YU Mengyu < Back  
Sport Table Tennis
CGA Singapore   
Gender Women
Born 18 Aug 1989
Height1.66 m
Human Interest
General Interest
Awards and honours She and badminton player Loh Kean Yew were flag bearers for Singapore at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (singaporeolympics.com, 06 Jul 2021)

She has received Meritorious Awards at the Singapore Sports Awards for individual performance [2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019], team performance [2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019], and individual junior athlete [2009]. (stta.org.sg, 01 Jan 2020)

In 2018 she was named the Singapore Table Tennis Association [STTA] Player of the Year. (stta.org.sg, 01 Jan 2020)

In 2013, 2015 and 2016 she received the STTA Special Award of the Year. (stta.org.sg, 01 Jan 2020)

In 2014 she received the STTA's Excellence in Sports Performance Award. (stta.org.sg, 01 Jan 2020)

She has been among the winners of the Team of the Year Award at the Singapore Sports Awards in 2008, 2010 and 2011. She also received the STTA award for Team of the Year in 2011. (stta.org.sg, 01 Jan 2020)
Sport Specific Information
Handedness Right
Further Personal Information
Residence Singapore
General Interest
Injuries In January 2022 she underwent an operation to remove a benign growth from her neck. The growth had first been discovered in 2016, but she put off surgery to focus on preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (straitstimes.com, 11 Mar 2022)

She pulled her thigh muscle during her defeat in the women's singles semifinal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She went on to play in the bronze medal match the same day, which she also lost. (channelnewsasia.com, 02 Aug 2021)

She has been troubled by a chronic back injury throughout her career. (stta.org.sg, 03 Dec 2019; straitstimes.com, 03 Mar 2021, 04 Mar 2021)

She underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum [cartilage] in November 2016 and returned to action four months later. She has continued to be troubled by shoulder injuries since the operation. (straitstimes.com, 28 Jul 2021; ittf.com, 26 Aug 2017)

She suffered a back injury in April 2016 and was forced to withdraw from several tournaments. She returned to doubles competition in May 2016. (Facebook page, 27 Jun 2016)

She injured her back prior to the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Republic of Korea, hampering her preparation for the Games. She pulled out of the Games after the quarterfinal stage of the women's team event because of the injury and did not recover completely before the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore. (channelnewsasia.com, 12 Sep 2014; news.asiaone.com, 01 Oct 2014; todayonline.com, 24 Apr 2015)

In 2013 she had a wrist injury. (news.asiaone.com, 24 Mar 2014)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? Her parents encouraged her to play, as they thought sport would help strengthen her body and immune system.
When and where did you begin this sport? She began playing table tennis at age five in Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
International Debut
Year 2006
Competing for Singapore
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete
Languages English, Mandarin
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto "Success is not found by never falling, but in climbing higher after each fall." (Weibo profile, 04 Mar 2016)
Most influential person in career Her parents. (Athlete, 03 Aug 2016)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach Hao Anlin [national], SGP
General Interest
Hobbies Skincare, shopping. (straitstimes.com, 08 Feb 2019)
Nicknames Rayne (Weibo profile, 12 Mar 2021)
Other information OVERCOMING INJURIES
During the cycle for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, she struggled with injuries to her shoulder and back, and delayed surgery to remove a benign growth on her neck until after the Games. She says overcoming her injuries and serving as Singapore's flag bearer at the Games' opening ceremony helped her to cope with the disappointment of losing in the women's singles bronze medal match. "I still remember the scenes when I was the flag bearer at the Olympics and certain moments of the competition. These are beautiful memories that fill me with pride and made all the sacrifices and rough moments worth it. There is a tinge of regret that I was not able to win a medal, and perhaps I could have played some points in the bronze play-off differently, but I still see the beauty amid the imperfection. It was a long journey and every step was an arduous one, and there were times I thought I was not going to make it. The journey was like climbing stairs and every step was an improvement that lifted me higher. Without going through all those difficulties, maybe I would not have been so at peace to perform as well as I did during the Olympics." (straitstimes.com, 11 Mar 2022)

RETIREMENT THOUGHTS
She says she would like to continue working within the sport in Singapore after she retires from competition. "When the time comes for me to retire, my priority would be to continue to work with the Singapore Table Tennis Association. I will stay in Singapore and I hope to be able to do my part for young players in the local community. I want to share my experiences with them and encourage them that tough as their journey may be, they can overcome difficulties and achieve their goals with belief and a never-say-die attitude. And even if we don't end up winning all the time, the process would have made us a stronger and better athlete and person." She does not expect to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. "I already made the decision [that the 2020 Games in Tokyo would be her last] before the Games. From other perspectives, I felt that I can still [continue to play], but when I think about the injuries I have faced, it will be difficult for me to continue." (straitstimes.com, 11 Mar 2022; channelnewsasia.com, 02 Aug 2021)

MOVE TO SINGAPORE
Born in Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China, she moved to Singapore at age 17 to train with the Singapore national table tennis team. (zaobao.com.sg, 30 Aug 2021; straitstimes.com, 28 Jul 2021)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs She wears jewellery during matches to boost her confidence. (straitstimes.com, 28 Jul 2021)