Silver Belle

YOG: Table Tennis Girls Singles Final (SINGAPORE Isabelle Li: CHINA Gu Yuting – 8-11, 5-11, 8-11, 9-11)

Silver Belle
Isabelle’s Mother Regards Paddler’s Sacrifices As ‘National Service’

She didn’t give up on herself, and her supporters didn’t give up on her.
Every of the 30 points that Isabelle Li won from China’s Gu Yuting in their Youth Olympic Games Table Tennis Girls Singles Final on 23 August 2010 was hard fought and well-deserved.

How the Singapore supporters cheered and the Singapore Indoor Stadium echoed with shouts of “Jia You, Isabelle!” and “Let’s go, Singapore! Let’ go!” Yet, amid the cacophony, one voice sounded the loudest and the clearest – that of Madam Sim Kwang Huang, Isabelle’s mother.

“But I don’t think she heard me! Isabelle’s really focussed when she’s in a competition. Even if she were to glance into the spectators’ stand, she doesn’t ‘see’ anyone. We’re all a blur to her – which is good, because she is not distracted,” said Madam Sim, adding that despite cheering at the top of her voice in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where Isabelle competed in the 2010 Southeast Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships in June, and in Bangkok, Thailand, during the 16th Asian Junior Championships in July, Isabelle said she did not hear her.

For the most part of the last 18 months, Isabelle, who will be 16 on 28 August 2010, had undergone intensive training for the 1st Asian Youth Games in 2009 and the 1st Youth Olympic Games. In the last six months, she has travelled to four continents and competed in 20 tournaments.

“Even if Isabelle is not overseas, she’s training somewhere and by the time she gets home, it’s past 11 pm, so I’ve seen very little of her. I’ve missed her very much; the whole family has missed her very much.”

Madam Sim, a part-time tutor for Mathematics, said she missed Isabelle the most over the weekends.

“Before she went into intensive training, she would come home for the weekends, and we would talk and joke. Those were precious days. In the last 18 months, I found myself frequently taking out Isabelle’s photograph from my wallet, looking at it and smiling to myself, wondering what she was doing at that very moment. So, when the SEA Junior and Asian Junior came around to cities closer to home, my family decided to travel to see her. Even Isabelle’s paternal grandparents went along to Bangkok.”

Madam Sim said after watching her daughter play in those two competitions in Phnom Penh and Bangkok, she was hopeful that Isabelle would get into the Quarter-Final stage of the YOG Singles event.

“Some of the other players in her age-group have far superior skills. For Isabelle to go into the Final and put up such a determined fight against the World Youth Champion from China, I’m really proud of her.”

Isabelle settled for the Silver medal after losing 8-11, 5-11, 8-11, 9-11.

Madam Sim said she is looking forward to having Isabelle home again soon.

“No one can imagine how I feel, having a young daughter away from me for such an extended period of time. Fortunately, the Singapore Table Tennis Association and Singapore Sports School have formulated a strong support system for Isabelle.

“Once, when Isabelle was overseas and feeling under the weather, her coach called me to inform me that she was unwell and told me what he had done for her – brought her to the doctor, what medication she was given and how her condition was improving. He even boils her drinking water! So, I am not worried at all.

“I am also grateful to Sports School for customising a programme to suit Isabelle’s academic needs. She is only going to start her Secondary 4 school year after the YOG, but that’s all right with me. I know the School has a team of teachers ready to help her catch up on her studies.

“Playing table tennis makes Isabelle happy. She has always wanted to play for Singapore, and now she is doing just that. Missing a whole year of school… It’s her National Service for the country, a unique but meaningful way of serving Singapore,” said Madam Sim.