Results speak for themselves: Lee Bee Wah
REPORTING FROM JAKARTA
The glowing results delivered by Singapore’s paddlers at the SEA Games were more than a sufficient response to conclude the recent spat between the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).
Speaking to reporters in Jakarta after a five gold, four silver medal sweep in the SEA Games table tennis competition on Wednesday night, a triumphant STTA president Lee Bee Wah was unable to hide her delight at the success of the Singapore paddlers, in particular highlighting young homegrown players Isabelle Li and Pang Xue Jie, whom she fought hard to keep in her initial SEA Games lineup.
“The victory (of Pang, his doubles partner Ma Liang and Li) shows that our young players can perform at the SEA Games level,” said Lee, who added that their experience gained here will help them face tougher players in the future.
“I’ve seen them train very hard, I’ve seen them play in international pro tour circuits, which is why I thought it was time for them, to expose them in the SEA Games.”
When asked about the controversy, contingent Chef de Mission Tan Eng Liang, who is the vice president of the SNOC, maintained that Singapore should only send her best players.
He explained that the council had initially rejected the STTA’s lineup of younger players because “in the opinion of the SNOC, (the younger players) had not reached the qualification requirements”, but eventually reached a compromise with the national sports association.
Tan also said that the selection board was satisfied with the eventual team of players that was sent to the Games, explaining that its sole concern is to ensure that whoever is fielded for the Games wins gold medals.
“There is no question, we agree with this team,” he said. “As far as we’re concerned, the five gold medals is what we expect, and that’s what they delivered, so well done.”
