by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
She now narrows the gap on New Zealand’s Li Chunli; between Palmerston North in 1990 and Suva in 2012, she won five times.
One behind but it very nearly was still two behind Lee Chunli; the previous day in the penultimate round in Gold Coast, Jian Fang Lay was tested; the top seed, after accounting for Vanuatu’s Priscilla Tommy in straight games (11-2, 11-3, 11-7, 11-3), she required seven games to overcame Feng Chunyi, the no.4 seed and also from Australia (11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 10-12, 10-12, 11-7).
A place in the final reserved; she accounted for colleague Melissa Tapper, the no.3 seed in four straight games to secure the top prize (12-10, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6). In the opposite half, Melissa Tapper had beaten Fiji’s Sally Yee at the quarter-final stage (11-7, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4) before accounting for compatriot Michelle Bromley (11-9, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10).
Runners up spot for Melissa Tapper, earlier in the day it had been gold. She had joined forces with Michelle Bromley and Feng Chunyi to win the Women’s Team title before again with Michelle Bromley enjoying Women’s Doubles success.
At the final hurdle of the Women’s Team event a three-nil win was recorded in opposition to the combination formed by Tahiti’s Melveen Richmond who joined forces with New Caledonia’s Solemn Danger and Lorie La; in the Women’s Doubles final, a straight games result was posted against Vanuatu’s Anolyn Lulu and Priscilla Tommy (11-6, 11-9, 11-3).
