Singapore’s Zeng Jian books Olympic berth for table tennis
After missing out on the Olympic table tennis team event during the qualifiers in March, Singapore’s Zeng Jian made up for the disappointment by notching her ticket to the Paris Games at the South East Asia Regional Olympic Qualification on May 10.
Over the course of the three-day event at the Fashion Island shopping mall in Bangkok, she beat Malaysia’s Ho Ying, Filipino Kheith Cruz and Vietnam’s Mai Trang in the women’s singles group stage.
The reigning SEA Games women’s singles champion showed imperious form to sweep Malaysia’s Alice Chang 4-0 (12-10, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9) in the semi-final on May 9, before recovering from a 1-5 deficit in the fifth game to overcome Vietnam’s Nguyen Khanh 11-7, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 in the final on May 10.
Looking to join Zeng in Paris is SEA Games men’s singles champion Izaac Quek, who will play in the men’s singles final against Thailand’s Phakpoom Sanguansin later on May 10.
The 17-year-old endured a sterner test as he navigated past the men’s singles group stage with a 4-2 victory over Vietnam’s Dinh Anh Hoang and a 4-1 win over Jann Nayre from the Philippines, before he edged past another Filipino John Misal in the semi-final.
Fifteen other Singaporean athletes have booked their Paris 2024 spots.
They are Shanti Pereira (athletics), Loh Kean Yew and Yeo Jia Min (badminton), Stephenie Chen (canoeing), Caroline Chew (equestrian), Amita Berthier, Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman (fencing), Aisyah Saiyidah (rowing), Maximilian Maeder, Ryan Lo (sailing), Jonathan Tan, Quah Ting Wen, Quah Jing Wen, Letitia Sim and Levenia Sim (swimming).
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