Badminton: Loh Kean Yew becomes first S'porean to reach World C'ships final Loh Kean Yew celebrates after defeating Anders Antonsen of Denmark in their semi final. PHOTO: EPA-EFE David Lee UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO SINGAPORE - Loh Kean Yew is one victory away from becoming the Republic's first badminton world champion. On Saturday (Dec 18), he beat Denmark's world No. 3 Anders Antonsen 23-21, 21-14 in the semi-final of the Badminton World Federation World Championships in Huelva, Spain, and is assured of winning at least an unprecedented silver medal for Singapore in just his second world championships after reaching the last 16 in 2019. In Sunday's final, he will go for a historic gold against India's 14th-ranked Kidambi Srikanth, who outlasted compatriot and world No. 19 Lakshya Sen to win 17-21, 21-14, 21-17 in 69 minutes in the other last-four clash. The pair had met once at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with the 28-year-old winning in straight games before climbing to world No. 1 that year. Loh said: "I'm delighted to reach my first World Championships final, but now is not the time to get carried away and overthink things. It is important to stick to my routine of recovery and preparation, and focus on executing my game plan against another tough and experienced opponent." While Loh seemed unfazed by the magnitude of the occasion in Saturday's semi-final, Antonsen provided him with the toughest test so far in this competition, at least in the opening frame of their first meeting. Each time the world No. 22 threatened to pull away through well-crafted points and by being quicker to the net, his fellow 24-year-old found a way to hang on with precise placements and well-disguised shots. Six game points were squandered and it looked like Antonsen would come back from 20-15 down to steal the game, but Loh kept his nerve, managed to survive four smashes in a row at 21-21, and converted his seventh game point. His defensive ability - to use the power from opponents' smashes back against them - started to frustrate the 2019 silver medallist, who gave away some cheap points in the second game and was warned by the umpire for shouting at Loh after winning a point. Antonsen got as close as 12-10, but once Loh regained his flow and ruthless efficiency, there was no denying the Singaporean, who closed out the match in 61 minutes. He said: "I was prepared for a tough match against Anders as I haven't played against him before and he is clearly a strong player. "I was actually trying to calm myself down in the second part of the first game and not be rushed, but it turned out I slowed down too much and he increased the pace. In the end, I just tried to play good defence while trying to find an opportunity to win the game, which I eventually managed to do." This triumph also means Loh has beaten six out of the world's top 10 players in the past three months, as he proves he truly belongs among the sport's elite now and is no flash in the pan. At these World Championships, his fairytale run started when he stunned Denmark's world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen 14-21, 21-9, 21-6 in the opening round. He eased past Austria's 93rd-ranked Luka Wraber 21-4, 21-8 in the second round and then Thailand's world No. 20 Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-4, 21-7 in the last 16, before beating India's 32nd-ranked Prannoy H. S. 21-14, 21-12 in the quarter-final. Besides capturing the Dutch Open and Hylo Open titles, he also claimed the scalps of Japan's world No. 2 Kento Momota (Indonesia Open), Chinese Taipei's world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen (Hylo Open), Malaysia's world No. 7 and All England champion Lee Zii Jia (French Open and Hylo Open) and Denmark's world No. 10 Rasmus Gemke (Hylo Open and Indonesia Open).
Badminton: Loh Kean Yew becomes first S'porean to reach World C'ships final Loh Kean Yew celebrates after defeating Anders Antonsen of Denmark in their semi final. PHOTO: EPA-EFE David Lee UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO SINGAPORE - Loh Kean Yew is one victory away from becoming the Republic's first badminton world champion. On Saturday (Dec 18), he beat Denmark's world No. 3 Anders Antonsen 23-21, 21-14 in the semi-final of the Badminton World Federation World Championships in Huelva, Spain, and is assured of winning at least an unprecedented silver medal for Singapore in just his second world championships after reaching the last 16 in 2019. In Sunday's final, he will go for a historic gold against India's 14th-ranked Kidambi Srikanth, who outlasted compatriot and world No. 19 Lakshya Sen to win 17-21, 21-14, 21-17 in 69 minutes in the other last-four clash. The pair had met once at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with the 28-year-old winning in straight games before climbing to world No. 1 that year. Loh said: "I'm delighted to reach my first World Championships final, but now is not the time to get carried away and overthink things. It is important to stick to my routine of recovery and preparation, and focus on executing my game plan against another tough and experienced opponent." While Loh seemed unfazed by the magnitude of the occasion in Saturday's semi-final, Antonsen provided him with the toughest test so far in this competition, at least in the opening frame of their first meeting. Each time the world No. 22 threatened to pull away through well-crafted points and by being quicker to the net, his fellow 24-year-old found a way to hang on with precise placements and well-disguised shots. Six game points were squandered and it looked like Antonsen would come back from 20-15 down to steal the game, but Loh kept his nerve, managed to survive four smashes in a row at 21-21, and converted his seventh game point. His defensive ability - to use the power from opponents' smashes back against them - started to frustrate the 2019 silver medallist, who gave away some cheap points in the second game and was warned by the umpire for shouting at Loh after winning a point. Antonsen got as close as 12-10, but once Loh regained his flow and ruthless efficiency, there was no denying the Singaporean, who closed out the match in 61 minutes. He said: "I was prepared for a tough match against Anders as I haven't played against him before and he is clearly a strong player. "I was actually trying to calm myself down in the second part of the first game and not be rushed, but it turned out I slowed down too much and he increased the pace. In the end, I just tried to play good defence while trying to find an opportunity to win the game, which I eventually managed to do." This triumph also means Loh has beaten six out of the world's top 10 players in the past three months, as he proves he truly belongs among the sport's elite now and is no flash in the pan. At these World Championships, his fairytale run started when he stunned Denmark's world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen 14-21, 21-9, 21-6 in the opening round. He eased past Austria's 93rd-ranked Luka Wraber 21-4, 21-8 in the second round and then Thailand's world No. 20 Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-4, 21-7 in the last 16, before beating India's 32nd-ranked Prannoy H. S. 21-14, 21-12 in the quarter-final. Besides capturing the Dutch Open and Hylo Open titles, he also claimed the scalps of Japan's world No. 2 Kento Momota (Indonesia Open), Chinese Taipei's world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen (Hylo Open), Malaysia's world No. 7 and All England champion Lee Zii Jia (French Open and Hylo Open) and Denmark's world No. 10 Rasmus Gemke (Hylo Open and Indonesia Open).
Well Done LKY for putting Singapore on the big event badminton map. IT IS LONG OVERDUE. LKY is only 24 years old. He has five more amazing years ahead of him if he works hard. Being a Singaporean, he has plenty of historical records to break/make. 1) First Singaporean to win All England 2) First Singaporean to win Asian Games badminton games 3) First Singaporean to win Commonwealth games singles 4) First Singaporean to win badminton Olympic gold I think the 4) is a bit too much for him but he could at least achieved the first three goals. He will be remembered for life and easily inducted in the World Hall of Fame as a Singaporean athlete.
How great is that? Amazing performance, congratulations to him and his whole team. Really looking forward to seeing him perform at this level.
I think we all rooted for him during this WC and it’s great to see someone new arriving at the scene in such a fashion. with all said and done, where do you think LKY truly ranks among MS at the moment, top 2? Top 4? Top 8? Top 16? I’d say top 8. VA and KM still stand out, and there a few names after them that are roughly at the same level… what do you think?
He's still 24. So keep on working hard, improve and evolve his game, as now he will be study by others. In the meantime, yes, he can celebrate his achievement. Loh's interview after the match...
A super happy day for the Loh family after Kean Yew becomes world badminton champion AdminDecember 20, 2021 IT was sheer joy for Loh Pin Keat and his wife, Grace Gan Saw Ai, when their youngest son, Penang-born Kean Yew, became the first Singaporean to win a BWF World Championships title in Huelva, Spain, last night. Unseeded Kean Yew, who is called Kelvin by his parents, defeated India’s Kidambi Srikanth 21-15, 22-20 in a thrilling men’s singles final that lasted 43 minutes. In fact, Kean Yew was ranked 22 in the world and Kidambi 14. Saw Ai dancing with joy while Pin Keat is elated too over Kean Yew’s success in winning the world’s men’s singles badminton title. Below: Then, a bear hug ensued “We’re super happy,” Pin Keat, a 59-year-old construction site manager told Buletin Mutiara after his son’s triumph at his single-storey terrace house in Jalan Taman Hutchings, Jelutong. “Kelvin was often very unfortunate to face formidable opponents in the first round of many tournaments because he was not seeded. But in this tournament, he grew in confidence.” Kean Yew showing off his gold medal. Saw Ai chipped in: “Finally, after all his hard work, it paid off. We’re very proud of Kelvin. To be honest, I was very nervous to watch the final.” The couple were watching the live telecast together with their second son, Kean Wei, 30, an engineer with RNM Electronics Sdn Bhd in Penang. All three donned T-shirts that Kean Yew had given them, with the words ‘LOH K Y, SINGAPORE’ printed at its back to show their support. Kean Wei added: “My brother has improved a lot on his mental strength. I can see he is calm and composed, able to take the pressure now.” Kean Yew and Kidambi embracing after a hard-fought final. Life for Kean Yew, 24, the youngest of four sons, will be totally different from now on as he is Singapore’s latest hero – just as Joseph Schooling was after beating his idol and legend, Micheal Phelps, for the 100m butterfly gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Three of the four Loh siblings are working in Singapore. Kean Yew’s third elder brother, Kean Hean, 26, is a Singapore national doubles player while his eldest brother, Kean Chye, 34, works as a cabin crew member with Singapore Airlines. Kean Hean is also a champion in his own right, partnering Terry Hee to win the men’s doubles in the Dutch Open in October. It was a double joy for the Lohs as Kean Yew won the men’s singles in the same tournament. They both had taken up Singapore citizenship in 2015. That enabled Kean Yew to represent Singapore in the SEA Games where he won a bronze medal. Kean Hean speaking to his mother Saw Ai via a video call over the phone from Singapore after being overjoyed with Kean Yew’s victory. It was not an easy decision for Pin Keat and Saw Ai to send both their two teenage sons to Singapore to study as well as play badminton. They were about 12 or 13 years old then. “What made us send our children to Singapore was because of the education there. We’ve to thank the Penang coaches for building their foundation. “Our children were offered scholarships. This kind of opportunity come only once and we grabbed it because we’re not rich to send them overseas to study. We never expected any of our sons to become a world badminton champion one day,” Saw Ai said. The top four – (from left) Kidambi, Kean Yew, Antonsen and Lakshya Sen with their medals at the prize presentation ceremony. Fortunately for the couple, Saw Ai’s brother, Gan Teik Huat, 64, who is based in Singapore, helped care for the two young boys during their weekend break. Kean Hean was the first to get a scholarship to study at Montfort Secondary School in Singapore. Montfort has a strong badminton team and one of their coaches is Wong Shoon Keat, who won Singapore’s first ever badminton gold at the SEA Games in 1983. Kean Yew then followed in his brother’s footsteps a year later, after being offered a full scholarship to study in the Singapore Sports School. When they were in Penang, the siblings’ appetite for badminton was whetted actually by a neighbour who often played badminton with them using the house gate as the ‘net’. According to Saw Ai , Kean Yew initially yearned to return home because he missed the family and also friends in Penang. But through her encouragement, Kean Yew stayed put and as time passed, he settled down with the help of the school teachers and mentors. After completing four years of secondary education, Kean Yew then went to study at Republic Polytechnic. But after two years, he decided that to quit and instead, become a full-time badminton player. “He was determined to turn pro and I finally agreed to it because an athlete usually has a short span of playing career. So, if he does not go for it when he is young, it may be too late for him. As for studies, he can resume it later if he wants to,” said Saw Ai. Kean Yew is now under the wings of Mulyo Handoyo and Kelvin Ho. A photo of Kean Yew when he won the National Under-12 boys’ singles badminton title. His talent was evidenced when he took the Under-12 title in the National Junior Circuit Grand Final in Seremban in 2009, beating Lee Zii Jia in the final. Zii Jia is now Malaysia’s top men’s singles player. His victory over badminton legend Lin Dan in the Thailand Masters 2019 made the badminton world sit up. The gold medal that Kean Yew won after beating Lin Dan in the Thailand Masters in 2019. Last month, Kean Yew captured his first BWF World Tour Super 500 win when he beat Zii Jia at the 2021 Hylo Open. Although he was world ranked 22, Kean Yew was a player on fire in this year’s BWF World Championships. He sent Olympic champion and World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen packing in the first round, avenging his defeat to the Dane in the Indonesian Open final. Kean Yew proceeded to score victories over Austria’s Luka Wraber, Thailand’s Kantaphon Wancharoen, India’s HS Prannoy and then overcame Denmark’s world No. 3 Anders Antonsen in Saturday’s semi-finals. In the final against Kidambi, Kean Yew trailed 9-3 in the first game but came roaring back to win it 21-15 in 16 minutes. Kidambi, executing some superb drop shots and cross court net play, led 9-6 in the second game. Kean Yew then bounced back again with some aggressive attacks to score six points in a row to lead 12-9. From then on, both players fought point for point and the game could have gone either way. It, however, ended in Kean Yew’s favour at 22-20. A cupboard full of medals and trophies that were mainly won by Kean Hean and Kean Yew. Asked what advice he would give Kean Yew now that he is on top of the world, Pin Keat said he must keep his feet on the ground. “He needs to remain humble, not get distracted or carried away with the victory and work harder to maintain his consistency,” Pin Keat said. Immediately after the match, their phones were inundated with calls and congratulatory messages via WhatsApp. What a magical moment for the Loh family to cherish. Story and pix by K.H. Ong
Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew makes history, wins World Championships men’s singles title Loh Kean Yew beat India's Srikanth Kidambi in straight games on Dec 19, 2021 to become Singapore's first badminton world champion. Matthew Mohan @MatthewMohanCNA 19 Dec 2021 10:41PM(Updated: 20 Dec 2021 11:09AM) SINGAPORE: Badminton player Loh Kean Yew has sealed his place in the history books by becoming the first Singaporean to win a BWF World Championships title. The world number 22 beat India’s Kidambi Srikanth 21-15, 22-20 in the men’s singles final in Huelva, Spain, on Sunday (Dec 19) to cap off a fairytale run. Unseeded in the tournament, Loh stunned the likes of world number one Viktor Axelsen and world number three Anders Antonsen en route to taking the crown. The match was the second career meeting between both players. Loh had not beaten world no 14 Srikanth prior to this clash. Singapore's Loh Kean Yew returns a shot to India's Kidambi Srikanth during their Men's badminton singles final match at the BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain, on Dec 19, 2021. (Photo: AP/Manu Fernandez) Singapore's Loh Kean Yew reacts after defeating India's Kidambi Srikanth during their Men's badminton singles final match at the BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain, on Dec 19, 2021. (Photo: AP/Manu Fernandez) And it was his opponent who took the initiative in the first, as he raced to a 9-3 lead. While a series of nifty net returns help Loh claw his way back, he would trail 7-11 going into the interval. Yet the Singaporean remained mentally unflappable and he roared back to life with a 13-12 lead. Loh would hold firm and then go on to take the first. However, the Indian was far from done and his powerful smashes caused problems for Loh as he took a 9-6 lead. Yet the Singaporean would strike back and go ahead 11-9. And Srikanth came back with a vengeance, edging ahead 17-15. But Loh showed his mettle and would go on to seal the victory. Earlier in the tournament, Loh upset world number one Axelsen in the first round, before going on to cruise past Austria's Luka Wraber in 25 minutes. Loh then thrashed Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen in their round of 16 clash on Thursday, taking the match in just 30 minutes. He then beat India’s HS Prannoy in straight games to guarantee himself of at least a joint-bronze, before going on to claim a victory over Dane Antonsen. Related: 'I can finally tell the world how happy I am': Loh Kean Yew reflects on being badminton world champion In the previous edition of the World Championships, Loh made the last 16 before being knocked out by Chou Tien-Chen. The victory marks the best finish for a Singaporean in any edition of the World Championships. Yeo Jia Min had reached the women’s singles quarter-finals in the previous edition of the World Championships, while Ronald Susilo was also eliminated in the same stage in 2007. The mixed doubles pair of Chayut Triyachart and Yao Lei also reached the quarters in 2011, while Jiang Yanmei and Li Yujia also achieved the same feat in 2007 for the women’s doubles. Loh won his first career BWF World Tour Super 500 title at the Hylo Open last month. He also took the Dutch Open crown in October. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted a congratulatory note shortly after Loh won the title on Sunday. In a Facebook post, Mr Lee wrote: "Well done, Kean Yew! You do Singapore proud. Looking forward to your next success!"
Loh Kean Yew becomes first Singaporean to win World Championship men's singles title Singapore's Loh Kean Yew celebrates on the podium after winning the men's singles final badminton match of the BWF World Championships in Huelva, on Dec 19, 2021. Published December 19, 2021 Updated December 19, 2021 SINGAPORE — Badminton player Loh Kean Yew has sealed his place in the history books by becoming the first Singaporean to win a BWF World Championship title. The world number 22 beat India’s Srikanth Kidambi 21-15, 22-20 in the men’s singles final in Huelva, Spain, on Sunday (Dec 19) to cap off a fairytale run. Unseeded in the tournament, Loh stunned the likes of world number one Viktor Axelsen and world number three Anders Antonsen en route to taking the crown. The match was the second career meeting between both players. Loh had not beaten world no 14 Srikanth prior to this clash. And it was his opponent who took the initiative in the first, as he raced to a 9-3 lead. While a series of nifty net returns help Loh claw his way back, he would trail 7-11 going into the interval. Yet the Singaporean remained mentally unflappable and he roared back to life with a 13-12 lead. Loh would hold firm and then go on to take the first. However, the Indian was far from done and his powerful smashes caused problems for Loh as he took a 9-6 lead. Yet the Singaporean would strike back and go ahead 11-9. And Srikanth showed his mettle as he would come back with a vengeance, edging ahead 17-15. But Loh showed his mettle and sealed the victory. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong congratulated Loh on his win. "Well done, Kean Yew! You do Singapore proud. Looking forward to your next success!" Mr Lee wrote on Facebook shortly after Loh's victory. Earlier in the tournament, Loh upset world number one Axelsen in the first round, before going on to cruise past Austria's Luka Wraber in 25 minutes. Loh then thrashed Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen in their round of 16 clash on Thursday, taking the match in just 30 minutes. He then beat India’s HS Prannoy in straight games to guarantee himself of at least a joint-bronze, before going on to claim a victory over Dane Antonsen. In the previous edition of the World Championships, Loh made the last 16 before being knocked out by Chou Tien-Chen. The victory marks the best finish for a Singaporean in any edition of the World Championships. Yeo Jia Min had reached the women’s singles quarter-finals in the previous edition of the World Championships, while Ronald Susilo was also eliminated in the same stage in 2007. The mixed doubles pair of Chayut Triyachart and Yao Lei also reached the quarters in 2011, while Jiang Yanmei and Li Yujia also achieved the same feat in 2007 for the women’s doubles. Loh won his first career BWF World Tour Super 500 title at the Hylo Open last month. He also took the Dutch Open crown in October. CNA
Loh Kean Yew goes from underdog to badminton world champ Loh Kean Yew's success has brought further obstacles as more illustrious opponents are now wary of him.PHOTO: AFP David Lee Dec 20, 2021 12:35 pm Badminton player Loh Kean Yew's favourite shot sees him striding to the net, holding out his racket to look like he is going for a simple drop shot, only to flick his wrist at the last moment to deftly send the shuttlecock diagonally across the net. "Can bluff people and make them go the wrong way, quite shiok," said the Singaporean world No. 22 cheekily. In the past few months, the 24-year-old has made a habit of producing the unexpected, like last night, when he upset Indian world No. 14 Srikanth Kidambi to become world champion, Singapore's first in the sport. Last Monday, he shocked Denmark's world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the opening round of the event. His hot form began in October, when he won the lower-tier Dutch Open as the world No. 41, beating India's 25th-ranked Lakshya Sen in the final. The following month, he beat Taiwanese world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen and then Malaysia's world No. 7 and All England champion Lee Zii Jia en route to winning the Badminton World Federation World Tour Super 500 Hylo Open in Germany. "I like being the underdog. Not many people are aware of you, there's less expectation and, hence, less pressure for me to upset the favourites," said Loh. Less than three weeks later, he stunned Japan's then world No. 1 Kento Momota in the first round of the Super 1000 Indonesia Open and went all the way to the final before losing to Axelsen. Super 1000 events are second to only the World Tour Finals in terms of prize money on the World Tour, while the Super 500 is the fourth tier, and Loh is the first Singaporean to go so far at both levels. Yet, he is as modest as he is honest. On taking Axelsen's scalp, he says: "I believe I can give any player a tough fight, but I don't think I'm so good yet." Ahead of him in the world rankings are more than 20 players, and he is not where he wants to be yet, which is in the top 10 and standing on the Olympic podium. However, his success has brought further obstacles as more illustrious opponents are now wary of him, while lower-ranked players are keen to beat badminton's latest rising star. Loh, whose Instagram followers have doubled to 150,000, said: "I know it comes with the territory. This is something I wanted, so I have to be ready for it. "While I'm happy with the string of good results because it shows that I have managed to add consistency to my game this year, I know I still have to improve on my court fitness and continue working hard on different elements and sharpen physically and mentally if I want to keep winning tournaments. "Even as I become a higher-ranked favourite in some matches, I aim to justify that tag and continue to do Singapore proud." More On This Topic ST Singaporean of the Year 2021: Nominees and their contributions to society ST Singaporean of the Year nominee: People looked at mental health advocate as if she was crazy SINGAPOREAN OF THE YEAR BADMINTONLOH KEAN YEWSINGAPOREAN OF THE YEAR 2021
The major difference between Loh Kean Yew's mindset and Lee ZiiJia mindset. Lee ZiiJia (after winning All England) : Omg I must win Olympic Gold and World Championship at all cost. Anything less than that is unacceptable. The media and people are expecting me to win so i must not disappoint ALL. Loh Kean Yew (after winning World Championship) : No new year resolution. My aim is to win an Olympic medal and I have a long way to go so i got a lot to improve on. Difference in how they are trained or developed not just technically but mentally as well. Loh Kean Yew is not surrounded by toxic media coverage in Singapore and he knows what are the TRUE GOALS he is aiming to pursue. Anything else is just pure distraction.
Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is badminton world champion 1 of 6 Loh Kean Yew's breakthrough will easily rank among Singapore's greatest sporting feats. PHOTO: AFP David Lee UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE - History took 43 hectic minutes, two games and 78 points. At the end of it, unseeded national shuttler Loh Kean Yew stunned the badminton world by becoming the first Singaporean to win the World Championships. On Sunday (Dec 19), the Singaporean world No. 22 upset India's world No. 14 Srikanth Kidambi 21-15, 22-20 in the final in Huelva, Spain. On the final point, when a push to the back court landed in, Loh sank to his knees but ascended into sporting legend. In a single, inspired week he has crafted one of the greatest moments in this nation's sporting folklore. And few would know he did it on one good ankle. The 24-year-old rolled his right ankle while trying to save a shuttle in Friday’s quarter-final win over India’s Prannoy H. S. and was wheelchair-bound after beating Denmark’s Anders Antonsen in the semi-final on Saturday. He told The Straits Times: “I thought I was finished because it hurt like hell, and I couldn’t walk. But I told myself to push through the pain and go all out in the final, and coped with ice and some treatment, and it paid off. “I’m super, super happy. This feels like a dream, and now it’s a dream come true. I grew up watching Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei playing such big finals and now I’m here as the world champion. It’s unbelievable. “I’m honoured to deliver this first gold for Singapore. I know many Singaporeans have been staying up to follow my progress, and I want to thank everyone for their support and for being a huge motivation. "I feel I have improved over the past few months, but I still have a long way to go to be where I want to be, and I will continue to work hard to be even better as I chase my dream of winning an Olympic medal for Singapore." Since the competition's inception in 1977, only four countries - China, Indonesia, Denmark and Japan - have won gold in the men's singles, and now the Republic has one of its own. In the final, Loh displayed courage and composure despite his injury. He was 9-3 down in the opening frame but roared back. At 12-12, he flung himself to the ground to retrieve a smash and bounced right up for the kill. From that moment, he never looked back. The second game followed a similar vein and Kidambi was up 18-16, but the underdog was relentless in his quest to become world champion, and did so after winning his third match point. Loh Kean Yew was wheelchair-bound as he could not walk after his BWF World Championship semi-final win over Denmark's Anders Antonsen. PHOTO: LOH KEAN YEW In the other finals, China's world No. 3 pair of Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan beat fourth-ranked South Koreans Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan 21-16, 21-17 to add to their 2017 women's doubles world title. Elsewhere, there were new world champions as Japan's world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi beat Chinese Taipei's top-ranked Tai Tzu-ying 21-14, 21-11 in the women's singles final. In the men's doubles final, Japan's world No. 4 Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi beat China's 24th-ranked He Jiting and Tan Qiang 21-12, 21-18, and in the mixed doubles final, Thailand's world No. 1 Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai beat Japan's world No. 4 Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino 21-13, 21-14. But for Singapore badminton, it has been more than a decade since it has made ripples of some magnitude on the international stage. Loh's breakthrough will easily rank among Singapore's greatest sporting feats, which include swimmer Joseph Schooling's 100m butterfly gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, as well as Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu, Sun Beibei, Li Jiawei and Yu Mengyu's "Miracle in Moscow", when they upset mighty China to win the World Team Table Tennis Championships in 2010. Fu Mingtian claimed the last of the nation's three SEA Games golds when she won the women's singles in 2011, while Li Li remains its only Commonwealth Games champion after winning the women's singles in 2002. Further back, the late Wong Peng Soon won the last of his four All England titles in 1955. Singapore President Halimah led the plaudits as she congratulated Loh in a Facebook post, and wrote: “Thank you for flying the Singapore flag high, by dint of sheer hard work and perseverance. We are all proud of you.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC From Ang Mo Kio to Penang, Loh Kean Yew's family cheers youngest on at world champs Thanks Loh Kean Yew for a wild ride we'll never forget Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong added: “Well done, Kean Yew! You do Singapore proud. Looking forward to your next success!” Carving his place among badminton’s elite, Loh has beaten six out of the world’s top 10 players in the past three months. Loh Kean Yew celebrating moments after beating India's Srikanth Kidambi at the World Championships in Huelva on Dec 19, 2021. PHOTO: AFP At these World Championships, he stunned Denmark's world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the opening round and world No. 3 Anders Antonsen in the semi-finals. Besides capturing the Dutch Open and Hylo Open titles, he also claimed the scalps of Japan's then-world No. 1 Kento Momota (Indonesia Open), Malaysia's world No. 7 and All England champion Lee Zii Jia (French Open) and Chinese Taipei's world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen (Hylo Open). Loh Kean Yew's brother Kean Hean (top left) and his friends celebrate Kean Yew's win from Singapore. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Loh's meteoric rise caps a tremendous year for Singapore sport, as it continues to punch above its weight on the international stage. Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu won two golds at the Aug 24-Sept 5 Tokyo Paralympics, pool pro Aloysius Yapp reached the summit of the world rankings in October, and bowler Shayna Ng clinched a historic women's singles world championship title in November. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Five big moments in Singapore sports Badminton: 10 things to know about Singapore ace Loh Kean Yew J
World Championship 2021, LKY vs SK. LKY is a fleet footed player. Very good at the net and has a solid defense. He also has a strong attack which he uses at the right moments. A variant of the legendary LCWei. Hope he has the consistency of LCW. https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4716266624319578?from=old_pc_videoshow
Badminton Unlimited made some interesting piece with Kean last winter. I remember watching it in march 2021 thinking "this guy has a really good, healthy attitude towards life and sports" and bam... 10 months later... Link if anyone interested:
16 Facts About Loh Kean Yew Like Being World’s Top 20 Badminton Player & An Instant Coffee Ambassador Loh Kean Yew Facts Like Being World’s Top 20 Badminton Player (zula.sg) December 20, 2021 Loh Kean Yew Facts Despite Singapore being a small country, there are many sports athletes and Olympians who have done our nation proud. Currently on the radar of many sports fanatics and Singaporeans alike is Loh Kean Yew, thanks to his incredible skills and of course, good looks. At the age of 24, Loh Kean Yew already has a stellar record of achievements and if you’re only starting to follow him, read on for more facts about the star athlete. 1. Is the youngest in his family Source Born in Penang, Malaysia, Loh Kean Yew is the youngest of four sons. He obtained Singapore citizenship after moving to Singapore and also completed his National Service in 2018. During that time, he even played for Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association (SAFSA) and received the SAFSA’s best sportsman award in 2018. While his parents are currently living in Penang, his older brother, Loh Kean Hean has also obtained Singapore citizenship and is part of the Singapore National Badminton Team together with him. 2. Used the gate outside his house as a badminton net Source Every badminton player has to start from somewhere and for Loh Kean Yew, he started playing badminton when he was 4 years old. Instead of using a badminton net, he used the gate outside his house as an alternative when he played with his neighbours. According to an interview on CNA, Loh Kean Yew also shared that his neighbours would let him win and present him with a swimming medal. Since he was too young to know they were not the correct medals, he was happy to receive them nonetheless. 3. He is a graduate of Singapore’s Sports School Source Boy, did Loh Kean Yew not realise just how lucky he was in 2010. Before moving to Singapore, Loh Kean Yew was presented with the Foreign Sports Scholarship from Singapore Sports School when he was 13. For most people, being excited about receiving a scholarship is the usual reaction, but for him, he wasn’t thrilled initially. Since he had to start afresh in a new environment, he didn’t like the fact that he had to leave his family and friends behind in Penang. Eventually, he made his way over after finding out that his mother had already bought the ticket for him to go to Singapore. Years later, not only is he a proud graduate of Singapore Sports School, but he is also grateful to have learned many valuable lessons during his school days. 4. Has a close relationship with his coach Source Behind every successful player is a successful coach. For Loh Kean Yew, he respects and looks up to his coach, Kelvin Ho, who is a former national badminton player himself. According to an interview with Singapore National Olympic Council, Kelvin Ho has a peculiar habit of beating his chest like a gorilla to help control Loh Kean Yew’s emotions during competitions. On the court, Kelvin Ho acts as Loh Kean Yew’s cheerleader and outside the sport, he is Loh Kean Yew’s “other older brother” too. As Kelvin Ho has always been beside Loh Kean Yew since his first competition when he was 15, it is not an exaggeration to say that the two grew up as sportsmen and brothers. 5. Defeated Olympic medalist badminton player With Viktor Axelsen during Indonesia Open 2021 Source It is not the first time Loh Kean Yew has gone against Olympic medalist Viktor Axelsen. Earlier in November, Loh Kean Yew came in 2nd after sparring with him in the Indonesia Open 2021. But most recently during the BWF World Championships in Spain, he defeated him. According to an interview with The Star, Loh Kean Yew mentioned that he was thrilled with his win. Despite advancing to the next round of 32, he shared that he still has a “long way to go” and “needs to be focused for [his] next match.” 6. His best rank is top 20 in the world Source After finishing the Indonesia Open 2021, Loh Kean Yew rose to the top 20 in the world according to the Badminton World Federation rankings ‒ a phenomenal jump considering he was the world’s 41st just seven weeks ago. This highlights how much he has improved since his participation in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and also, his potential to rise even higher. Loh Kean Yew has definitely been making his name slowly yet steadily. To start off, he scored a total of 4 Bronze medals and a Silver medal from SEA Games in 2015, 2017, and 2019. On top of that, he also clinched 3 Gold and 2 Silver medals during the BWF World Tour from 2019 to 2021.
7. Was Singapore’s flag bearer in Tokyo Olympics 2020 Source ICYMI, Loh Kean Yew was Singapore’s flag bearer during this year’s Tokyo Olympics 2020, alongside table tennis player Yu Mengyu. He mentioned on his Instagram that he was “proud to fly [the] Singapore flag.” Source Since flag bearers tend to catch the attention of Olympics viewers, his good looks ‒ despite his face being half-covered by a mask ‒ stood out from the crowd. According to an article by iNF News, he was named as one of the best-looking athletes during the Tokyo Olympics 2020. 8. Aims to win an Olympic medal for Singapore Source Winning an Olympic medal is probably the highest achievement that any athlete can achieve. For Loh Kean Yew, that is his goal too, according to an article by Yahoo News. With Loh Kean Yew on the right track, his recent winnings suggest that he is no longer a self-proclaimed underdog, but rather a formidable opponent that others should look out for. Perhaps for the Paris Olympics 2024, we can count on him to bring home an Olympic medal. 9. Has over 140K followers on Instagram Source With Loh Kean Yew’s rising popularity as an athlete, it is no surprise that he has been gaining followers on his social media accounts. At the time of publishing, Loh Kean Yew has more than 140,000 followers on his Instagram and over 12,500 followers on his Twitter. On Instagram, he usually shares photos of his achievements and sometimes, he even uploads a selfie or two. As for Twitter, you’ll find him using the platform to communicate with fans. 10. Supports SingVoice’s finalist Source For those who don’t know, SingVoice is Singapore’s music talent search show for the next singer-songwriter. If you’ve been following Loh Kean Yew on Instagram, you might have noticed that he linked a Spotify song by SingVoice participant, Tan Zi Jian. While it is uncertain if the two know each other personally, we get a peek at Loh Kean Yew’s music taste. 11. Updates Twitter occasionally in Malay Source As someone who grew up in Malaysia, Loh Kean Yew knows 3 languages ‒ English, Chinese and Malay. Besides English being his main language of communication, he tweets frequently in Malay on Twitter, communicating with fans through the platform. We can’t help but stan a trilingual king.
