Alice shows table tennis prowess at Asean Schools Games
KUCHING: National paddler Alice Chang Li Sian made a major breakthrough in the table tennis competition at the Asean Schools Games in Kuala Lumpur when she clinched the gold medal in the girls singles category.
The 18- year- old player from Kuching edged Tee Ai Xin 3-2 in an all-Malaysian final at Khong Hoe Primary School hall on Tuesday.
She lost the first two sets 9-11, 9-11 but remained composed to bounce back strongly in the next three sets 11- 5, 13-11 and 11- 5 for a much awaited victory.
En route to the final, Alice disposed of Papatchaya Hoarakkit of Thailand 3- 0 (11- 6, 11- 8, 3- 0 rtd) in the semi-finals and Vietnam’s Pham Da Thao 3- 0 (11- 3, 11-7, 11- 8) in the last eight.
The win also made up for her disappointment in last year’s competition in Chiang Mai, Thailand where she lost in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Alice, who has booked a ticket to the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenes Aires, Argentina in October, also played wel l in the team competition.
She contributed two points but the Malaysian team, also comprising Tee Ai Xin, Karen Lyne Dick, could only manage a bronze medal after losing 2- 3 to Vietnam in the semi-finals.
Christopher Issac Goh Kho Hian Hui, another player from Sarawak, was a member of the boys team which won a bronze after losing 1- 3 to Thailand in the semifinals.
The Malaysian team captured two gold, one silver and four bronze medals to finish second behind champions Singapore who claimed two gold, four silver and two bronze medals while Thailand were third with one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.