PARIS OLYMPICS: SINGAPORE’S LOH KEAN YEW BECAME WORLD BADMINTON CHAMP DESPITE ANKLE INJURY

The Malaysian-born shuttler was crowned Singapore's first world champion in 2021, but he has struggled to replicate that form since

Fans in Singapore roared with surprise and pride when shuttler Loh Kean Yew, then something of an underdog, was crowned the city state's first badminton world champion in 2021.

The then 24-year-old stormed to fame when he triumphed over veteran athletes, including world No 3 Anders Antonsen and top-ranked Viktor Axelsen, to win the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships in Huelva, Spain in 2021.

The Malaysian-born shuttler has represented Singapore since he began his professional career, having switched allegiances after moving there to train - a decision that later provoked reaction in Malaysia about its struggle to retain talent, particularly against its wealthy southern neighbour.

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But while Loh's humble, easy-going manner has won him plaudits, he has also struggled with criticism, having failed to replicate his stunning 2021 performance since.

As he prepares to bring his best game to his second Olympics, here is all you need to know about Singapore's star shuttler.

Beginnings

Born in Penang, northwest Malaysia - the same state as fellow superstar shuttler Lim Chong Wei - Loh is the youngest of four boys. As a child, he got his start in badminton by using the gate of the family home as a net.

When he was nine years old, he joined the state badminton team. The following year, he accompanied his older brother, Kean Hean, to a tryout for the Singapore Sports School - but his skill was already evident just from practising with his brother.

"That short warm-up session with his older brother actually caught my eye," Desmond Tan, then the general manager of the school's badminton academy, told Singaporean media outlet Today in 2021. "It was obvious that he has innate talent in badminton ... he had that spark."

After turning 13, the younger Loh successfully auditioned for the school and moved to Singapore to join his brother.

"The first two weeks were very fun because there were no parents," Loh told broadcaster CNA in 2019, recalling how he struggled with homesickness in the early days of his move. "But I missed home - I cried myself to sleep for a few nights before calling my mum and crying some more."

Still, even among the promising young athletes at the school, which also counts Paris-bound sprinter Shanti Pereira among its alumni, Loh stood out for his maturity and discipline.

Early career

After graduating, Loh worked his way up the international circuit, with his first high-profile win coming in his debut Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2015, when he clinched a bronze medal in the men's singles and team events.

At the 2019 Thailand Masters, he defeated several higher-ranked players before overcoming Chinese badminton legend and two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan in the final.

Although Loh was knocked out early in his debut Olympics in 2021, exiting at the group stage, it was just the beginning. After the Tokyo Games ended, he joined Danish champion Axelsen at his training camp in Dubai, honing his game alongside the Olympic medallist and other top-ranked players from around the world.

"As I was training with him [Axelsen], I tried my best to learn whatever I could, be it his focus, his consistency, his discipline - everything," Loh told Olympics.com.

Winning streak

In October 2021, Loh landed his first victory in two years at the Dutch Open, clinching a 21-12, 21-16 win over Indian top seed Lakshya Sen. He claimed a second title at the Hylo Open in Germany the following month, dispatching Sen once again in the semi-final and taking top spot from Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, who retired because of injury.

At the BWF World Championships in December, Loh, then ranked world No 22, came up against Axelsen in the opening round, defeating his former training partner and reigning world champion 14-21, 21-9, 21-6 in a huge shock.

He subsequently blew through the following rounds, before suffering a sprained ankle, in the quarter-final.

Though he was temporarily wheelchair bound, he reached the final, where he beat India's Srikanth Kidambi 21-15, 22-20 to claim a historic world championship title.

Ups and downs

Loh's performance since 2021 have been somewhat of a roller coaster. Although he won two bronze medals in team events at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the Asia Team Championships and a silver in the men's singles at the 2023 Asia Championships, it took almost two years for him to clinch his next title.

After reaching the finals of five tournaments, he finally took home the top prize at the 2024 Spanish Masters in March this year - only to be knocked out in several subsequent competitions.

But more experience, as well as some major developments in his personal life - he secretly married his girlfriend in late 2023, revealing the event on his Instagram account only months afterwards - have made him better at tuning out criticism.

He has also largely shied away from the spotlight, keeping his social media mostly focused on badminton or sponsored posts for brands. Only small nuggets of trivia have made it into the press, such as his admiration for footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I always want to do good on the court, [but] at the back of the mind now, I'm not single any more: I have a family; I need to support my family," he told Olympics.com. "So from within it's just getting hungrier [to do well]."