Starbright Lin Qian Sparkles In China, Vietnam

2019 Vinh Long International Table Tennis Tournament

2019 ITTF China Junior and Cadet Open

13-year-old Ser Lin Qian was crowned Women's Singles champion at the 4th Vinh Long International Table Tennis Tournament on 30 June 2019, defeating older and more experienced players in the Vietnam competition.

The Vinh Long Tournament from 28 to 30 June attracted more than 250 players from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and host Vietnam. Only Singles and Team events were contested in the Men’s and Women’s categories.

Two weeks prior, the Secondary 1 student-athlete from Singapore Sports School returned from the China Junior and Cadet Open, an ITTF Junior Golden event on the world circuit, with two medals in hand – a Mini-Cadet Girls Singles silver and Cadet Girls Team bronze.

Lin Qian defeated three opponents from Japan, South Korea and Thailand before meeting local paddler Zhang Jinglei in the Under 13 Singles Final on 16 June. The Singaporean youth paddler had a strong start in the final, taking the first set, before her Chinese opponent secured the next two. Lin Qian managed to stretch the match to the rubber set, but eventually fell to her rival with scores of 11-7, 5-11, 10-12, 11-8, 9-11.

Even as Lin Qian charged on in the Mini-Cadet age-group, competition continued for her in the U15 Cadet Singles. Her fine form and drive for excellence was evident throughout the competition, particularly in her Quarter-Final bout against U15 World No. 2’s Chen Yi of China which stretched into the rubber set. The match was a closely fought one; however, the young Singaporean was unable to defeat her stronger opponent and ended the match 11-9, 9-11, 1-11, 12-10, 7-11.

Earlier in the tournament in Taicang, China, Lin Qian and Sports School Secondary 2 paddler Zhou Jingyi partnered for the Cadet Team bronze medal. The female duo notched Group Stage wins against Thailand, South Korea and India, ending the matches with a 3-0 scoreline, before their progress in the competition was halted by China in the Semi-Finals on 13 June.

Secondary 1s Izaac Quek Yong and Koh Junhao also clinched the final podium spot in the Cadet Boys Team event.

RESULTS

2019 Vinh Long International Table Tennis Tournament

Women's Open Singles

1st – Ser Lin Qian

2019 ITTF China Junior and Cadet Open

Mini-Cadet Girls Singles

2nd – Ser Lin Qian

Cadet Girls Team

3rd – Ser Lin Qian and Zhou Jingyi

Cadet Boys Team

3rd – Izaac Quek Yong and Koh Junhao