MATTA still waiting for coach, Chen staying put

Marianas Amateur Table Tennis Association president Steven Lim may have to continue holding the coaching reins of the CNMI National Table Tennis Team, as the islands’ ping-pong federation has yet to finalize its hiring of a full-time coach.

Lim said in an interview Tuesday night that former Philippine Men’s National Table Tennis Team coach Rowell “Jet” Yatco is still weighing the offer to come to Saipan and become the full-time coach of the islands’ national ping-pong team.

While Yatco is still pondering his decision to relocate to Micronesia, Lim said he has other options in filling the vacant coaching position.

He said, for instance, he is considering MATTA newcomer Con Pobre’s recommendation of hiring Cyrus Tolentino, a two-time champion of the Metro Manila Open Table Tennis Tournament, one of the stalwarts of the Harrison Plaza Table Tennis Association, and Pobre’s coach in the Philippine National Bank table tennis team.

Lim earlier said he intends to start tryouts this month for players that would comprise the CNMI national team for the 6th Micronesian Games.

He said he would first hold them on Saipan then move the tryouts to Tinian, which would be held in conjunction with MATTA’s biannual goodwill tournament with Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino’s table tennis club.

In related news, bronze medalist Chen Lin Ying said he intends to play for the CNMI in the Micro Games set from June 23 to July 2 here on Saipan

It was reported earlier that the 35-year-old businessman was eyeing a move to Australia because of the unpredictable economic climate in the Commonwealth.

Chen clarified the report though and said he intends to remain in the CNMI for the next three to five years. The owner of Fu Ye Construction, however, admitted that one of his long-term plans is to set up a business in the Land Down Under, as he wants to put up either a hardware or wholesale business in Australia.

Like swimming, triathlon, baseball, and softball, table tennis is one of the sports the CNMI is expected to do well and medal in the Games.

In the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games in Palau, Chen teamed up with Budhi Gurung and Su Yong Dong, under the guidance of Lim, to capture a bronze medal in the team competition for table tennis.

The CNMI actually finished fourth behind powerhouses New Caledonia (Gold), Guam (Silver), Fiji (Bronze), but since the South Pacific Games Council awards two bronze medals—one for the third place team and a second to the fourth place teams—the CNMI was able to salvage a bronze.