Just 18, but Javen emerges as national table tennis champion.
Only 18 and choong is champ as youngsters step up
PETALING JAYA: Choong Javen is only 18. And already, he is the national men’s table tennis champion.
The teenager rounded off what has been a memorable year by winning the men’s singles crown at the just-concluded 56th Malaysia Open Table Tennis Tournament in Melaka on Sunday.
Javen, representing Selangor, defeated former national paddler Shakirin Ibrahim of Armed Forces 4-1 in the final.
In the semi-finals earlier, Javen overcame fellow national teammate Wong Qi Shen of Kedah 4-2.
The Selangor-lad had also partnered Amos Ling while Mohd Ashraf Haiqal combined with Qi Shen to claim two unexpected bronze medals in the men’s doubles event at the recent Philippines SEA Games.
Javen was happy to become the national champion after having lost at the quarter-finals stage for the last three years.
“I train for six hours daily and it has paid off. Table tennis is a sport I have played since I was seven and I never get bored as it is a game of strategy.
“I want to be good in it and be able to make it to the Olympics one day,” said the Taylor’s College student.
Javen already made it to the Olympic stage last year. He was the first Malaysian paddler to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Argentina last year.
He also played in the men’s team that picked up a historic bronze medal in the Commonwealth Championships in India in August this year.
National paddler Ho Ying, who plays for Johor, overcame fellow teammate Karen Lyne of Sarawak 4-1 in the women’s singles final.
The joint bronze winners were SEA Games 2019 players Tee Ai Xin (Johor) and Alice Chang Li Sian (Sarawak).
The Table Tennis Association of Malaysia were happy to see the younger batch of players making their mark in the national meet.
Thirteen-year-old Low Yu Xuan, for one, gave Ho Ying a scare by almost beating her more experienced rival in the quarter-finals but the 22-year-old relied on her experience to pull through at 3-2 in the end.
Other juniors who played commendably against the seniors were 17-year old Too Ying Chuen (Sarawak) who partnered Christopher Isaac Goh (Sarawak) to win the men doubles bronze, 16-year-old Im Li Ying and 13-year-old Lim Jing Shuen (Kuala Lumpur), who won bronze in the women doubles category as well as 13-year old Lee Xin Ni (Selangor) who partnered Javen to win bronze in the mixed doubles category.
“The succession plan which TTAM have been advocating is working well.
“Seniors can’t take their senior positions for granted nowadays.
“We have many promising players. With proper guidance and training they will mature into international medal winners,” said TTAM vice president Datuk Michael Tiah.