Singapore claims women's SEA Championships gold and wins 3 bronze medals Singapore News

SINGAPORE: The Singapore women's team made a triumphant return to the top of the podium at the Southeast Asian Table Tennis Championships, claiming their first gold medal in a decade.

Team Singapore also brought home four bronze medals from the competition.

The women's national team of Ser Lin Qian, Zeng Jian, Loy Ming Ying, Tan Zhao Yun and Zhang Wanling put in a stellar performance as they defeated hosts and defending champions Thailand in the thrilling final of the biennial tournament.

The women's team showed their prowess and dominance with a series of resounding victories, brushing aside Brunei, Indonesia and Laos with convincing 3-0 wins in the group stage.

They then booked their place in the finals with an equally impressive performance in the semi-finals, outsmarting Malaysia with a strong display of skill and teamwork, paving the way for their ultimate victory in the championship.

With the score tied at 2 apiece in the final, it was down to the deciding match between Ser and Phatsaraphon Wonglakhon. Although Ser lost the first set 11-6, she regained her composure and won consecutive sets, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8.

Minister for Community, Culture and Youth Edwin Tong described Singapore's national women's table tennis journey to winning the gold medal as “nothing short of spectacular.”

Congratulations to our Singapore Women's Table Tennis team for regaining the 2024 Table Tennis Southeast Asian Championships title after 10 years!

In a nail-biting final against defending champions and hosts Thailand, Ser Lin Qian, Zeng Jian, Loy Ming Ying, Tan Zhao Yun and Zhang Wanling showed resilience and determination to secure a 3-2 victory, said Minister Tong.

In 2014, the Singapore women's team, Lin Ye, Zhou Yihan, Isabelle Li, Zhang Wanling and Lim Zoe Eunice, won the gold medal. Since then, they finished the competition with a silver medal in 2016 and 2022.

Despite their valiant efforts, the under-strength men's team faced a formidable obstacle in the semi-finals, falling short with a 3-1 defeat to a strong Thai side.

Nicholas Tan lost 3-0 in the opening set against Napat Thanmathikon. However, Josh Chua rallied for Singapore, expertly beating Phakpoom Sanguansin 3-0 in the second set to level the match at 1-1.

Unfortunately, the host nation's formidable duo of Sitisak Nuchchart and Thanmathikon proved too strong as they defeated Jaryl Wong and Chua respectively in consecutive 3-0 sets, securing their team's spot in the final and bringing Singapore's campaign to an end .

Hats off also to the men's team for securing a well-deserved bronze medal.

A proud moment for all of us! Thank you for keeping Singapore's flag flying high and inspiring us all. Let's keep cheering for Team Singapore as they continue to shine! Minister Tong added

The national men's table tennis team at this year's SEA Championships is not at full strength as they are missing the services of Izaac Quek and Koen Pang, who will represent the country at the World Table Tennis Finals in Fukuoka, Japan.

The team is also missing SEA Games gold medalist Clarence Chew as he pursues his university exams.

At the previous SEA Table Tennis Championships, Chew won a gold medal in each men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles.

Singapore's remaining three bronze medals in this year's competition came from the mixed doubles, men's doubles and women's doubles teams.

In the mixed doubles, Tan Zhao Yun and Nicholas lost 2-3 to Wong Qi Shen and Tee Ai Xin of Malaysia. 17-year-old Nicholas claimed his third bronze medal in men's doubles as he and his partner Yang Ze Yi were defeated 1-3 by Malaysia's number one pair of Javen Choong and Wong Qi Shen.

Zhao Yun also added a bronze medal to her collection at the end of the competition. Together with Zhang Wanling, the women's doubles pair lost 0-3 to Karen Lyne and Tee Ai Xin from Malaysia.