Loh Kean Yew earns Asian Games semi-final spot, assured of historic singles medal

NAGOYA – In a much-needed confidence boost, Loh Kean Yew has become the first Singaporean badminton player to win an individual Asian Games medal, after he beat Indonesia’s world No.1 Jonatan Christie 21-14, 21-19 in their men’s singles quarter-final on Sept 27.

World No. 13 Loh’s win over 2018 champion Christie, who won his last-16 decider at 2am, is his first in 11 attempts and he is assured of at least a joint bronze.

The 29-year-old will face Japan’s seventh-ranked Kodai Naraoka or South Korea’s world No. 46 Yoo Tae-bin in the semi-finals at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium on Sept 28.

Earlier in the competition, Loh had beaten India’s eighth seed and 14th-ranked Lakshya Sen as well as Malaysia’s world No. 48 Justin Hoh.

His breakthrough medal adds to creditable performances in major competitions such as his historic 2021 world championship win, a silver and bronze at the Asia Championships, two silvers and one bronze at the SEA Games and an Olympic quarter-final appearance.

It also marks an upswing in fortunes, after a roller-coaster season that saw him make two semi-finals in January and the KFF Singapore Open final in May on the Badminton World Federation World Tour.

An abdominal injury in June stalled his momentum and he failed to progress past the last 16 in the next five tournaments as his world ranking slipped to 13th.

At his Asian Games debut in China three years ago, he went home with no wins and two defeats in the men’s singles and team events.

The only time Team Singapore stood on an Asian Games badminton podium was when the women’s team won bronze in 2006.

Other than Christie, China’s world No. 6 Shi Yuqi and defending champion, 12th-ranked Li Shifeng, are already dumped out of the men’s singles competition.

Meanwhile in the women’s singles event, South Korea’s defending champion and world No. 1 An Se-young continues to power through, reaching the semi-finals after easing past Thailand’s fifth-ranked Ratchanok Intanon 21-8, 21-9.

This is the 24-year-old’s 54th win in 55 matches – 47 of them in straight games – this year, as she lifted her second world title and Uber Cup, first Asia Championships crown and five victories on the World Tour.

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David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times, focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.