 singles, men’s veteran singles 55 and women’s singles 40.

Betong impressed in their debut appearance with five gold, four silver and 10 bronze medals to finish third.

In fourth to fifth positions were Miri (4- 5- 9) and host Samarahan ( 2- 4- 7) respectively. The other competing teams were Serian (02-3), Bintulu (0- 0-3), Sarikei (0- 0-1), Limbang (0- 0-1) and Mukah.

The final day of the individual competition last Sunday saw Sibu’s Crystal Tiong edging Betong’s Sammi Tay 4- 3 in the girls U18 singles final, Sammi Tay beating Sibu’s Karen Lyne Dick 4- 3 in the girls U15 singles while Kuching’s Jason Siaw took the men’s singles crown with a hard fought 4-3 win over Serian’s Tian Fatt Sheng.

Former Sukma campaigner Kueh Wan May from Kuching also had to labour for a 4- 3 victory over Karen in the women’s singles final and Kuching’s Too Ying Chuen eased to a 4-1 win over Tien Fatt Sheng in the boys U18 final.

Wan May completed a double when she partnered Ting Ying Hii to beat the Sibu pair of Karen and Sia Hsiau Hung 3-1 in the women’s doubles.

TTAS president Michael Teo gave away the main prizes.