Happy New Year!! Very true!! Till SG govt and people get rid of this mentality, our Sports will not go far! Cheers
Chinese dialects in Malaysia are strongly associated with the regions. Cantonese is not strong in Penang where hokkien and mandarin prevail.
Badminton: New national champions crowned in men's, women's singles Nur Insyirah Khan (left) and Vega Vio Nirwanda won the women's and men's titles respectively at the Singapore Sports Hub National Open Championships. ST PHOTOS: JASON QUAH Laura Chia PUBLISHED JAN 9, 2022, 8:17 PM SGT SINGAPORE - Nur Insyirah Khan and Vega Vio Nirwanda became first-time winners of the Singapore Sports Hub National Open Championships badminton tournament on Sunday (Jan 9). The former, seeded second in the women's singles, beat Lim Ming Hui 16-21, 21-11, 21-14 in the final. For the men's title, Indonesian second seed Nirwanda triumphed 21-3, 21-14 against top seed Joel Koh at the OCBC Arena. Insyirah, 20, was pleased with her performance over the past week. The Ngee Ann Polytechnic business studies student, whose last competition was last February's national championships, said: "Winning this is like a stepping stone for me to regain my momentum after not competing for a long time. This is also motivation for me to perform better in my next competitions." She had to overcome a shaky start but regained her focus and was more aggressive in the second game, forcing a decider in which Lim committed too many unforced errors. Lim, 22, had recorded victories against top seed Grace Chua and third seed Megan Lee en route to the final but could not build on that momentum. The full-time doubles player, who had not been playing singles for two years, said: "I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get the gold but I'm grateful for this because I didn't expect to reach the finals or beat the seeded players. "I've done my best for this, especially while juggling two events at the same time, so whatever the outcome is, I don't have any regrets." She and Insyirah leave on Sunday for the Jan 13-16 Estonian International. Meanwhile, it was third time lucky for Nirwanda who lost to Jason Teh in the final of the last two editions of the tournament. Nirwanda, a sparring partner with the national team, was happy to finally clinch the title. "My preparation for this was like normal. I just trained every day, kept a positive mindset and enjoyed the process," said the 24-year-old, who has been living in Singapore since 2019. Full-time athlete Koh, 21, said: "Today, my focus and physical (fitness) dropped a lot and my opponent was more ready. "I expected a closer first game, I thought I could take it but from the start, I didn't play very well, which I didn't manage to overcome so that's something I need to work on." Albert Saputra and Jason Wong won the men's doubles with a 21-7, 21-13 victory over Alistaire Chua and Ming Wei, while Crystal Wong and Jin Yu Jia won their second women's doubles national title together after beating Lim and Bernice Lim 21-8, 21-12. In the mixed doubles, Wesley Koh and Crystal Wong came from behind against Jason Wong and Bernice Lim to win 21-23, 21-17, 21-14. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Bonus of about $1m awaits S'pore's Loh Kean Yew after World C'ships win Badminton: Academies, retailers see surge in interest thanks to 'Loh Kean Yew' effect
s sg has never won a sudirman cup and please dont count the WPS era , it was malaya and not singapore itself. malaysia itself has won 2 sudirman cup under the name malaysia, singapore zinch
Badminton: S'pore's Loh Kean Yew eases into India Open semi-finals Loh Kean Yew is the highest-ranked men's singles player left in the competition following the withdrawal of several players due to Covid-19. PHOTO: BADMINTONPHOTO David Lee PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE - There were mixed fortunes for Singapore’s shuttlers at the India Open yesterday when an ill Yeo Jia Min was forced to withdraw from her women’s singles quarter-final but Loh Kean Yew progressed to the men’s singles semi-finals. Amid a spate of Covid-19 cases at the New Delhi event, which saw seven players pull out on Thursday following positive tests, Yeo had sparked concern when she developed a fever. She had soldiered on on Thursday, winning her second-round match over India’s Anupama Upadhyaya despite being unwell. But she withdrew yesterday, allowing Thailand’s 33rd-ranked Supanida Katethong to advance to the semi-finals via walkover. The Singapore Badminton Association confirmed Yeo had tested negative for Covid-19 and the world No. 17 wrote in an Instagram story: “It’s really unfortunate that I have to withdraw from the India Open quarter-finals later this afternoon. I was not feeling well yesterday morning and it became worse after my match. “My head and body started hurting a lot more and I was having a high fever up to 38.6 deg throughout the night. I really wish to compete but it’s advised by my doctor that I shouldn’t. “I’m so sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to support me. Do stay safe and take care of yourselves.” The 22-year-old world No. 16 earned US$2,400 (S$3,230) but it remains unclear if she will return to action next week at the Syed Modi International in Uttar Pradesh. While Yeo was hobbled by illness, new world champion Loh continued his relentless charge as he beat Russia’s 76th-ranked Sergey Sirant 21-16, 21-13 in 33 minutes. The 24-year-old will meet Canada’s 39th-ranked Brian Yang today. The other semi-final will feature India’s 17th-ranked Lakshya Sen and Malaysia’s world No. 60 Ng Tze Yong. World No. 15 Loh is the highest-ranked men’s singles player left in the US$400,000 competition and stands a good chance of winning the Super 500 tournament to break into the top 10 for the first time. Against southpaw Sirant, the Singaporean lost the first point but raced to an 11-3 lead in just four minutes with a series of devastating smashes and delicate drops. The 1.85-metre Russian fought back to 17-16 but failed to impose his 10cm height advantage and flat game as Loh managed to close out the first game and then the match. Loh said: “I felt I lost a bit of focus today but I’m glad I could overcome that and win the match. “Today’s match showed me I need to continue to work hard and focus on staying consistent even more. Things will keep changing during matches, so for the semi-final, the most important thing will be to prepare myself to be ready for any changes.” Compatriots Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han made it to the mixed doubles semi-finals after beating India’s unranked pair of Nithin H. V. and Ashwini Bhat K. 21-15, 21-19 in 30 minutes. The world No. 182 pair will meet Russia’s 19th-ranked duo Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova on Saturday for a place in Sunday’s final. After making their first Super 500 semi-final, Tan said: “We are not totally pleased with our performance today as we still have a bit of trouble getting our footing. “We want to be more active and clear-headed in the semi-final and hope to upset our opponents.” Men’s doubles world No. 106 Loh Kean Hean and Hee lost 21-18, 21-18 to India’s 10th-ranked Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the quarter-finals. They earned US$2,900 and should make a swift return to the top 100.
Our XD pair into final tomorrow after a walkover https://bwfworldtour.bwfbadminton.c...o9j3HhzT_FEYLboeP6k2Okgo_Kwnr2lLlBipwJUWD8_8Q
Badminton: S'pore's Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han upset odds to win India Open title A file photo of Terry Hee (left) and Tan Wei Han, competing at the 2017 Singapore Open. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION David Lee PUBLISHED JAN 16, 2022, 5:23 PM SGT SINGAPORE - The chemistry that brought Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han together was in full bloom on Sunday (Jan 16) as they celebrated their biggest win, beating Malaysia’s world No. 40 pair Chen Tang Jie and Peck Yen Wei 21-15, 21-18 in the India Open mixed doubles final. The 182nd-ranked Singaporeans, who tied the knot last October, earned US$31,600 (S$42,590) – the most of their career – and should rise into the top 100. It was their seventh title together but first Super 500 triumph, the fourth tier of the Badminton World Federation World Tour circuit. Being partners on and off the court occasionally “affected our private lives”, the couple said jokingly. Hee, 28, added: “Sometimes when we train or compete badly, or have differing views on a match, the conversation will continue back home. It’s like talking about work, after work, but all this boils down to one common objective, which is to win. “I would like to think that between us, I’m the boss on the court. But off the court, she’s the boss.” Hee and Tan were once ranked as high as world No. 33 in 2017. They halted their partnership in 2019 when Hee enlisted for national service, and reunited on court only last year. Tan also had surgery for her shoulder in 2018 and for her knee in 2020. Tan, 26, said: “This win means so much to me because it is a result of all the dedication and hard work that we have been putting in. “It is especially emotional for me because I have gone through so many setbacks, had to restart from scratch and work on getting back to the top of the game again. “It’s been so tough and I have broken down so many times. That’s why I’m so grateful for this win and I’m also thankful to the Singapore Sport Institute physiotherapy team who never gave up on me.” The winners’ cheque was a welcome one, she added. “Being married has led to more financial commitments. This prize money is a one-off thing and is a small step to easing our burdens. It is not easy being a professional athlete, hopefully our win coupled with Singapore’s recent success can attract more sponsors and funding.” The duo will compete in this week’s Super 300 Syed Modi International in Uttar Pradesh. Their main target this year is to win a medal at the SEA Games and Commonwealth Games. Singapore Badminton Association technical director Martin Andrew said: “One of their strengths is their variability in attack... utilising Terry’s speed and agility while Wei Han creates opportunities from the front court. “Their movement as a pair is good and they cover each other well. They also showed that they have the ability to re-focus when rallies go against them.” Meanwhile, at the lower-tier Estonian International, Singapore’s world No. 647 duo of Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Andy Kwek lost 21-17, 17-21, 21-16 to Thailand’s fifth seeds but unranked pair Ruttanapak Oupthong and Sirawit Sothon in the men’s doubles final.
Partners in life as well as on the court Married S’poreans Are Champions At India Open, Loh Kean Yew Settles For Runner-Up Married S'poreans Are Champions At India Open, Loh Kean Yew Settles For Runner-Up (mustsharenews.com) By Jeremy Lee 16 Jan 2022, 10:58 pm Terry Hee & Tan Wei Han Win Mixed Doubles Badminton Final It’s been an exciting few months for Singapore badminton, especially after shuttler Loh Kean Yew became a world champion. However, Loh is now not the only badminton champion Singapore has. 2 more Singaporeans have now done us proud by winning the India Open – and they’re a married couple too. Source Loh also did well, emerging runner-up in the men’s singles final. Gold medals in the final Partners in life as well as on the court, Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han certainly had a fruitful outing in the India Open in New Delhi. In the mixed doubles final on Sunday (16 Jan), they won gold – their 1st Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title, according to the BWF. Their achievement was ecstatically reported by Team Singapore on Facebook. Source Couple defeated Malaysian opponents The couple, ranked No. 182 in the world, defeated 2 Malaysians in the final – No. 40 duo Chan Tang Jie and Peck Yen Wei. Better yet, they claimed the win in 2 straight sets, scoring a decisive 21-15 and 21-18. Source In the 2nd set, the game became precarious when the Malaysians were close to pulling level from 9-16 down. However, the Singaporeans managed to shut down the comeback and prevail. The triumph also made them the 1st Singaporean duo to win the India Open in 12 years, since Shinta Mulia Sari and Yao Lei won the women’s doubles title in 2010. ADVERTISEMENT A late wedding present The win was all the sweeter as the couple just got married in Oct last year. Source Hee, 28, told BWF that the title win was a big one for them, because they hadn’t played in any tournament for over 2 years. This was due to his national service commitments and the 26-year-old Tan’s injury problems. For their efforts, they’ll also get a late wedding present – S$42,590 (US$31,600) in prize money. ADVERTISEMENT Source Loh Kean Yew comes in 2nd As for our golden boy Loh, he did well too, coming in 2nd in the men’s singles of the same competition. The 24-year-old national shuttler was playing his 1st tournament after becoming world champion. Source ADVERTISEMENT Though he came up just short, Team Singapore congratulated him on Facebook and thanked him for flying Singapore’s flag high. Source Loh went up again India’s Lakshya Sen In the final, also on Sunday (16 Jan), Loh went up against India’s Lakshya Sen, playing on home ground. He’d gone up against the same player twice and beaten him, winning both the Dutch Open in October and the Hylo Open in November. However, this time it wasn’t to be, as Loh was beaten 22-24 and 17-21 in 2 sets. Source Though this was somewhat below his high standards, it speaks to his now-lofty status that coming in runner-up in a major competition is considered a blow. At least he got S$20,490 (US$15,200) in prize money for his efforts to add to the amount raised for him by Singaporeans. Source Congrats to the players It may sound like a cliché, but being able to represent Singapore at the highest level like this is a already an achievement. Congrats to Hee and Tan for a memorable win to tell their grandchildren about. And congrats to Loh also for furthering his legend in international sports. We believe that a small setback like this will make him determined to do better the next time.
Singapore badminton player Yeo Jia Min tests positive for COVID-19 after withdrawal from India Open File photo of Singapore's Yeo Jia Min on Dec 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) 17 Jan 2022 03:07PM (Updated: 18 Jan 2022 12:10AM) SINGAPORE: Singapore badminton player Yeo Jia Min has tested positive for COVID-19 after withdrawing from the India Open last week. The 22-year-old withdrew from the tournament last Thursday after she experienced a "high fever" with a temperature of up to 38.6 degrees Celsius. In an Instagram post on Monday (Jan 17), Yeo said she is back in Singapore and that she has tested positive. "I am now in isolation and complying with all the procedures," she said in the post. "I will do my best to recover well and get back on court soon." Thanking supporters, she said many people have set her well wishes. "Sorry it's been pretty hectic in the midst of trying to recover physically," added Yeo, who is ranked 17th in the world. The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) said Yeo had tested negative in India. However, the antigen rapid test (ART) she took upon arrival in Singapore on Sunday returned positive. This was confirmed by a second positive ART result on Monday, SBA added. "The health and welfare of our players are our priority and this is also why we decided to pull her out of this week's competition and fly her back home after she fell ill last week," the association said in response to CNA's queries. "We will continue to monitor Jia Min's condition and give her the support she needs to make a full recovery. "We have reminded our players, coaches and staff who are currently overseas to take extra care and precaution and avoid unnecessary mingling to lower the probability of infection." SBA added on Tuesday morning that one official who travelled to Delhi had also tested positive. "All other players and officials have returned negative tests from both ART and PCR testing," it said. "SBA is keeping close contact with the affected official who is asymptomatic and he has been moved to a dedicated quarantine hotel. "The health and welfare of our players are our priority and SBA is currently making arrangements for the rest of the players and officials who were tested negative to fly back to Singapore." SBA also said that the Delhi contingent will not compete in the Syed Modi India International competition, which starts on Tuesday. Yeo's withdrawal from the India Open last week was confirmed by the BWF World Tour on its website, which showed that her quarter-final match had been won by her opponent in a walkover. Several players from around the world were forced to withdraw from the event after a spate of COVID-19 cases. Last Thursday, the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) said the Singapore delegation at the event will be "more vigilant", and that "a greater emphasis will be placed on distancing". Yeo's compatriot Loh Kean Yew lost to India's Lakshya Sen in the men's singles final on Sunday.
Badminton: S'pore's Jason Teh loses in India International opener after plucky fight Jason Teh will be striving for better results as he is entered for next week's Odisha Open. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BADMINTON ASSOCIATION David Lee PUBLISHED JAN 19, 2022, 9:30 PM SGT SINGAPORE - Jason Teh, Singapore's sole shuttler at the Syed Modi India International, showed glimpses of his potential but was edged out by India's 145th-ranked Kaushal Dharmamer 14-21, 21-11, 21-16, at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday (Jan 19). The 23-year-old had missed out on last week's India Open in New Delhi as he was still recovering from a knee injury. But as Singapore's India Open contingent was recalled home after Yeo Jia Min and a coach contracted Covid-19, Teh, who had not mingled with the group, persisted as he wanted more competition experience. The world No. 99 got off to a good start in the first frame against Dharmamer with a series of aggressive play and ferocious smashes, only to meet with stiff resistance afterwards. They were neck and neck in the decider, which saw Teh require a few medical breaks to attend to his right hand, after his finger nail had peeled off. Only one point separated the duo at the interval, but Dharmamer then raced to a 16-12 lead. Teh closed the gap to 18-16, but his southpaw opponent took the next three points and the win. Teh said: "I tried my best to perform today but things just didn't go in my way. I was too rushed in the last two games and made too many unforced errors. I was mentally affected because of some factors, and I will need to be more mature in the future to deal with such situations." National singles coach Kelvin Ho felt that while Teh showcased his good skills and strokes to make Dharmamer uncomfortable in the first game, he still needs to work on raising the intensity levels. He said: "Jason made quite a few unforced errors in the front court today. Generally, he has more shot variation now but needs to improve on his shot pressure so opponents won't get used to his momentum. "We are targeting Jason to get more ranking points so he would be able to play in higher-tier tournaments in the coming months, have more exposure, and be ready for make a challenge to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics." The National Open Championships 2020 winner will be striving for better results as he is entered for next week's Odisha Open and also the Feb 15-20 Badminton Asia Team Championships. Teh is also expected to play a part in this year's SEA Games and Commonwealth Games. He added: "I hope to achieve stable results at international tournaments to get my ranking up. I hope to break into the world's top 40 or even 30 this year, improve on my independence and consistency on court."
Battle of the titans Battle of the titans (nst.com.my) By Fabian Peter - February 9, 2022 @ 8:00am AN epic battle between All England winner Lee Zii Jia and world champion Loh Kean Yew is on the cards after Malaysia and Singapore were drawn in the same group for the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) next week. The other two teams in Group B for the men's event are second seeds Japan and newcomers Kazakhstan, while Group A consists of defending champions Indonesia, India, South Korea and Hong Kong. The titanic showdown between Zii Jia and the Penang-born Kean Yew is sure to take centerstage at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam, especially in the absences of big names like Kento Momota of Japan and Antony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia. It will be an intriguing match-up between two childhood rivals after a couple of encounters last year. Kean Yew became an overnight hit in the Lion City following his World Championships heroics in Huelva, Spain in December. Since facing Kean Yew in the Hylo Open final in Germany in November, world No 7 Zii Jia has controversially quit the national team to turn professional, while the Singaporean continued training with Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at the world renowned Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai. Zii Jia, 24, had clashed four times with Kean Yew, with the last two meetings in the latter's favour. National men's singles head coach, Hendrawan, who represented BAM at yesterday's draw ceremony, admitted that Malaysia's chances of reaching the Asian semi-finals very much depend on Zii Jia. "I believe that Zii Jia will be the deciding factor when we play Singapore because after his 50-50 performance last season, he must try to win that important point. If he does, we have a very good chance," said Hendrawan. "Against Japan and Kazakhstan, we have players like Ng Tze Yong and Leong Jun Hao, but after coming down with Covid-19 recently, we can't say for sure how good they are until we assess them during the tournament. "Having said that, our target remains the same, and that is to qualify for the semi-finals first. We will take it from there." On Zii Jia's form, Hendrawan said: "It's hard for me to comment on him, as he is no longer under the national programme. "We can still rely on our men's doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, as well as our other men's singles like Tze Yong, Jun Hao, Aidil Sholeh (Ali Sadikin), Lim Chong King and Jacky Kok. "There are a few major team events this year, including the Asian and Commonwealth Games. We hope the BATC will give these players the experience to handle the pressure in the upcoming events," he added. Due to Covid-19 issues, top teams like China, Thailand and Taiwan have decided to skip the BATC, which also serves as a qualifier for the Thomas and Uber Cup finals in Bangkok in May. With only eight teams competing in the men's event, there will be no quarter-finals. Instead, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, and earn automatic qualification to the Thomas Cup finals. On whether Malaysia have an advantage with the reduced number of teams, Hendrawan said: "Not really, I think it would have been better for our younger players to gain experience if there were more teams competing. "However, I still think we got a favourable draw and am certain that every player in the team will get his chance to play at the BATC." Meanwhile, in the seven-team women's event, Malaysia are in for a stiffer challenge as they are in Group Y with defending champions Japan and India. Group Z consists of South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan. At the BATC two years ago, the Malaysian men's team entered the final before losing 3-1 to Indonesia, while the women's team surprisingly reached the semi-finals before losing 3-0 to Japan.
Badminton: Singapore 'can challenge any team' at Asia Team C'ships, says SBA official World champion Loh Kean Yew and up-and-coming second singles Jason Teh will be part of the team's line-up. PHOTOS: BADMINTONPHOTO, SINGAPORE BADMINTON David Lee PUBLISHED FEB 14, 2022, 5:55 PM SGT SINGAPORE - Buoyed by a set of fine recent results and favourable conditions, Singapore's men's national team are aiming to win the Feb 15-20 Badminton Asia Team Championships in Selangor. On paper, they have been drawn into a tough Group B alongside hosts Malaysia, powerhouses Japan and Kazakhstan. Group A comprises defending champions Indonesia, India, South Korea and Hong Kong. But with world champion Loh Kean Yew, up-and-coming second singles Jason Teh, as well as promising doubles pairings Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee, and Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Andy Kwek in the line-up, the team will fancy their chances of a top-two finish in their group. That would give them a first semi-final appearance. If they do so, they will also qualify for the prestigious Thomas Cup for only the third time, with their last appearance in the world men's team championships coming in 2014. Singapore's cause has been aided by big guns China, Chinese Taipei and Thailand withdrawing from the competition due to Covid-19 concerns, while teams like Japan, Indonesia and South Korea are fielding weakened squads. For example, Japan are missing world No. 2 Kento Momota and their highest-ranked and oldest player is 25-year-old Minoru Koga, who is ranked 129th. This presents the Republic with a good opportunity to at least beat Kazahkstan, whose highest-ranked player is world No. 216 Dimitriy Panarin, and Japan over a format of three singles and two doubles. Singapore Badminton Association technical director Martin Andrew said: "Of course, we want to win (the competition). The focus for the players is optimising their performances and gaining more experience. If they perform well, then we can challenge any team in the draw." Singapore open their campaign at the Setia City Convention Centre on Wednesday (Feb 16) against hosts Malaysia, who are able to call up their big guns. Despite a public fall-out with the Badminton Association of Malaysia, world No. 7 Lee Zii Jia has been included in the team, which throws up an intriguing first-singles showdown against Penang-born Loh, with the two having been childhood rivals. Loh had lost his first four senior encounters against Lee, including the 2019 SEA Games men's singles final, but won their last two meetings before claiming the world title last year. World No. 12 Loh, who trained through Chinese New Year with world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen in Dubai after finishing second at last month's India Open, said: "I have some time to take things slower and try to re-adjust my training momentum. I'm looking forward to playing in this team event because I would like to know if I have improved. "Zii jia and I will definitely give our all and fight for every point. As always, I'll will try to perform as best as I can." Singapore then play Japan on Thursday and Kazakhstan on Friday before the semi-finals and finals are played on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Andrew said: "Our preparations are going fine and the players have recovered from recent tournaments. We have players with experience, like Kean Yew, and younger ones who have earned their place in the team which are largely based on our SEA Games selections. "Malaysia have their strongest players, Japan are without some of their top players, while Kazakhstan have one or two known strong players, so we have an interesting few matches which will challenge us throughout. "We have the players with the ability to challenge for a place in the semi-final and the Thomas Cup... we will take each match as it happens and do our best." Due to niggling injuries to the top two singles players Yeo Jia Min and Jaslyn Hooi, and three players having just recovered from Covid-19, Singapore have not sent a team for the women's competition. Singapore's men's badminton team Singles: Loh Kean Yew (world No. 12), Jason Teh (102), Joel Koh (274), Lim Ming Hong (unranked). Doubles: Loh Kean Hean and Terry Hee (85), Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Andy Kwek (247), Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo (785).
Unable to find live telecast of Asia Badminton Championship. Anyone know where can watch Lee ZJ vs Loh KY tomorrow 4 pm live. Youtube? Starhub? Or zhuafan.tech?
