June Tiong
August 31, 2007 12:41 PM June Tiong Hangs Up Racquet To Pursue Studies In Harvard By Linda Khoo
Talented youngsters June Tiong and Jo-Ann Jee (right) soaking up tips from the WISPA stars.
KUCHING, Aug 31 (Bernama) -- One of Sarawak's brigh-*test*-('") young squash players, June Tiong, has hung up her racquet for the time being and packed her bags to head for the United States to pursue her studies.
The 20-year-old Malaysian junior international squash player has decided to give up playing for state and country to enter the Ivy League Harvard University to pursue a four-year degree programme in bio-medical engineering.
"I'm not retiring from playing squash. I've not given up the sport totally. However, I know from my friends and team mates at the state and national levels that turning professional is a very risky option as books instead of racquet would secure us a better future.
"Squash will be a recreational sport from now on. I have enrolled myself for the university team and if the chance arises, I can represent the university in the inter-collegiate competition. I'm sure it can fit into my studies somewhere," she told Bernama in a telephone interview today.
In 2004, she scored nine straight "As" in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination but failed to get a scholarship from the Public Service Department to further her studies despite her excellent results.
"In a way, the failure to get the scholarship was a blessing as I was accepted by one of the world's best universities two years later using my SPM results, coupled with my achievements in squash," she said.
Tiong will leave for the US tonight as her classes start on Tuesday. The university, through its financial aid programme, will absorb about 95 per cent of her expenses.
She first held a racquet at age nine when her mother enrolled her for squash lessons at the Sarawak Club where most, if not all, of Sarawak's squash players are produced. She started playing in tournaments from age 10.
Tiong, the first winner of the Nicol David Challenge Trophy in 1999, when she was 12, caught the eye of the national selectors, who drafted her into the junior national squash.
The Australian Tri-Series for Under-15 in 2001 was her first international outing. She finished third in the Australian Junior Open Squash Championships for Under-16 in 2004.
She also represented Sarawak in four Malaysia Games (Sukma) from 1998 to 2004 besides winning a bronze in the team event in the 2004 Sukma in Negeri Sembilan.
"I don't really know if there's a place for me in squash in future. But if I do take up sports science or sports medicine after completing my bio-medical engineering, maybe there's something for me in sports in general.
"We'll just have to wait and see," Tiong said.
-- BERNAMA
August 31, 2007 12:41 PM June Tiong Hangs Up Racquet To Pursue Studies In Harvard By Linda Khoo
Talented youngsters June Tiong and Jo-Ann Jee (right) soaking up tips from the WISPA stars.
KUCHING, Aug 31 (Bernama) -- One of Sarawak's brigh-*test*-('") young squash players, June Tiong, has hung up her racquet for the time being and packed her bags to head for the United States to pursue her studies.
The 20-year-old Malaysian junior international squash player has decided to give up playing for state and country to enter the Ivy League Harvard University to pursue a four-year degree programme in bio-medical engineering.
"I'm not retiring from playing squash. I've not given up the sport totally. However, I know from my friends and team mates at the state and national levels that turning professional is a very risky option as books instead of racquet would secure us a better future.
"Squash will be a recreational sport from now on. I have enrolled myself for the university team and if the chance arises, I can represent the university in the inter-collegiate competition. I'm sure it can fit into my studies somewhere," she told Bernama in a telephone interview today.
In 2004, she scored nine straight "As" in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination but failed to get a scholarship from the Public Service Department to further her studies despite her excellent results.
"In a way, the failure to get the scholarship was a blessing as I was accepted by one of the world's best universities two years later using my SPM results, coupled with my achievements in squash," she said.
Tiong will leave for the US tonight as her classes start on Tuesday. The university, through its financial aid programme, will absorb about 95 per cent of her expenses.
She first held a racquet at age nine when her mother enrolled her for squash lessons at the Sarawak Club where most, if not all, of Sarawak's squash players are produced. She started playing in tournaments from age 10.
Tiong, the first winner of the Nicol David Challenge Trophy in 1999, when she was 12, caught the eye of the national selectors, who drafted her into the junior national squash.
The Australian Tri-Series for Under-15 in 2001 was her first international outing. She finished third in the Australian Junior Open Squash Championships for Under-16 in 2004.
She also represented Sarawak in four Malaysia Games (Sukma) from 1998 to 2004 besides winning a bronze in the team event in the 2004 Sukma in Negeri Sembilan.
"I don't really know if there's a place for me in squash in future. But if I do take up sports science or sports medicine after completing my bio-medical engineering, maybe there's something for me in sports in general.
"We'll just have to wait and see," Tiong said.
-- BERNAMA