Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games Day 8
(24 August 2010/5:11 PM)
Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG)
Silver is the colour of the medal hung around I.Li
Fifth medal - Silver
Women's Table Tennis Singles' Event
Paddler: Isabelle Li, 15
(From Left) Singapore's Isabelle Li, China's Gu Yuting and South Korea's Yang Han Eun
Isabelle Li (above left) who swept Thailand's Suthasini Sawettabut 4-0 in Monday morning's semi-finals, gave her all against the top-seeded Gu. However, the difference in standards was clear for all to see.
The 15-year-old Singapore Sports School student tried her best to win Team Singapore's first Youth Olympic Games gold medal, but apparently, the World Under-15 No.1 is too good.
The final scores: 11-9, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9.
Isabelle may have frustrated her previous opponents with her defensive style of play but Gu, who beat South Korea's Yang Han Eun 4-1 in her semi-final, overcame that with her aggression, speed and accurate smashes.
The World Under-15 No. 1, who won the doubles and mixed doubles titles at the 2009 World Junior Championships, raced to a 2-0 lead within 14 minutes after beating Isabelle 11-9 and 11-5 in the first two sets.
Up next for Isabelle is the Mixed Team event where she will pair up with team mate Clarence Chew. In this event, which begins on Tuesday, the paddlers will start their group stage campaign with three matches against Intercontinental 2, Egypt and Africa 1.
Isabelle is already a feat, being able to make it to the Finals.
Nonetheless, her opponent wasn't easy at all, she is the World Under-15 Champion, as well as China's top seed.
Take note that China has a population of over 1.3 billion people... so being the China's top seed wouldn't be some Tom, Dick or Harry, eh?
Read on to find out how strong this "Tom, Dick or Harry" is..
Back into 2009
During the Singapore Asian Youth Games (AYG) in 2009, China's top seed appeared and clinched several medals. To be exact, Gu Yuting of China won 2 golds and 1 silver.
On the extreme left stood the YOG 2010's Women Table Tennis Singles Gold Medalist.
It was during the AYG 2009 when she competed in the girls' singles and won Silver, losing to her China's teammate. North Korea and Japan shared the Bronze.
Gu Yuting and her 3 fellow China teammates brought home the Gold and Silver in the Mixed Doubles, while Japan and South Korea shares the bronze.
China did not win medals from 2 positions this time, but the amount of medals won stayed the same as Mixed Doubles as they clinched Gold in the Mixed Event.
North Korea got the Silver while Singapore shared the Bronze with Chinese Taipei.
Yes, and I didn't forget about Team Singapore.
The 2 individuals on the extreme left and right are Isabelle Li and Clarence Chew respectively.
Both of them, along with Chau Hai Qing and Tay Jit Kiat, are the Bronze medalist at Asian Youth Games Table Tennis tournament.
Li and Chew will compete in the Mixed Team later...
Not just yet..
2010 Youth Olympic Games Women Table Tennis Singles' Gold Medalist, 2009 Asian Youth Games Women Table Tennis Singles' Silver Medalist, Mixed Doubles Gold Medalist and Mixed Event Gold medalist, World Under-15 Number 1 and China's Top Seed - Gu Yuting (left) with teammate Chen Meng (right) in Girls' Double Event in Volkswagen 2009 World Junior Table Tennis Championships. (She won Gold in this event)
And YOG Women Table Tennis Singles' Bronze Medalist, Yang Han Eun from South Korea, was the Chinese duo's opponent in the match for Gold.
You must be...
Yes, YOU must be wondering why am I blogging about all these stuffs about China's Gu Yuting.
The reason is to let you peeps know how strong she is..
So people wouldn't think that Isabelle's not strong enough for Gold, but instead, Gold is too strong for her.
Labels: Youth Olympic Games 2010
Yet another entry by WEN SHENG.
