Singapore Table Tennis Association celebrated and honoured the contributions and sporting excellence of its athletes and coaches from 2022
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
Singapore, 9 February 2023 - The Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) celebrated the sporting excellence of outstanding athletes and coaches who have made contributions to Singapore table tennis at the STTA Annual Awards Night tonight at Jia He Grand Restaurant last evening.
This year, seven STTA Awards were conferred to athletes and coaches with standout performances with a total of $5,800 awarded in cash prizes:
Outstanding Zone Training Centre Award 2022
Special Awards 2022 (2 awards)
STTA Coach of the Year 2022
STTA Hopes Player of the Year 2022
STTA Youth Player of the Year 2022
STTA Player of the Year 2022
Ms Poh Li San Member of Parliament of Sembawang GRC & STTA President said, “2022 was a hectic and challenging year for STTA after a two-year hiatus from major games and tournaments. I’m heartened that our athletes and coaches have risen to the challenges and performed well in the Vietnam SEA Games, Birmingham Commonwealth Games and Chengdu WTT World Championships."
"This evening we celebrate the collective achievements by our team and honour the contributions and sporting excellence by our athletes and coaches. I’m confident that our award recipients will continue to push their own boundaries, inspire our young athletes with their tenacity and resilience and always be their best for the sport they love.”
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
The Outstanding Zone Training Centre Award 2022
The Zone Training Centres play an important role in laying a solid foundation for young athletes. Zone training centre coaches are entrusted to make a positive impact on young athletes and to shape the youth of tomorrow through their hard work and guidance.
Toa Payoh Zone Training Centre
Coaches: Zhao Peng and Zhang Ying
STTA hopes that the awards will spur the coaches to achieve even greater heights.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
STTA Special Award 2022: Clarence Chew
The Special award to Clarence Chew is in recognition of his sporting contribution to Singapore in the year 2022.
Chew achieved 1 Gold (doubles), 1 Silver (mixed doubles), 2 Bronze (singles and team) at the Vietnam SEA Games. He continued his success at the SEA Table Tennis Championships and came home with 3 Golds in the team, doubles and mixed doubles events.
He ended the year with 1 Team Silver, 2 mixed and doubles Bronzes at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Chew was part of the men’s team to upset top seeds and home favourites England 3-2 in the semi-final at the games.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
STTA Special Award 2022: Jing Junhong
Coach Jing Junhong was re-appointed head coach of the national women's table tennis team in April 2022.
Under her charge, the women’s team finished with 1 Gold (mixed), 3 Silver (team. doubles, mixed) at the SEA Games.
At the Commonwealth Games, the women’s team scored a total of 3 Gold (singles, doubles and team), 1 Silver (singles) and 1 Bronze (mixed) medals.
At the Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships, our women’s team finished top 8 in the team event. The team progressed further than in the 2018 tournament when the Republic finished in the Round of 16.
The task has not been easy for Coach Jing as our women’s team is made up of young players but she has continued Singapore's table tennis success in the major competitions in the year 2022.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
STTA Coach of the Year 2022: Gao Ning
Coach Gao has been coaching the national team since January 2019. The three-time Olympian took over a team made of Singapore-born talents, to name a few: Clarence Chew, Koen Pang, Ethan Poh and Izaac Quek.
Coach Gao is largely responsible for several wins at the 2022 SEA Games and Commonwealth Games. The men’s team finished with 2 Gold (doubles & mixed) and 3 Bronze (singles, doubles and team) medals for Vietnam SEA Games,
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Team Singapore upset top seeds England to reach the table tennis men’s team final. The men’s team finished the tournament with a team silver and 2 Bronze (double & mixed) medals.
Coach Gao has this ability to work with young athletes and his track record speaks for itself, with many of our national players winning on the international circuit.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
STTA Hopes Player of the Year 2022: Loy Ming Ying
The STTA Hopes Player of the Year Award is the nation's highest accolade for young paddlers aged 13 years old and below.
This award honours exceptional young paddlers because of their achievements and distinctions to the nation.
At 12 years old, Loy Ming Ying debuted at the 2022 SEA Junior & Cadet Table Tennis Championships. She finished the tournament with the U15 Girls’ team Gold, U15 Girls’ Singles Silver and U15 Girls’ Doubles Bronze.
She achieved her highest U13 world ranking 35 in May 2022.
The STTA is proud to honour Loy with the STTA Hopes Player of the Year 202 for her contributions.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
STTA Youth Player of the Year 2022: Zhou Jingyi
The STTA Youth Player of the Year 2022 recognizes the excellence and achievements of an outstanding youth player.
Zhou Jingyi made her debut at the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games and Birmingham Commonwealth Games. She finished with 2 Silvers (team & doubles) and 1 Gold (team) at the SEA Games and Commonwealth Games respectively.
At the Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships, Zhou, the youngest member of the squad, was instrumental in the women’s team finishing top in the group stage round by contributing a memorable comeback 3-2 win over Luxembourg's Ni Xialian. The women’s team has exceeded expectations by finishing Top 8 in the tournament. The team progressed further than in the 2018 tournament when the Republic finished in the Round of 16.
Zhou recorded her best U19 world raking 8 in March 2022.
PHOTO: HANIDA HUSSEIN, SPORTPLUS.SG
STTA Star Player of the Year 2022: Zeng Jian
It is the most prestigious award given to recognize and honour our national paddlers.
Zeng Jian ended her first Commonwealth Games campaign with a total of 2 Gold ((Team and women’s doubles), 1 silver (singles) and 1 bronze (mixed doubles) medals for Singapore.
She also debut at the 2022 Vietnam Games and finished with 1 bronze (singles), 3 silver (team, doubles & mixed doubles).
Zeng also led the women’s team at the Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships and did not lose a match for the first six days of the tournament. The women’s team exceeded expectations by finishing Top 8 in the tournament. The women’s team improved on their previous performance at the 2018 edition when the likes of Feng, Yu Mengyu and Lin Ye were stunned 3-2 by Ukraine in the round of 16.
The STTA is proud to honour Zeng with the STTA Player of the Year 2022 for her achievements.
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