SPOKANE, Wash. — At just 15 years old, Irene Yeoh already has a clear vision for where she wants table tennis to take her.
Yeoh is one of the young international competitors taking part in the WTT Youth Contender Spokane at The Podium this weekend, where some of the sport’s top youth players are battling across multiple age divisions.
And Yeoh is already showing she belongs.
The Fremont, California, native recently picked up a three-game sweep against strong competition in Spokane, staying composed even when matches don’t go exactly according to plan.
“I just think I have nothing to lose,” Yeoh said. “Even if I lose a few points, I’ll just fight back.”
That mentality has helped Yeoh build an impressive résumé at a young age. She won gold in the U.S. Open Under-11 Girls Singles competition in 2021 and has continued to rack up medals throughout her young career.
Behind that success is plenty of work.
Yeoh said she trains about two hours a day, incorporating tournament strategies into her practices to prepare for the biggest moments.
“I put a lot of hard work into my training,” Yeoh said. “I always do some of the tournament strategies in my training, and I just prepare for this.”
Her journey into the sport wasn’t exactly planned.
Yeoh’s father initially wanted her and her sister to play badminton, but when they were too young to play the sport comfortably, the family found table tennis instead.
They went to a club on Thanksgiving, and her parents quickly noticed Yeoh had a natural talent for the sport.
She’s been chasing that potential ever since.
Now, Yeoh has her sights set on the biggest stage possible: the Olympics.
“It’s getting to the Olympics,” Yeoh said when asked about her ultimate goal. “It’s a really hard journey, but we’ll try my best.”
Representing the United States at an Olympics would mean more than simply achieving a lifelong dream.
Yeoh said she’d be “so happy” and “so proud” while also being thankful to everyone who helped her reach that point.
For now, she’s focused on the next match.
And despite table tennis occupying much of her life, Yeoh does have another passion away from the table — art, which she says helps her relax.
Even then, she admits most of her life revolves around the sport.
“My life is just revolving around table tennis,” Yeoh said.
At The Podium this weekend, Yeoh is getting another opportunity to test herself against international competition — and another step toward a dream that she hopes eventually leads all the way to the Olympics.
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