A happy ending -Singapore Table Tennis
Women’s team trio greeted by 300 cheering fans at Olympic celebration
By Lin Xinyi
Less than 24 hours after the sombre meeting which ended the recent table tennis controversy, national paddlers Li Jiawei, Feng Tianwei and Wang Yuegu were all smiles again.
The trio, who bagged the women’s team silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games, were greeted by loud cheers from the 300 fans at the Olympic celebration and autograph session at Ang Mo Kio Hub’s FairPrice Xtra yesterday morning.
Their relaxed demeanour was in stark contrast to their sullen expressions in recent days following the Gao Ning incident at the Beijing Olympics.
Gao had crashed out in the third-round singles after playing without a coach.
An upset Singapore Table Tennis Association president Lee Bee Wah then revealed that team manager Antony Lee’s services were no longer needed, and that head coach Liu Guodong’s fate would be decided by a coaching committee.
Fans were furious over the announcement as it had dampened the nation’s mood to celebrate its first Olympic medal in 48 years.
But Ms Lee brought the smiles back on Friday when she said sorry.
Yesterday, Ms Lee, along with the players, Liu and Lee, looked decidedly more chirpy when the fans applauded them.
The cheerfulness of the women’s team trio did not escape student Habe Choo.
The 15-year-old said: ‘They look much more cheerful. Now that the problem has been resolved, we can all celebrate.’
The women’s team were at the supermarket to thank fans for their support and to sign autographs.
They shook hands, accepted presents and chatted with the fans during the 30-minute session.
Fifteen minutes before the event began at 10am, the queue for autographs had already snaked out of the supermarket.
Many of them had also turned up at the Raffles City Shopping Centre on Monday to welcome back Team Singapore.
Then, the scheduled autograph session was cancelled.
Others, who were at the supermarket by chance, bagged more than they bargained for.
Said IT consultant Tan Kiang Huat, 46, who does grocery shopping every Saturday but did not know about the event beforehand: ‘I didn’t get an autograph, but getting up close to them is enough.’
Singapore’s top paddler Li was delighted with the turn-out, saying: ‘It was great to meet the fans.
‘I need to thank them for the support they’ve given me all these years.’
Source : Straits Times - 31 Aug 2008
Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com
Microsoft launches BizSpark to boost technology start-ups »« Singapore’s biggest employer still hiring
