Badminton in Singapore

Badminton in Singapore
CountrySingapore
Governing bodySingapore Badminton Association
National team(s)Singapore national badminton team
Clubs33 (as of 2022)
National competitions
International competitions

Badminton was introduced to Singapore by the British in the early 19th century. By the mid-1920s, the game became increasingly popular and spread quickly to the rest of the local population. Amid the rising popularity, badminton enthusiasts began forming clubs, or “parties”, to meet and play the game.[1] It was during this period that the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) was established to promote the sport and organise competitions. The first official annual open championships was held in that period with the best players from the tournament such as E. J. Vass, Tan Chong Tee, Alice Pennefather and Ong Siew Eng were chosen to represent Singapore in the regional tournaments.

After the World War II (1942–45), Singapore would reached the height of its badminton success in the 1950s with the rise of players such as Wong Peng Soon, Ong Poh Lim and Ismail Marjan.[1] Then, as part of the Malayan team, Singapore clinched the inaugural Thomas Cup in 1949 and retained it in 1952 and 1955. Wong and Ong will also go on to win the All England Championships, a competition that was once considered as the 'unofficial' World Championships of badminton.[2]

After Singapore gained independence in 1965, badminton would experience a revival in Singapore when Wong Shoon Keat won the men's singles gold medal at the 1983 SEA Games.[3] In 1986, Singapore qualified for the finals of the Thomas Cup for the first time as an independent nation.[4] At the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Li Li captured Singapore first gold medal in the women's singles.[5] The following year, at the 2003 SEA Games, Singapore team clinched their first-ever gold in the women's team event.[6] In 2006, the women's team reached the finals of Uber Cup for the first time.[7] Success continued to follow for the women's team shuttler when Fu Mingtian won Singapore's first gold medal in women's singles at the 2011 SEA Games.[8]

In 2021, Loh Kean Yew made history by becoming the men's singles world champion, winning the title at the 2021 BWF World Championships, becoming the first Singaporean to achieve this feat.[9] At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Terry Hee and Jessica Tan clinched Singapore's first ever badminton mixed doubles gold.[10]

Badminton in Singapore is managed by the Singapore Badminton Association.

  1. ^ a b Tan, J. H. (17 October 2002). "Badminton in Singapore". Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Peng Soon and Poh Lim honoured". Singapore Monitor. 6 May 1984. p. 64. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Satu lagi sejarah! (in Malay)". Berita Harian. 6 June 1983. p. 9. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  4. ^ "A smashing year". The Straits Times. 30 December 1986. p. 22. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Singles gold for Li Li". BBC. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Women shuttlers win gold at Games". The Straits Times. 9 December 2003. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  7. ^ "S'pore through to their first Uber Cup finals". The Straits Times. 18 February 2006. p. 22. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Fu Mingtian wins S'pore's first SEA Games women's badminton gold". Yahoo Newsroom. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Singapore's Loh Kean Yew is badminton world champion". The Straits Times. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Commonwealth Games: S'pore clinch historic badminton mixed doubles gold after beating England in final". The Straits Times. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.