KUCHING: The inclusion of singles for U-10 boys and girls in the 49th Sarawak Open Table Tennis Championship is seen as a positive step forward for development of the game in the state.

Organising chairman Helena Christine Wee said the move would greatly help unearth more talents in this particular age group to be groomed for future national championships.

It is also in line with the Table Tennis Association of Malaysia’s (TTAM) guidelines to include the U-10 boys and girls singles and doubles in peninsular Malaysia since 2004.

Wee said TTAM scrapped the doubles last year and included the U-10 team events for the boys and girls.

“It’s high time we include these two categories in the Sarawak Open so that we will not be left behind the rest of the states.

“We need to develop our U-10 players early so that we can meet TTAM requirements to compete in the national championship,” Wee said after receiving a sponsorship of Quantum Science pendants and flasks worth RM68,000 from Fusion Excel International Sdn Bhd for the Kuching team.

Wee, who is also chairman of the Kuching Division Table Tennis Association, said the Sarawak Open would also give the young players exposure to competitions at an early age.

“We start recruiting the kids for the development programme when they are six or seven years old so that by nine and 10, they can start competing in the age group competitions,” she added.

Kuching will be fielding 65 players and officials for the Sarawak Open at MBKS Indoor Stadium in Pending from Dec 19 to 23.

Selection trials are still being held to finalise the line-up.

Wee said about 300 players and officials from eight divisions – hosts Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Sarikei, Mukah, Bintulu, Miri and Limbang – will be vying for honours in 21 categories. They are men’s open singles, doubles and team, women’s open singles, doubles and team, veteran men singles and team, veteran women singles, non-Chinese Open singles and team, U-17, U-15, U-13 and U-10 boys and girls singles, boys youth team and girls youth team.

Kuching is the defending champion of the overall team title.