Singaporean badminton player eyes gold medal at SEA Games 31

Hanoi (VNA) - Loh Kean Yew of Singapore is determined to win a gold medal in the men's singles badminton event at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) scheduled for May 12-23 in Vietnam, according to the Straits Times of Singapore.

After clinching a silver medal at the 2019 SEA Games, Loh wants to do better at this year's edition of the competition.

The last time Singapore won the SEA Games men's singles title was in 1983 when Wong Shoon Keat accomplished the feat.

At the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, Loh became the first national shuttler to make it to the men's final since 2007, but lost to Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia.

The 24-year-old man said he is definitely aiming for gold because he has never got it before.

He stressed that it's been a long time since Singapore got a gold at the SEA Games (in the men's singles) so it will mean a lot for him and for Singapore as well.

Loh said that after a ceremony organised recently by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) to thank Neo Garden for its donation package worth 300,000 USD that will go towards improving SBA's high-performance programmes which concentrate on overseas training stints and competitions, as well as the development of players on all levels.

Loh said that the months leading up to the SEA Games have been a learning process for him, who has been learning to deal with the pressure that comes along with his career.

He said he is still learning how to deal with the pressure, and he hopes to deal with it better.

Loh also shared about what he is doing to prepare for the region’s biggest Games next month.  

Apart from the SEA Games, Singaporean athletes will also be involved in the Commonwealth Games from July 28 to August 8, and the Asian Games in September this year.

SBA chief executive Alan Ow thanked Neo Garden for its support to help with the development of badminton players, especially during the period when they are two years away from the Olympics.

Ahead of SEA Games 31, SBA technical director Martin Andrew said that the target for Singaporean shuttlers was to win a medal in the men's and women's team events.
He added that the best possibilities for medals in the individual events will come in the men's, women's and mixed doubles events.

The final period  of preparations for SEA Games 31 will see Singaporean  shuttlers competing at various events such as the Badminton Asia Championships from April 26 - May 1, and Thomas Cup on May 8 -15, where they have been grouped alongside Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Thailand.

Everything has been done so that they can get performances at the SEA Games, the official stated.

Meanwhile, the national 22-year-old shuttler Andy Kwek, who will compete in the men's doubles and mixed doubles events at SEA Games 31, said he believes that the upcoming competitions will be beneficial for the national shuttlers' preparations for the regional sports event in Vietnam.

SEA Games 31 will take place from May 12-23 in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho and Bac Giang.
It will feature 40 sports and 526 sets of medals. It is expected to welcome 10,000 participants from 11 Southeast Asian countries.
This is the second time Vietnam has hosted the Games, following the 22nd one in 2003./.