Visiting Malaysian table paddlers enjoy Cebuano hospitality, food

DESPITE finishing runners up in the table tennis competition of the Asia Pacific University Games (APUG), members of the Universiti of Teknologi – Mara (UiTM) still enjoyed their brief stint in the queen City of the South.

UiTM placed second to local powerhouse University of Cebu (UC) in the mixed team competitions last Thursday at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu.

Norhidayah Binti Yusof, a first timer in Cebu, said he and his teammates were impressed with Cebu City and its people.

Yusof and Swazyan Bin Saufi were able to make the mixed double championships but eventually fell to the UC duo of Glendo Nayre and Diana Oliverio, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11, 6-11.

“The hospitality is very good, Yusof said. “I give (Cebu a rating) of 11 over 10. It’s awesome, and a very nice place to relax and enjoy.”

Yusof was also amazed with the venue of the table tennis games, saying it was his first time to play in a shopping mall. In Malaysia, they play in halls.

Yusof finds Cebuano food delectable. Among his favorites were bodbod, a rice cake snack or dessert wrapped in banana leaves, and binignit, which is glutinous rice porridge with coconut milk and blended with some fruits and root crops, and sweetened with sugar.

With regards to the competition, Saufi admitted his team lacked time in training due to academic activities. Still, he said the Webmasters were a force to be reckoned with.

“It’s really impossible to win (against them), because UC is too powerful,” added Saufi, a graduating Actuarial Science student.

UiTM is coached by Faezah Ismail while the paddlers include Ahmad Hanapi Bin Mohamad, Naimah Binti Mohamad Salleh, and Mohamad Hakim Bin Kasim.