Singapore Table Tennis Association receives $100,000 donation from catering company Neo Garden
Just like how homegrown catering brand New Garden is known for its spread of international cuisine, its founder Neo Kah Kiat believes Singapore’s table tennis players can shine on the global stage.
Hence, the chairman and chief executive of Neo Limited has donated $100,000 to the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) and will consider donating more in the future.
At the signing ceremony at STTA’s headquarters in Toa Payoh on Wednesday, he surprised the national players and guests with his powerful smashes in a friendly game.
Neo laughed as he said: “Table tennis is my childhood game, and it is an inclusive game which anyone, regardless of their background or physical capabilities, can enjoy.
“We have supported sports like table tennis, badminton and swimming as I feel there is more to life than work and study. We need sport as a form of exercise and enjoyment.
“At the elite level, our national players have done very well and I hope the sponsorship can help them continue to improve and do us proud in international competitions. We also hope this partnership will lead to the discovery of more talented players who can represent Singapore.”
The national players have had a fine run of results since the Commonwealth Games in 2022 when they won three golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
Izaac Quek, 16, claimed several upset wins to reach the last 16 of the Singapore Smash in March. He and Koen Pang then became the first local-born male players to reach the top 100, and are now ranked 72nd and 79th respectively.
They also won the men’s doubles title at the World Table Tennis Feeder Antalya, while teammates Clarence Chew and Zeng Jian were mixed doubles champions, as they became the first Singaporeans to win on the WTT circuit.
Their next assignment is the April 23-29 WTT Star Contender Bangkok, ahead of the May 5-17 SEA Games.
STTA president Poh Li San thanked Neo Garden for the partnership, which will aid its high performance development.
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