The Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) held its Annual Awards ceremony this evening at the Emerald Ballroom, Novotel Singapore on Kitchener, celebrating the noteworthy achievements of Singapore’s table tennis athletes, coaches, and partners over the past year.

Graced by Guest-of-Honour Ms Goh Hanyan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, the event brought together sponsors, partners, athletes, coaches, and parents to reflect on a phenomenal year for Singapore table tennis, described by STTA President Ms Poh Li San as “a Year of Harvest”.

“Across many corners of the world, our athletes have flown the Singapore flag high — at both elite and youth levels. These achievements are the result of years of unwavering commitment, and tonight, we gather to celebrate not just the victories, but also the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work behind them,” said Ms Poh.

2024 was marked by landmark milestones:

• Izaac Quek, at just 18, became the youngest Singaporean male player to qualify for the Olympic Games. For his remarkable season, he was named Star Player of the Year.

• Zhou Jingyi, 19, made history as the youngest local-born female player to qualify for the Olympic Games and the first to compete in the Singles event. She was recognised as Youth Player of the Year
• Quek and Koen Pang ended an 11-year medal drought in Men’s Doubles by clinching silver at the 27th ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships – a first for a local-born pairing.
• The Singapore women’s team reclaimed their SEA Championship title after a decade.
• Rising youth star Loy Ming Ying secured a joint-bronze at the Asian Youth Championships U15 Girls’ Singles – a rare feat in a field traditionally dominated by China.
• At the WTT Youth Contender circuit, youth paddlers made waves across categories. Notably, Neo Cheng Ming secured silver at both the Vientiane and Senec legs in the U11 Boys Singles category, earning him the title of Hopes Player of the Year.
• Other notable podium finishes include Janelle Chiang, Kayleigh Mae Ng, and gold by the U19 Mixed Doubles pair Ellsworth Le and Chloe Lai at the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco.

Coach Gao Ning was named Coach of the Year, a nod to his role in steering Singapore’s male paddlers to landmark achievements at both the Asian and Olympic levels.

Three athletes — Loy Ming Ying, Ser Lin Qian, and Koen Pang — received Special Awards for their strong performances and contributions on the international stage.

The Bishan Zone Training Centre and its head coach, Zhou Wen Yong, was recognised as the Outstanding Zone Training Centre of the Year in appreciation of their commitment to developing young talent at the grassroots level.

“These are not just medals and trophies — they represent over a decade of focused efforts and well-planned investments in talent development,” Ms Poh emphasised. “Harvest can only come after years of sowing and tilling.”

Beyond elite competition, the STTA continues to foster future champions through its youth development pipeline. The Crocodile Challenge Cup 2024 saw record participation with nearly 400 primary school students from 89 schools. Across six Zone Training Centres islandwide, over 300 children receive structured coaching annually — many progressing into junior squads and eventually the national team.

With the Asian Championships in India and Asian Youth Games in Bahrain this October, followed by the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, STTA is gearing up for the next chapter of competition, fuelled by renewed momentum.

“As the scoreboards reset in 2025, we will keep training harder, competing fiercer, and flying the Singapore flag even higher”, added Ms Poh.