Singapore’s Duo Secure Paris 2024 Olympic Berths at Southeast Asian Regional Qualifier
In a thrilling display of table tennis prowess, Singapore’s young duo of Izaak Quek and Jian Zeng have secured their places at the prestigious Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The duo emerged victorious at the Southeast Asian Regional Olympic Qualification Tournament, which concluded in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, May 10, 2024.
17-year-old Quek showcased his dominance throughout the event, remaining unbeaten from the group stage to the knockout rounds. In a closely contested semifinal, he defeated the Philippines’ Ruseel Michal in a nail-biting 4-3 (7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-5) encounter. Quek then went on to clinch the men’s singles title, defeating Thailand’s Phakpoom Sanguansin 4-2 (7-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5), securing his spot on the plane to Paris.
In the women’s singles, Zeng was equally impressive, emerging victorious in all her matches from the group stage to the final. In the title clash, she defeated Vietnam’s Khanh Nguyen 4-1 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10), earning her the opportunity to represent Singapore at the Olympic Games.
“I think the qualification tournament was a lot of pressure for me. Since the beginning, everyone was targeting only one spot in the region, and it was very important for me. I had many matches where I could have lost, but I’m glad that I was able to push through and didn’t give up,” shared an elated Quek.
Zeng, who is 27 years old, expressed her delight at realizing her dream of qualifying for the Olympics:
“I was very nervous during the matches, but now I am really happy that I became the qualifier from the region at the end of the tournament. This is the one and biggest step to qualifying for the Olympics. I’m hoping and wishing to play better in Paris. I’m very grateful for the whole Singapore team for supporting me constantly all the time, and as a result, I’m going to the Olympic Games.”
The three-day regional qualification tournament featured 18 elite athletes, comprising 10 men and 8 women, representing Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the host nation, Thailand.
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