SINGAPORE – The Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) has dropped world No. 6 Feng Tianwei, Singapore’s most decorated Olympian, from the national team, in a move that sent ripples across the local sporting fraternity.

An STTA statement sent on Tuesday (Oct 25) said: “Feng Tianwei, who has been a member of the national team since 2007 and who will be 34-years-old during the Tokyo Olympics, does not fit into the STTA’s current plans for rejuvenation.”

STTA said the move is part of its new high performance plan, following a lacklustre outing at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics where the Singapore’s women’s table tennis team returned empty-handed for the first time in three editions.

In the same statement, STTA president Ellen Lee said: “Feng Tianwei has been a cornerstone of the national team since 2007. She has brought many golden moments to the sport.

“We would like to thank her for all that she has done for Singapore table tennis, and we would like to take this opportunity to wish Tianwei all the best in her future endeavours.”

Feng, 30, whose playing contract with the STTA ends on Oct 31, could not be reached for comment.

The news comes a day after Li Hu, the second-highest ranked men’s player, was sacked for violating house rules.

Read also: National table tennis player Li Hu sacked

Feng, together with former team-mates Li Jiawei and Wang Yuegu, won a team silver at the 2008 Olympics. The trio won a team bronze four years later, while Feng added a bronze in the singles event.

Her singles bronze was Singapore’s first individual Olympic medal in 52 years. The Heilongjiang native also anchored Singapore to a stunning win over China in the final of the 2010 World Team Table Tennis Championships.

The STTA said Zhou Yihan (22-years-old), Lin Ye (20) and Zeng Jian (19) will anchor the women’s team for the next two Olympic cycles (2020 and 2024) while the association brings through a new generation of local-born players.

Changes are also afoot in the men’s team, with world No. 41 Gao Ning, the top-ranked male player, taking on an assistant coach/player role. Gao, 34, is expected to retire after the 2018 Asian Games.

STTA added that it will focus on grooming Clarence Chew and Chen Feng for the 2020 Olympics.

As part of its plan, the STTA said it will launch a bursary for needy players in their youth development programmes. It will also continue to work closely with partners, including the Singapore Sports School and Sport Singapore to “nurture a new generation of accomplished athletes” for the national team.

An STTA spokesman said: “We must be bold as there is too much to lose. We all need to play our part in ensuring our sport continues to prosper, so we are inviting all those who support this vision to join us.”

Feng Tianwei career highlights:

2008

Olympics silver (team)

2010

World Team Table Tennis Championships: 1st

Commonwealth Games gold (singles, team)

2012

Olympics bronze (singles and team)

ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals: 1st (doubles)

2014

Commonwealth Games gold (singles, doubles, team)

Asian Games bronze (singles, team)

2015

Asian Cup: 1st (singles)

This article was first published on Oct 25, 2016.
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