Silver streak but Qi Shen sets higher standards

Malaysia table tennis men’s doubles pair Wong Qi Shen-Javen Choong (black) in action against Singapore’s Izaac Quek-Pang Yew En Koen in the final event during the 33rd SEA Games at Central Westgate in Nonthaburi, Bangkok on December 17, 2025. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

BANGKOK: National paddler Wong Qi Shen is a hard man to please.

The 22-year-old etched his name into the history books alongside Tee Ai Xin by becoming the first Malaysian pair in 58 years to reach the mixed doubles final and eventually returning with a silver medal.

The last Malaysian duo to achieve this feat were Lim Hee Peng and Chong Siok Fong, who also settled for silver at the 1967 Thailand edition.

Qi Shen went on to add another silver in the men’s doubles with Choong Javen, as well as a bronze in the team event, capping an impressive medal haul at the SEA Games.

Yet, Qi Shen remained critical of his own performance, rating his SEA Games campaign at no higher than five out of 10.

“I think this result is probably the best I’ve had so far, considering that I’ve reached the finals in both events, but I would rate this performance between a three and a five,” said Qi Shen.

“Based on my own expectations, including our pre-competition preparations and targets, I feel we didn’t meet what we had set out

to achieve.

“It has been 58 years (since Malaysia last won a silver in mixed doubles), so yes, it can be seen as a breakthrough but I believe it could have been better.

“Switching to a different event and finishing second doesn’t count as a real breakthrough in my eyes.

“I felt that we had a real chance to win a gold medal, given how well we prepared and performed in the lead-up tournaments.

“For me, no matter how many silver medals I win — whether it’s 10 or even 20 — without a gold medal, it’s not a breakthrough.”

Originally slated to compete in the men’s singles and one doubles event, Qi Shen later shifted his focus entirely to doubles after discussions with his coaches, who believed it offered a stronger chance of securing gold.

Having sacrificed his singles campaign, Qi Shen admitted he had set his sights firmly on winning gold in the doubles events.

However, the gamble fell short of its intended reward, with Qi Shen finishing second in both finals after going down to Singaporean pair Zeng Jian-Koen Pang in the mixed doubles and Izaac Quek-Koen in the men’s doubles.