SEA Games: Back in national fold, emotional Pang Xuejie celebrates men’s doubles win

KUALA LUMPUR – A year ago, national table tennis player Pang Xuejie was on the verge of giving up the sport. He had already stopped regular training while serving National Service in 2014, and was about to start his undergraduate studies in business management at the Singapore Management University (SMU) in February this year.

Watching his teammates like Gao Ning and Clarence Chew in action during the SEA Games in 2015 – as well as the Commonwealth and Asian Games in 2014 –however, evoked a sense of regret and nostalgia for his old life. The 24-year-old knew then that his career in table tennis was not over. 

A week into his studies at the SMU, he decided to quit school to train full-time. But the journey back to his old self proved to be a slog for the paddler, who found himself unfit and overweight after piling on the pounds during his hiatus. Once a trim 70kg, Pang had ballooned to 87kg in over three years. 

He has since shed the weight after returning to the national fold, and Pang’s hard work certainly paid off on Sunday night (Aug 20) at the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, as he partnered veteran Gao Ning to a men’s doubles gold at the Mitec Hall 7.

After he and partner Yun  Mengyu unexpectedly lost the mixed doubles gold to Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechakul and Suthasini Sawettabut earlier in the day, it was an emotional Pang who faced the media at the mixed zone after his men’s doubles final victory over teammates Clarence Chew and Ethan Poh. 

Sobbing, Pang needed to take time out to compose himself before he said: “It means a lot to me…a year ago I was on the path of giving up, stopping competitive table tennis. When I was doing NS, I would read news of the team playing at Commonwealth, SEA Games and Asian Games. 

“I just felt like playing. I felt that I could still play competitively, that my career wasn’t over.

“This men’s doubles gold was very emotional because it wasn’t easy. I gave myself a lot of pressure to win, especially after losing the mixed doubles gold. 

“It was very tough coming back initially as I had packed on the pounds and my movements were restricted.”

However, he added with a chuckle: “Some good came out if it (weight gain) though because my backhand improved as I couldn’t move so much due to my weight!”

Pang and Gao’s gold wrapped up a day of mixed fortunes at the SEA Games for Team Singapore’s paddlers, who picked up two gold in the men’s and women’s doubles, two silver (men’s doubles, women’s doubles) and a bronze in the mixed doubles. The mixed doubles loss was also the first time that Singapore’s paddlers had lost the gold in over two decades. 

While it was business as usual for the women, there was a spot of drama on court during the women’s doubles final between Singaporean pair Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu and teammates Lin Ye and Zhou Yihan.

With Feng and Yu leading the contest at 2-0, world No 6 Feng tripped, fell backwards onto the floor – to shocked gasps from spectators – and hit her head. As her teammates rushed to her aid, the 30-year-old lay on the floor in pain while medics came to check on her. Luckily for Feng, she was able to return to court after a few minutes of treatment with an ice pack. 

The duo went on to defeat defending gold medallists Lin and Zhou to avenge their women’s doubles loss from the 2015 Games. 

“I’m very happy to win this because we lost to them the last time,” said Feng.

“My head feels a bit heavy, and I feel a little concussed. But luckily my teammates came to my aid. I lost my balance and was unsteady after the shot, which was why I fell backwards.

“But I am happy because I managed to make a breakthrough this time after winning this.”