Loh Kean Yew is Out of Paris Olympics After Losing to Defending Champion Viktor Axelsen

By
Chew Ming Hui
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Loh Kean Yew, the badminton player that Singaporeans know and love, is out of the Paris Olympics after putting up a tough fight against the defending champion Viktor Axelsen.

Loh Kean Yew Exits the Paris Olympics After Losing to Defending Champion Viktor Axelsen

Unless you were living under a rock, you would have heard that Loh had blazed his way through to the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics, after beating China’s Li Shifeng in the round of 16.

Unfortunately, on Friday (2 August), Loh’s thrilling Olympics run came to an end at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena after a loss to Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen — the defending champion who’s also ranked world number two.

Singaporeans who were tuned in for the live match found themselves in for a rollercoaster ride. Merely 10 points into the quarter-final, Loh injured his right hand after diving for the shuttlecock.

And if you’ve played any sports before, you know how tough it is to play through an injury.

Subsequently, Loh had to play on with a bandage on his right hand and even had to take a medical time-out when the scores were 8-8 in the second game.

Image: Reuters

“I couldn’t really grip my racket because there’s something in the way and it becomes sticky. I was just trying to adjust to that stupid grip. I got used to it, then they had to re-tape in, and it’s different again,” Loh remarked post-game.

Eventually, Loh lost 21-9 and 21-17 to Axelsen.

“I’m happy I gave my all and with how far I reached, but it’s also heartbreaking that I couldn’t go further than this. I’m sad especially with the first game in which I couldn’t perform very well. I was hoping to put on a better show,” Loh shared about the loss.

Loh also shared an Instagram post after the game, thanking everyone who helped him get to the quarter-finals.

Axelsen will move on to face India’s Lakshya Sen in the semi-finals, the first Indian men’s singles player to reach the semi-finals in the Olympics.

Loh Kean Yew: The First Singaporean to Reach the Quarter-Finals in Two Decades

Regardless of the loss, there’s still so much reason for Singaporeans to be proud of Loh — the 27-year-old, currently ranked world number 12, is one of the few Singaporeans who managed to reach the quarter-finals.

In fact, Loh is the first Singaporean to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s singles in two decades. The last time a Singaporean achieved that was in 2004 when Ronald Susilo beat then-world number one Lin Dan.

You can read more about how Loh blazed through to the quarter-finals against China’s Li Shifeng, ranked world number six, here.

Truly, an inspiration (and another reason for Singaporean parents to sign their kids up for badminton training).

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Chew Ming Hui
Email: [email protected]