Josh keeps cool to help Singapore retain gold

Lester Wong

Jul 23, 2018 06:00 am

Singapore's table tennis boys' team retained the Asean Schools Games (ASG) gold won on home soil last year in dramatic fashion yesterday, beating Thailand 3-2 in the final of this year's edition in Malaysia.

Josh Chua celebrated his 17th birthday in style at the SJK (C) Kong Hoe school premises in Klang, defeating Thailand's Supakorn Pankhaoyo in the rubber tie 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6 after Singapore had initially let a 2-0 lead slip.

The Year 5 Raffles Institution student, a veteran of four ASGs, said: "I just kept telling myself not to think too much and not be too bothered with the result whether win or lose. I've gotten used to celebrating my birthday during ASG since Secondary 1 but this is the first time I've won a gold on my actual day itself."

Youth Olympics Games-bound high jumper Kampton Kam won Singapore's first gold at the ASG after his 2.10m jump broke both the national schools (2.06m) and U-20 (2.08m) records.

Swimmer Mikkel Lee, who won four golds and a silver at the last ASG, picked up his first gold of the Games as well in the 100m free, clocking 50.72sec.

After the second day of competition, Singapore's medal tally stands at three golds, three silvers and four bronzes. - LESTER WONG