Singapore's Isabelle

SEA Games: Singapore complete clean sweep in table tennis
17 November 2011

JAKARTA: Before they went into action here at the 26th SEA Games, Team Singapore's table tennis stars walked the playing hall and the streets without any fuss.

It was a very different story on Wednesday.

The team of eight were mobbed by local fans at the Soemantri Brodjonegoro Sports Complex after sweeping all five of the gold medals on offer in table tennis.

It was an all-Singapore affair on the final day of table tennis, with world No 4 Feng Tianwei claiming the gold medal in the women's singles and Gao Ning emerging as the men's singles champion.

Feng, 25, proved too good for her younger team-mate, Isabelle Li, the 17-year-old debutant.

There was tremendous support for the two Singapore women in the stands, that also featured a contingent of Team Singapore supporters, including chef-de-mission Dr Tan Eng Liang.

Feng was never troubled, wrapping up the final 4-0 (11-3, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5) in 35 minutes.

Said the defending champion, who also picked up a gold in the women's doubles: "I think today Isabelle was not so used to my style and I played better and was more steady.

"Isabelle is a player with a lot of promise. She's good and she just needs to work on her aggression and attack."

Feng returns to Singapore on Thursday before departing for London on November 21 to compete in the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals.

Watched by her family members and friends, last year's Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Isabelle was delighted to finish second on her debut.

"There is still a gulf in standard between us, and it was a hard match for me. This is my first time competing against Tianwei and it was a very special moment for me playing against a world champion and world No 4," said the teenager.

In the men's singles final that followed, it was sweet revenge for veteran Gao Ning, who notched a 4-0 (11-6, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8) victory over team-mate Yang Zi. The 29-year-old had lost the Commonwealth Games gold to Yang in New Delhi last year,

Gao Ning, who claimed his third successive singles gold in the event, said: "It's a good feeling. I think I prepared more sufficiently this time around and clinched the crucial points."

With five golds and four silver medals from five events, table tennis is the most successful sport for Singapore here.

Selection issues had dogged the paddlers ahead of the SEA Games, as the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) got into a tangle with the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).

It was eventually resolved, and speaking on Wednesday, STTA president Lee Bee Wah said: "I'm very proud of them, especially our younger players Xuejie and Isabelle. I think the results speak for itself ... the STTA wants to groom younger players.

"In future, the policy of sending one set of senior players to get medals and another set of younger ones for development will remain (for SEA Games)."

Chef-de-mission Tan, a vice-president at the SNOC, personally congratulated Lee on the team's success.

"Our congratulations to the paddlers and the association for winning five gold medals. They deserve our fullest and heartiest congratulations.

"The younger players, especially Isabelle and Pang, they have done well to reach where they are, and it's good for them and table tennis," he said.



I am so happy and proud of Isabelle being a true blue Singaporean and manage to beat a China Born “Singaporean”.

Just imagine if there is no Feng in the team, Isabelle may just be the SEA game’s champion.

Personally I do not support these “buying” of foreigner, give them a citizenship and let them represent Singapore.

It is different if one migrated here and Singapore developed him or her to represent Singapore.

If he or she is already trained and just because his/her home country has quota of sending them to world championship and these players has to seek second home in Singapore then it is not too correct.

To them Singapore is just suckers for putting someone on the world map of sports.

In fact I think fame is not so important. We don’t have to win an Olympic medal by importing foreigners.

We should spend more time and effort to develop our own people. True blue Singaporean.

Isabelle stands a good chance of being one of the world best. I think we should be spending more money on Table Tennis then those idiotic swimmers who try to speak like American.

Looking forward to see more or Isabelle in the future, and congratulation for winning the silver medal.

Polo Trunk

The Singapore Polo Team is in deep shit due to the ridiculous Trunk they wore during the recent Asia games.

As per report:

"The trunks, featuring the crescent moon and five stars on the front, and the word Singapore on the back, were designed by the players just for these Games and were meant to be eye-catching. Unfortunately, it has also raised eyebrows. At issue is the 'suggestive' positioning of the crescent moon over the crotch."

Firstly whoever brainless clown in the team that design this ugly trunk should be sacked.

Who sane individual will wear such a trunk.
Well guess the team got what they wanted. They are being “Eye caught” by the authority.

Media Cock

MediaCorp to telecast Singapore's table tennis win over China
03 June 2010 1609 hrs (SST)

SINGAPORE: MediaCorp will telecast on Sunday the historic win by Singapore women's team over China in the recent World Team Table Tennis Championships in Moscow.

Singapore's trio of Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Beibei rocked the sports world when they beat reigning champions and world number one China 3-1 to become world champions.

The media group says it has just secured the telecast rights of the event.

It explains that "live" telecast rights were not made available to free-to-air broadcasters.

Channel 5 will air the event in its entirety at 3pm on June 6, with an encore telecast at 9am on June 12.

MediaCorp says its extensive TV coverage of recent SEA Games, FINA Arena Swimming and the recent AFC Asian Cup Qualifier featuring the Young Lions underlines its firm support of the sporting achievements of Team Singapore athletes.

The group says it will continue to bring key competitive events and matches to viewers, subject to broadcast rights considerations. - CNA/ir

This is really pathetic!

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t even know the Singapore Team are in the final of the Table Tennis World Cup until news broke that they has won.

Ok fine so they have won. Congratulation. That’s all.

Now our dear media cock went to secure “the rights” to broadcast the game.

Shouldn’t they do it in the first place to show the “live” programme.

Shouldn’t they promote the event before the final game so Singaporean are aware that our China B team had made it to the final?

Media cock gave me a feeling that they don’t want to bet of Team Singapore and therefore is unwilling for folk out money for the “live” broadcast.

Now everyone know the Singapore Team has won and now they want to telecast its. WTF?!

Its like go buy the TOTO after they had announce the draw result.

And in the end the still has the cheek to say they have “its firm support of the sporting achievements of Team Singapore athletes.”

Wonder will they go ahead and secure the rights of telecast is Team Singapore has lost to China in the final.

Post Goal 2010 plan.

ST Forum
Apr 13, 2010

Ambitious soccer plan overdue

I AM excited by the Football Association of Singapore's (FAS) ambitious plan to take Singapore's soccer to greater heights to match powerhouses Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea ("FAS targets top-10 soccer spot in Asia"; last Thursday).

This project is long overdue.

World Cup 2010 was just a pipe dream for the Singapore soccer team and aiming for the best in Asia is a more realistic target.

The emphasis on youth development is a move in the right direction and taking in boys from as young as eight augurs well for the scene. Stimulating interest at an early age will certainly give a boost and inculcate passion for the game.

The target for a gold medal in the South-east Asia Games has long been my wish.

It has been eluding us for a very long time and it is every Singaporean's desire to win it eventually.

The country has done well in swimming, table tennis, bowling and shooting in the SEA Games, and I hope more funds can be allocated to soccer, which is dear to the hearts of many.

Singaporeans share and believe in the vision that we will one day emerge as a powerhouse in soccer.

Bennie Cheok

This is yet another joke and I must applaud Bennie’s optimism.

Remember what our goal was back in 1999? Yes to be in the final of world cup in 2010. (Hey its this year!)

http://javertworld.blogspot.com/2006/08/goal-2010.html

After pouring in millions of tax-payer’s money, even formed a S-League, look at the state of our national team. Pathetic.

So now we are lowing our standard to be the TOP 10 in Asia. Goash! More money down the drain!

Yes I agreed that our National Team has improved compared to 10 years ago, but don’t forget so are all the National Teams in the world!

We will never keep up with those countries that has developed comprehensive programme to develop their soccer players.

We should just concentrate to win Gold in some, debates or Physics Olympics.

Most soccer fan here rather support a team in Europe rather then the national team I guess.

So Proud Of?

ST Forum
Jan 19, 2007
Sweet victory for the Lions against Laos

I AM writing with regard to the Asean Football Championship match between Singapore and Laos, which was held at the National Stadium on Jan15.

I would like to congratulate the Lions on their emphatic 11-0 victory over the Laotians. It was history in the making as I watched our boys put 11 past the hapless Laotians while, at the same time, erasing a 21-year-old record set during the Merlion Cup in 1986, in which Singapore demolished Indonesia 8-1.

It was my first experience going to the National Stadium to watch our Singapore football team play an international match and the victory made this experience all the more sweet.

Initially, I was expecting our team to win by a four-goal margin, but they surpassed my expectations. The win has injected confidence into the fans, regarding the ability of our football team and I am sure more fans will come to support the Lions in the remaining matches. I, myself, will definitely catch the remaining matches at the National Stadium.

Anyway, best of luck to the Lions for the rest of the Asean Football Championship tournament.

Kenan Kok Xiao-Feng

According to FIFA work ranking, Laos is ranked 150 and Singapore is at 126.
Why be satisfied with a small win against a weaker opponent?

Remember the scrapped GOAL 2010 project? Is No. 126 the best we can achieved after all the $$ that had went it?

Should just stick with sailing.

Goal 2010

Back in 1999 when our gahment announce Goal 2010 project, I was immediate skeptical about it.

Come on how can a nation where you see, “States Land, No trespassing” signs on almost any open piece of land can achieve a World Cup Final Spots by 2010? Even China did not make it to the final this year.

No wonder FAS decided to ditch the project in 2003. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/analysis/031223_soccer.htm

I am not saying a nation with small population will not be able to achieve excellent in sports but I believe our parents rather see their sons and daughter become a doctors, lawyers or a plastic surgeon. If they ever want to take up sports, take up those that are “more prestigious” like Golf and Sailing.

Maybe we should go for projects like WIND 2010 (Sailing) or EAGLE 2010 (GOLF).

So far I see the most successful sport is Table Tennis and even so we imported our players. SIGH…

Maybe if we import David Beckham, Ronaldino, Kaka etc to form the starting 11 then I think we shall not have a problem in getting into the world cup final. The project should be named GOAL 2004 long time ago if we started early.
Singapore Fifa world ranking = 111 position

http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/statistics/index/0,2548,25998-Jul-2006,00.html

World Cup in Singapore

You can tell that the world cup season is here by the number of half asleep people in the office. Somehow Singapore is cursed by geographically far from every single world cup hosts with exception of the last one in Korea/Japan. Maybe this is why we abandoned Goal 2010 plan.

I find that the whole world cup thing had become a big money making event for those blood sucking corporate and government. I remember years ago during the SBC days, live matches from World Cup and event EPL are televised for free. Nowadays, not only you got to have cable to catch any glimpse of the ball, you also got to top up to watch the World Cup matches.

Personally I find this is really too much. Why should you pay the additional when you already are subscribing to the cable TV?? One simple explanation, monopoly of the market and blood sucking.

If Singapore ever really want to promote sports, mind you not by buying foreigners only, getting her population to be interested in a sport is the very 1st step she should takes. I suspect maybe some of our TOP SCHOLARS don’t even know the different (or none) between Soccer and Football.

Finally I find it strange the our neighbors, (which is poorer then us via GDP) are able to provide free live televised matches to the country men but we are not doing that.

Sad…..