SINGAPORE: On Thursday, August 1, Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew pulled off an upset victory over China’s world No. 6 Li Shifeng, securing a thrilling quarterfinal matchup with Denmark’s world No. 2 Viktor Axelsen.
In the process, Loh made Olympic history by becoming the first Singaporean to make it to the final eight in twenty years. In 2010, Loh, then 13 years old, travelled to Singapore from Penang on a scholarship granted by the Singapore Sports School to pursue his education and student-athlete training.
He had done as his older brother Kean Hean did, accepting a Montfort Secondary scholarship. Mr. Loh Pin Keat commented, “It’s never easy,” regarding the choice to send his younger son away. As your son grows older, you miss him and worry greatly about his health.”
Although his parents found the separation painful, they found solace in the network of friends and relatives in Singapore who watched out for the two brothers. Loh acquired citizenship, completed his national service, and refined his skills in Singapore.
In the Thailand Open final, Loh, who was ranked 125th in the world at the time, shocked the badminton community by defeating Chinese prodigy Lin Dan. It would be the first of much more significant things to come.
