Terrence Voon witnesses an uneasy truce between the two stars.

SHARING a meal between two rival athletes can be an awkward affair. More so, if they are on the same team.

Li Jiawei and Wang Yuegu, Singapore's top female paddlers, have not gotten along in the last few months.

On most days, such a rift would have been a cause for concern. With a possible Olympic medal for Singapore beckoning in just a few weeks, it is time to sound the alarm.

Officials have talked to the pair, asking them to put their differences behind them. Think of the Olympic medal which the country has not won in 48 years, they said.

If appearances are anything to go by, at this morning’s team breakfast, all they have achieved is an uneasy truce between the two stars.

Li, the world No 6, was seated with the rest of the women's squad, along with the coach and team manager. Conversation and laughter flowed easily, as the Republic's top player held court with her teammates.

Wang, the world No 7, was with the men's team at an adjacent table. Silently, she tucked into her eggs and muffins, with scarcely a glance at Li and her posse nearby.

When I asked Wang if everything was okay between her and Li, she hesitated.

"Everything is fine," she said finally. "The most important thing is to play well at the Olympics. All these other things are not so important."

An entire country is hoping that she is right. In the women's team event, in which Singapore is heavily-tipped for a historic silver, Wang and Li could team up in the doubles matches.

Armed with a bat each, they are supposed to duck and volley in tandem, like two dancers gliding along to the same tune.

But can two women who clearly dislike each other combine in perfect harmony and deliver on the biggest sporting stage on them all?

Let’s hope so.