While this is a blog dedicated to soccer related news, as a proud sports fan of Singapore origin, we recognise the stunning achievements of the sports fraternity in Singapore.
A small island, unheard of by many around the world's elite sporting countries is now the loudest name you will hear for anyone who watches the game of table tennis.
The Singapore women's team has clinched the World Table Tennis Championships, upsetting China 3-1 in the finals. This is the first time the POWERHOUSES of table tennis, China has been defeated in 19.... yes seriously 19 years in this competition. Ouch.
Can I say I am very, very proud of the Singapore women's team. While most of them are adopted citizens of Singapore (most of them were born in China)... they came as second rate players disregarded by the table tennis federation and national sports selection system in China. In other words, they were deemed "not good enough" to represent China.
They came to Singapore with new hopes of making it on the world stage. They settled down in a new country and trained exceptionally hard. They lost on two previous occasions in the finals of the Olympics and World Championships 2008 to the China team but they put their heads down and kept training.
This is what makes sports inspiring. There is no better feeling than when an underdog turns the tables on the perpetual favourites. In table tennis, nobody touches China (they are even greater than Brazil in soccer). Singapore has just beaten them on the world stage... its almost like the Singapore Lions beating Brazil 3-1 in the World Cup final. It is almost unthinkable.
If this isn't sporting history in the making of Singapore, I don't know what is. This is the best publicity you can have for the upcoming Youth Olympics to be held in Singaapore.
Majulah Singapore !! Or to our table tennis team chiefly made up of new Chinese immigrants... 好样子，新加坡 !!
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