Loh Kean Yew aims for SEA Games gold after defeating Anthony Ginting at the Thomas Cup
Singapore's Loh defeated one of Indonesia's top shuttlers and has his sights on topping the podium at the 2021 South East Asian Games, being held in 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Badminton
Loh Kean Yew is aiming at his first South East Asian Games title in Vietnam in May 2022.
The reigning badminton world champion defeated Indonesia's Anthony Ginting 21-13, 21-14, on the opening day at the Thomas Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, proving he's primed for a tilt at his first SEA Games title in Hanoi.
Loh was runner-up last time around, losing out to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the final at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.
With Lee sitting out this year's edition, Loh is now firm favourite for most experts, and the Singaporean is excited at the chance to win his first SEA Games badminton gold.
The Hanoi Games were rescheduled from 2021 to 2022, and clash with the Thomas and Uber Cup in Bangkok, but the individual badminton competition only starts on 16 May giving Loh time to race to the Vietnamese capital to compete.
“The badminton competition only starts later and I did not want to miss the opportunity to play for Singapore in the SEA Games,” Loh said in Thailand at the Thomas Cup.
Currently ranked 10th in the world, Loh is aiming to claim an elusive winner's medal having played at the SEA Games for the first time at the Singapore 2015 edition of the biennial multi-sport event.
“I made my SEA Games debut in Singapore but have yet to win a gold, hopefully, I will get to nail it this time.”
For now, Singapore's shuttle star is focused on matters at hand in Bangkok, helping Singapore compete in a team that includes his brother, Kean Hean, who plays men's doubles.
The other Loh, partnered with Terry Hee, lost out in a three-game thriller to Indonesia's Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (14-21, 21-19, 12-21).
The SEA Games in 2022 runs from 12-23 May 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam, it's the 31st edition of the Southeast Asian Games and features 40 sports across 526 events and counts on the participation of 5,467 athletes from 11 different nations.
For a preview of the badminton among other sports, a schedule and stars to watch, click here.