Singapore’s contract bridge players secure at least two joint-bronzes at the Asiad
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Singapore contract bridge mixed team players Tan Sock Ngin (left) and Gideon Tan playing against Indonesia during the qualification rounds at the Asian Games.
PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
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HANGZHOU – Singapore are assured of at least two joint-bronze medals in contract bridge at the Asian Games through the mixed and women’s teams.
After six days of competition at the Hangzhou Qi-Yuan (Zhili) Chess Hall, the mixed team of Tan Sock Ngin, Gideon Tan, Seet Choon Cheng, Lam Ze Ying, Loo Choon Chou and Luo Cheng were third out of 11 in qualification with 266.06 points.
They finished behind Chinese Taipei (296.24) and China (280.57) and booked their place in the two-day semi-finals which started on Tuesday.
The women’s team comprising Jazlene Ong, Lim Jing Xuan, Li Lan, Low Siok Hui, Selene Tan and Leong Jia Min finished fourth out of eight in the qualification round with 153.58 points to seal their spot in the last four.
China were the top qualifiers with 176.69 points, followed by Hong Kong (159.08) and Chinese Taipei (156.41).
Mixed team captain Loo said: “The team is very happy to have made it to the top four and secure at least a medal.
“We didn’t have a good start but the team kept at it and finished very strongly with seven straight wins to clinch a medal spot convincingly.”
Loo knows the task at hand – if they are to get to the final, they will have to beat hosts China.
Singapore lost the first two sessions 45-39, 46-2 on Tuesday before winning the third 49-45.
But Loo vowed that the team would give it their all in the remaining three sessions, saying: “Although we are up against China, the pre-tournament favourite, our team is determined and we will do our best against them.
“We are the underdogs but we will have some chances and definitely look forward to the challenge.”
(From left) Singapore’s mixed team of Tan Sock Ngin, Seet Choon Cheng, Loo Choon Chou, Luo Cheng, Gideon Tan and Lam Ze Ying have secured at least a bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
Women’s team player Selene Tan was pleased with how her teammates had overcome a tough start to secure a medal.
She said: “It feels shiok (fantastic). We have been training hard for this and it feels great that our hard work paid off.
“It was rocky at the start but we managed to stabilise ourselves and catch up later.”
The women’s team are also trailing China after the first day of the semi-finals. They lost all three rounds: 43-25, 34-17 and 45-0.
(From left) Singapore’s women's team of Leong Jia Min, Jazlene Ong, Low Siok Hui, Lim Jing Xuan, Li Lan and Selene Tan have secured at least a bronze at the Asian Games.
PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
The men’s team did not make it to the semi-finals after they finished fifth out of 11 with 231.50 points in qualification.
At the previous Asiad in Jakarta where contract bridge made its Games debut, Singapore won gold in the men’s team event.
Excluding the two medals that will come from contract bridge, Singapore’s medal tally at the Hangzhou Asian Games currently stands at three golds, six silvers and four bronzes.
