Bangkok: The Thai women’s table tennis team triumphed once again, securing their third consecutive SEA Games gold medal in a nail-biting final against Singapore.
According to Thai News Agency, the final match was held at the Central Westgate shopping mall. The Thai team, already two-time defending champions, faced a formidable opponent in Singapore during the best-of-five match. Initially trailing after the third match with a score of 1-2, Thailand’s top player “Thip” Orawan Paranang, ranked 73rd in the world, reversed the momentum in the fourth match against Singapore’s top player Zheng Jian, who is ranked 37th globally. Orawan’s come-from-behind victory of 3-2 (17-15, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6) tied the overall score at 2-2, setting the stage for a decisive final match.
In the concluding face-off, Suthasinee Sawettabut, ranked 98th in the world, took on Singapore’s Saer Lin Kian, ranked 125th. Suthasinee managed to secure a narrow 3-2 victory (9-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-5), thus clinching the gold medal for Thailand. This victory not only reaffirms Thailand’s dominance in women’s table tennis at the SEA Games but also showcases their resilience and competitive spirit. The Singaporean team earned the silver medal, while Malaysia and the Philippines shared the bronze.