Hard for Li to say goodbye
Former world table tennis champion retires after struggling with knee injury, may take on STTA role in future
By May Chen, The Straits Times, 28 Dec 2012
SHE has displayed nerves of steel against some of the world's best players. But as Li Jiawei yesterday called time on her illustrious table tennis career that included two Olympic medals and a world title, she struggled to fight back the tears.
"I've been in Singapore for 18 years," the 31-year-old said at the Singapore Table Tennis Association's (STTA) headquarters in Toa Payoh as she announced the decision to hang up her bat for good.
"It's impossible to describe my feelings now in just one or two sentences."
It is not hard to understand why, since her link to her adopted country goes beyond simply sharing the same birthday - Aug 9.
Li has spent more time here in Singapore than in China, her country of birth.
It was here where she matured from a doe-eyed 13-year-old to Olympic medallist and world champion.
It was also in Singapore where she became the face of table tennis for close to a decade.
Her very public relationship with former national badminton player Ronald Susilo had the country talking.
But with the veteran paddler struggling to recover from a knee injury which has kept her out of action since the London Olympics, Li felt it was time to close this chapter of her life.
Said the former world No.3: "The injury is partly why I'm retiring, but I also feel it's time for me to step down, give the younger players a chance and use the time to do something meaningful."
Li will return to Beijing where her businessman husband and three-year-old Singapore-born son are. But both player and association took pains to give assurances that Li is by no means severing ties with Singapore or the STTA.
"No matter what I choose to do from here, I hope to continue contributing to Singapore," said Li.
"I will always be a Singapore player and I want to... repay the country for the support I've received all these years."
Added STTA president Lee Bee Wah: "She will be based in China, but we will arrange for her to do something for Singapore. That's what she wants to do too."
Critics, however, argue that, despite 18 years in Singapore, she has yet to fully endear herself to the public.
At times uncomfortable with the attention on her, she is often reluctant to speak in English.
Yet few would dispute her contribution to Singapore sport.
She is just one of two Singapore athletes to have featured in four Olympics - alongside swimmer Joscelin Yeo.
She is a five-time Sportswoman of the Year winner, joining swimmer Patricia Chan as the only other athlete with that accolade.
She has also won more than 50 medals at major Games and regional and world championships.
But it was the team bronze won at the 2012 London Games, where she helped notch two out of Singapore's three winning points against South Korea, that holds most significance in her heart.
She said: "I went into that Olympics after becoming a mother and, although it was a bronze that we won, fighting to get back to the sport was something I experienced very personally.
"This was a very difficult decision to come to and I was feeling very down for a period of time. Even now, I still don't want to leave."
As if to offer herself some assurance too, Li turned around just before she stepped out of STTA yesterday, saying: "Don't worry, we'll meet again for sure."
Li's honour roll
HER 18 years in Singapore have spanned five SEA Games, three Asian Games, three Commonwealth Games, four Olympic Games and countless medals - including two from the Olympics.
Her estimated $1.27 million in earnings from the Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme also makes her the top-earning Singapore athlete so far. Here are some of Li Jiawei's career highlights:
Age: 31
Originally from: Beijing
Arrived in Singapore: May 1996
August 1999: Makes her major Games debut at the SEA Games, winning three golds and a bronze.
June 2002: Ranked world No.9, the first time she broke into the top 10.
September 2002: First title on the International Table Tennis Federation professional circuit, a doubles title with Jing Junhong at the Japan Open.
October 2002: Wins two bronzes (singles and team) at the Asian Games.
July 2004: Defeated former world No.2 Tamara Boros of Croatia to win her first singles title on the pro circuit at the US Open.
December 2005: Career-high ranking of No.3.
August 2008: Wins a team silver with Feng Tianwei and Wang Yuegu, Singapore's first Olympic medal in 48 years.
March 2010: Makes competitive comeback after 14-month break from the sport when she took time off to start a family.
May 2010: Part of title-winning team at the World Team Championships.
August 2012: Helps to clinch a team bronze for Singapore at the London Olympics.
Number of SEA Games golds: 14
Number of Commonwealth Games golds: 6
Number of Asian Games medals: 6
Number of Olympic medals: 2