Feng Tianwei

Infobox Tabletennis player
playername = Feng Tianwei


caption = Feng at the Volkswagen Women's World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on 7 September 2008
fullname = Feng Tianwei
nicknames = "Le Le" (zh-cp|c=乐乐|p=Lè Lè) [citation|author=Lin Xinyi|title=Feng upset with blogger who's using her nickname|newspaper=The Straits Times (Sports)|date=9 September 2008|page=B10.]
nationality = Singapore
residence = Singapore
playingstyle = Right-handed shakehand gripcitation|title=FENG Tianwei|url=http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=102712&s_Assoc=&s_Gender=&s_Name=&s_Player_ID=&|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|accessdate=2008-08-23.]
equipment = Stiga Kelvar blade
hrank = 9th (2008)citation|title=World ranking record for FENG Tianwei (SIN)|url=http://www.ittf.com|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=August 2008|accessdate=2008-08-17.]
club =
birthdate = birth date and age|1986|8|31|df=yes
birthplace = Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = convert|1.64|m|ftin|abbr=oncitation|title=Athlete biography: FENG Tianwei|url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/4/202324.shtml|publisher=Beijing 2008, Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad|year-2008|accessdate=2008-08-18.]
weight = convert|58|kg|lb|abbr=on (2008)
medaltemplates =| Feng Tianwei (zh-cp|c=冯天薇|p=Féng Tiānwēi) (pronounced|fəŋ tiεn wei, respelled|fəng tien way) (born 31 August 1986) is a Singaporean table tennis player, ranked ninth in the world as a singles player as of August 2008. Born in China, she began training in Singapore in March 2007 and commenced her international career in competitive table tennis the following month. She became a Singapore citizen in January 2008.

Feng represented Singapore for the first time in the Olympic Games at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. On 15 August, the Singapore team comprised of Feng and her teammates Li Jiawei and Wang Yuegu defeated South Korea 3–2 in the semifinals. The team lost to China in the final, but obtained the silver medal. This was Singapore's first Olympic medal in 48 years and its first as an independent nation.

Early years

Feng Tianwei was born on 31 August 1986 in Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.citation|author=Chua Chin Hon|title=Match-winner: Win over tenacious rival gives Feng 'best birthday present'|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_268729.html|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2008-08-16|page=C36.] She is the only daughter of Feng Qingzhi, a granary worker, and his wife Li Chunping, an employee of a department store. Feng's parents, who were poor, lived frugally for years to pay for her table tennis training. Her father suffered from multiple sclerosis, but she was not told how severe his illness was. He died in 2002, weeks before Feng tried out for China's national B squad. Although Feng topped the qualifying matches a month later and was called up for the national team in 2003, she suffered from a long illness; a source close to her said it was "because she missed her father too much".citation|author=Chua Chin Hon|title=Medal dreams come true: Gutsy Feng rewards parents' toil and sacrifice|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2008-08-17|page=A4.] citation|author=Tan Hui Yee|title=The priceless power of the dream|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2008-08-26|page=A26.] Feng left China in 2005 to play in the Japanese professional league. While there she was spotted by Liu Guodong, a coach with the Singapore Table Tennis Association, in 2006. In March 2007 she was invited to train in Singapore under the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme. She became a Singapore citizen in January 2008.

Career as national player

Feng made her international "début" for Singapore in June 2007 as an under-21 player at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Pro Tour Volkswagen Korean Open.citation|author=Ian Marshall|title=Number one seed reserves place in women's singles final in Santiago|url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=15307&Competition_ID=1703&|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=2008-04-27|accessdate=2008-08-22.] As a singles player, Feng was ranked 73rd in the world in August 2007. Nonetheless, that month she achieved a silver medal in the singles at the ITTF Pro Tour Chinese Taipei Open, her compatriot Li Jiawei beating her to take the gold.citation|author=Ian Marshall|title=Li Jia Wei returns to winning ways as she succeeds in Chinese Taipei|url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=13232&Competition_ID=1660&|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=2007-08-26|accessdate=2008-08-22.]

Feng was a member of the silver medal-winning Singapore women's team at the World Team Championships in Guangzhou in 2008, and also defeated the top seed Zhang Yining from China in the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup held in Sapporo between 29 March and 30 March 2008, eventually achieving second place behind China's Guo Yue.citation|author=Lim Han Ming|title=One more step to a medal|newspaper=The New Paper|date=2008-08-15|page=64 at 65.] She obtained singles bronze medals at the ITTF Pro Tour Chile Open in April and the Singapore Open in June 2008,citation|author=Ian Marshall|title=Top seeds book places in women's singles final|url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=15665&Competition_ID=1712&|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=2008-06-08|accessdate=2008-08-22.] and helped the women's team to a second place at the Volkswagen Japan Open in Yokohama on 24 May 2008.citation|title=Japan Open 2008 – WSTM2|url=http://www.ittf.com/world_events/team_Indv_matches1.asp?Tour_Code=1708&Event_Type=WSTM2&P1_Assc=CHN&P2_Assc=SIN|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=May 2008|accessdate=2008-08-16.] As of August 2008, she had worked her way up to a ninth-place ranking in the world.

2008 Summer Olympics

Feng represented Singapore for the first time at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the women's table tennis team tournament. The youngest member of the team which included Li Jiawei and Wang Yuegu, she contributed significantly to Singapore's 3–2 win against South Korea in the semifinals on 15 August by defeating Dang Ye-Seo and Park Mi-Young in two singles matches. Feng's match against Park was closely fought, with Feng eventually overcoming Park 3–1. Singapore was assisted by the implementation of the expedite system when the game failed to be completed in ten minutes. Under the system, players serve on alternative points rather than on every two points. A receiving player scores a point if she manages 13 returns, which disadvantages defensive play by the server. The system unsettled Park, and Feng won two minutes after its introduction in the match when Park committed a service fault. [citation|title=Compelling: How the Koreans were overcome in five matches|newspaper=The Straits Times (Sport)|date=2008-08-16|page=C34.] Interviewed afterwards, Feng said: "I definitely did not expect that [Park's error] . It was a surprise and the best birthday present I've ever gotten."

On 17 August, Feng and her teammates gained Singapore a silver medal in women's table tennis after losing to China in three matches.citation|title=China women take gold|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/17/sports/olytableten17.php|publisher=International Herald Tribune|date=2008-08-17.] Feng played the starting singles match, winning the first game but eventually losing to China's Wang Nan 3–1. This was the first time Singapore had won an Olympic medal since its independence in 1965. The medal came 48 years after Tan Howe Liang won the country's first medal, a silver in weightlifting in the lightweight category at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. [citation|title=Olympics: Singapore enter women's table-tennis team final|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sportsnews/view/368387/1/.html|publisher=Channel NewsAsia|date=2008-08-15|accessdate=2008-08-15; citation|author=Marc Lim|title=At last! S'pore assured of at least a silver after 48-year wait|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2008-08-16|page=1; citation|author=Leonard Thomas|title=A new Olympic heroine: First medal since 1960|url=http://www.todayonline.com/articles/271233.asp|newspaper=Today|date=2008-08-16|pages=1 & 3; citation|author=Leonard Thomas|title=A silver spark? Feng, Li and Wang could just be what's needed to fire up sports talent and development in S'pore|url=http://www.todayonline.com/articles/271499.asp|newspaper=Today|date=2008-08-18|pages=1–2.]

Feng and her teammates received byes into the third round of the women's singles tournament.citation|author=Low Lin Fhoong|title=Yuegu crashes out: Jiawei and Tianwei cruise into last 16 despite team-mate's shock loss|url=http://www.todayonline.com/articles/272095.asp|newspaper=Today|date=2008-08-21|page=55.] Feng defeated South Korea's Dang 4–0 in the third round and the Netherlands' Li Jie 1–4 in the fourth round, but fell 4–1 to China's Zhang Yining in the quarter-finals.citation|author=Marc Lim|title=A medal at the next Olympics, vows Feng|newspaper=The Straits Times (Sport)|date=2008-08-22|page=B22.] Feng made the world number one work for her win, with the final scores being 11–13, 14–12, 12–14, 10–12, 11–13. According to the "Straits Times", Zhang leveraged on her experience by stalling for time at crucial stages of the game, which broke Feng's rhythm. Interviewed after the match, Feng said: "I'm sure I'll win a medal at the next Olympics."

At a victory celebration in Singapore on 25 August, Vivian Balakrishnan, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, announced that Feng, Li and Wang would be presented with the "Pingat Jasa Gemilang" (Meritorious Service Medal). This is only the third time the medal will be awarded to athletes, the two previous recipients being weightlifter Tan Howe Liang (1962) and swimmer Joscelin Yeo (2006). [citation|author=Jeanette Wang|author2=Lin Xinyi|author3=Valerie Chia|title=Cheers and national honours for winning trio|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2008-08-26|page=A6; citation|author=Tan Yo-Hinn|title=A party 48 years in the making: Team Singapore return to a grand heroes' welcome|url=http://www.todayonline.com/articles/272924.asp|newspaper=Today|date=2008-08-26|page=31.]

Other competitions

On 9 September 2008, Feng beat her compatriot Wang to clinch the bronze medal at the ITTF Women's World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.citation|title=Feng Tianwei wins Singaporean duel to clinch bronze medal|url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=16314&Competition_ID=1724&|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=9 September 2008|accessdate=2008-09-10; citation|author=Lin Xinyi|title=Battle for third place: Feng too good for Wang in play-off after both fall in the last four|newspaper=The Straits Times (Sport)|date=9 September 2008|page=B10; citation|author=Tan Yo-Hinn|title=S'pore paddlers miss final: Feng grabs consolation bronze as players get used to new glue for bats|url=http://www.todayonline.com/articles/274861.asp|newspaper=Today|date=9 September 2008|page=30.]

Medals

ee also

*Singapore at the 2008 Summer Olympics
*Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Notes

References

*citation|title=Athlete biography: FENG Tianwei|url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/4/202324.shtml|publisher=Beijing 2008, Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad|year-2008|accessdate=2008-08-18.
*citation|author=Chua Chin Hon|title=Match-winner: Win over tenacious rival gives Feng 'best birthday present'|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_268729.html|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2008-08-16|page=C36.
*citation|title=World ranking record for FENG Tianwei (SIN)|url=http://www.ittf.com|publisher=International Table Tennis Federation|date=August 2008|accessdate=2008-08-17.

External links

* [http://www.snoc.org.sg Official website of the Singapore National Olympic Council]
* [http://www.stta.org.sg Official website of the Singapore Table Tennis Association]
* [http://www.teamsingapore.com.sg Official website of Team Singapore, managed by the Singapore Sports Council]
* [http://www.teamsingapore.com.sg/publish/teamsingapore/en/games/Olympics/Beijing2008/beijing_2008/our_athletes.detail.html?athleteID=1643 Feng Tianwei at the Team Singapore website]

Persondata
NAME = Feng, Tianwei
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Feng, Tian Wei
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Singaporean table tennis player
DATE OF BIRTH = 31 August 1986
PLACE OF BIRTH = Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =