Last December, Loh Kean Yew made history as the first Singaporean to win a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships title. The 24‐year‐old pulled off major upsets and stunned the sporting community by beating world number one, Viktor Axelsen, and world number three, Anders Antonsen, before besting world number 14, Kidambi Srikanth, in the finals to clinch the gold. A lesser player might have caved in the face of that pressure, but Loh was unfazed—in fact, he relishes going up against the world’s best and brightest. “I like to play as an underdog,” he says. “The pressure is on them—I’m just going in to enjoy the game and challenge myself. When I play with them, I hope to see how far I am from them, what I can improve on and what I can learn from them.”
Photo: Gan
With his historic win, Loh’s days as an underdog might well be over but Loh is not one to rest on his laurels. In his mind’s eye, the World Championships win is already in the rear‐view mirror; Loh is the kind of athlete who conquers one peak and immediately has his sights set on the next one. “Everyone views success differently. When I achieve one goal, I’d set another goal even higher. I actually want to forget about being the world champion,” he shares, adding with a laugh that he’s “totally not used to people coming up to me and saying ‘Hey, world champion!’” More importantly, Loh has already moved on to his next goal. “Dwelling on one win is not what I want to do—I’m working on consistency, so one win is not really a thing. Of course, nobody can peak all the time, or win all the time. That’s why people like Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan are such role models, because they win almost all the time. I won’t call myself really good until I become consistent at the top.”
Photo: Gan
Loh has displayed this drive and determination from a young age, having left his family and home in Penang, Malaysia, at just 13 to enrol in the Singapore Sports School. Later, bucking societal conventions and parental expectations, he made the decision to quit his tertiary studies to focus on badminton full‐time. “Many people told me that I should continue with my education as a backup plan. Even my parents were scared for me,” he shares. “But I can get a certificate any time. There’s a time limit to sports and a shorter lifespan, so if you miss it, you miss it.” For a while, Loh tried juggling his education and his passion for badminton, but he found it difficult to focus on both. “I knew I needed to choose one because if I were to continue listening to my parents and doing things by halves, in the end, if I don’t succeed, I would blame someone. I’d rather take full responsibility for my actions and if there are any consequences, at least it’s my decision. I just don’t want to have any regrets.” That decision turned out to be pivotal. “One way I looked at it was: When I don’t have a backup plan, I’ll be more hardworking,” he says. “Whenever I feel tired or lazy, I’m like, I have nothing to fall back on—I need to keep going.”
Photo: Gan
The destination? If things go according to Loh’s plans, Olympic glory and a spot atop the world rankings, with his loss at the recent India Open finals but a learning step on that path. And while he works his way there, Loh is finding purpose in inspiring a younger generation and opening up conversations about the sport. “When people tell me that I inspire them, I used to not know what they mean. Honestly, I was shocked,” he admits. “I’m just playing badminton and you’re inspired by me? But as time goes by and I get more and more of that, I realise that I can actually change someone’s life in a way, to a certain extent. Like, maybe I can show people that sports is a meaningful thing to pursue, instead of just study, study, study. Or maybe I can show them that discipline is a really important part of life; that to achieve something, you need hard work and perseverance. I’m happy I achieved something, and that more people are now following and talking about badminton. I hope to open up the path in some way and that eventually, more people will take up sports and there will be more support for it.”
Photo: Gan
When asked about the group of people who recently rallied to raise funds for him after realising that his World Championships win did not come with a cash prize (the amount rings in at $367,528 from generous donors), Loh is sanguine—not for himself, but for what it means to the sporting community. “It’s a great thing—not for the monetary aspect of it, but for the awareness and support that people have for the sport,” he says. “I hope we can be a sporting nation. Even though we’re so small, I don’t think it’s impossible. It’s all about that personal hunger.” With how ravenous he is, it is safe to say that great things are in store for Singapore and the world’s newest sports star.
All clothes, shoes and accessories worn throughout the shoot are by Louis Vuitton
Photographed by Gan
Styled by Windy Aulia
Makeup and hair: Grego
Photographer's assistant: Samsidi Baderi
Stylist's assistants: Gracia Phang and Nadia Lim