Olympics: Feng wins Singapore's 1st individual medal in 52 years
Feng Tianwei becomes only the second Singaporean to win an individual medal. The first was weightlifter Tan Howe Liang, who took silver at the 1960 Rome Games.
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LONDON - History was made in the ExCel Arena on Wednesday afternoon when Singaporean paddler Feng Tianwei won the women's singles bronze medal match.
She took just 25 minutes to bulldoze past Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5.
The Japanese, a higher-ranked opponent at world No. 6, stood no chance at all. Feng is ranked eighth in the world.
This is Singapore's first table tennis singles medal, and the first win in the bronze medal match in four tries. Li Jiawei had twice fell at this hurdle at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games. Jing Junhong, now the women's team deputy head coach, was unsuccessful at the 2000 Sydney edition. Jing was by Feng's side for her historic win on Wednesday.
Feng is the only Singaporean to win an individual medal besides weightlifter Tan Howe Liang, who took silver at the 1960 Rome Games.
She will feature next in the women's team event, where she will spearhead the team's charge to retain its silver from the 2008 Games.
