Dramatic finale as paddlers win team golds
Home paddlers set the crowd alight with inspirational performance
Singapore, Singapore! Ole, ole, ole, ole!
It was not a football match that got the local crowd going, but a sensational table tennis showdown at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last night.
In a stunning display of home support, more than 5,000 fans threw their voice and weight behind women paddlers Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu and Isabelle Li.
In an epic women's table tennis team final, arguably the greatest the SEA Games has witnessed, the Singaporean trio were taken the full distance by Thailand.
In a thrilling encounter lasting more than three hours, the hosts finally won the gold by emerging 3-2 victors, inspiring a crowd that included President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
There was less drama in the men's team final that followed, with the Singapore team beating their Vietnamese counterparts 3-1 to bag gold.
The earlier action would have sapped the energy out of almost everyone who watched the women's final, and Feng was happy to come through.
"I'm very touched by the support, it's something we haven't experienced before, playing on home ground in such a packed arena," said the world No. 4, who has been maligned online after her shock loss in the women's singles event.
"It's been bittersweet losing the singles event, and I'm aware of the online criticism, but I also had many words of encouragement.
"We are thankful for the fans, and we are happy to be able to deliver this gold for Singapore."
Yu added: "We can definitely get used to this. It's a great atmosphere, stressful, but we turned it into positive energy.
"I feel that I have learnt more about handling pressure-cooker situations and this will be a special gold to remember."
Nursing a knee injury, Feng consigned her embarrassing singles exit to the dustbin and was a star last night, winning both her matches to help Singapore stay in the game after they trailed the Thais, who were missing women's singles champion Suthasini Sawettabut due to a shoulder injury.
World No. 15 Yu lost 1-3 (7-11, 11-8, 10-12, 9-11) to world No. 119 Nanthana Komwong in the first singles, but Feng restored parity by beating world No. 128 Tamolwan Khetkhuan 3-1 (13-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6) in the next tie.
Refusing to give in, world No. 118 Li had the Singapore supporters on the edge of their seats, but could not overcome world No. 220 Orawan Paranang and lost 2-3 (11-7, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8, 7-11).
Singapore had to call upon Feng to level proceedings again and she did so with aplomb, wiping out Nanthana 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-1).
It was left to Yu, battling a recurring back injury, to seal ultimate victory, downing Tamolwan 3-1 (10-12, 11-2, 15-13, 11-5).
Singapore women's table tennis coach Jing Junhong said that while there were recent Olympic medals, this precious SEA Games gold medal could well be right up there in terms of significance.
"If Singapore didn't mean anything to these players, they wouldn't be carrying the responsibilities, fighting on with injuries," said the 46-year-old.
"We would rather win every match to zero, but that's impossible. Being taken to the limit and win gives us such thrill and a sense of achievement.
"I was surprised to see so many people here tonight, and they saw an amazing battle of wits and will, and how hard our players, all three of them, fought.
"Even if we had lost, I think we still would have won people over with our spirit."
In the come-from-behind win that finished 10 minutes to midnight, Singapore's men's team overcame the Vietnamese to make it a total of six table tennis golds for the hosts, one short of a clean sweep.
Tran Tuan Quynh pulled off an upset when he beat world No. 75 Li Hu 3-1 (11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 12-10).
But Singapore rallied.
First, Gao Ning eased past Nguyen Anh Tu 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-8), before Clarence Chew made light work of Dinh Quanh Linh 3-0 (11-7, 11-4, 11-7). Gao then took out Tran 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9) to claim the gold medal.
"We are thankful for the fans, and we are happy to be able to deliver this gold for Singapore."
- Feng Tianwei
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