Singaporean badminton doubles player Loh Kean Hean has announced his retirement from competitive play at the age of 30, as reported by The Straits Times. Loh, who has represented Singapore for 12 years and secured six bronze medals at the SEA Games along with a bronze at the Commonwealth Games, will now dedicate his efforts to the Elever Badminton academy, which he co-founded in 2023 with Eng Chin An.
Speaking at a presentation ceremony on May 4, Loh explained his decision, stating, “I think it’s a good time for me to leave, because for the past few years, I have been coaching on the side. And I discovered that I have the passion to coach, expose more children to badminton, bring the sport to the masses and build a vibrant badminton community.”
Loh moved to Singapore from Penang in 2009 to pursue his studies and badminton career, eventually joining the national team in 2013. He achieved a career-high world ranking of 22nd in men’s doubles alongside Terry Hee. Reflecting on his journey, Loh told The Straits Times, “I don’t regret joining the national team and playing competitively. I have many fond memories and I’ve definitely enjoyed the time spent perfecting my craft as much as I can, as I have gained knowledge and life experience. Although some things didn’t turn out the way we expected them to, I have also learnt how to accept it and move on.”
The retirement announcement coincided with a post-career gratuity payout event organized by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) and their IT solutions partner, JK Technology. Loh and fellow retiree Jessica Tan each received $100,000, while Crystal Wong, who retired in 2023, received $20,000. This initiative aims to provide financial security to national players after their playing careers.
Loh credited his younger brother, Loh Kean Yew’s victory at the 2021 world championships, as a significant inspiration for his coaching aspirations. “In the lead-up to that final, families would stay home and order food delivery in order to support him when his match is on TV, that’s when I truly got inspired,” he said.
Expressing his gratitude for the gratuity payout, Loh added, “This fund will ease my financial burdens (and allow us) to plan ahead. (It has) helped me become a better player and better person.”
Mixed doubles player Jessica Tan, 31, who retired on April 11, will be pursuing a degree in sport management and coaching at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, supported by the inaugural spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship. Former women’s doubles player Crystal Wong, 25, currently a business student at Nanyang Technological University, also acknowledged the significance of the gratuity, stating, “Having the gratuity really is a bonus as there was no such thing when I came into the sport. It shows the appreciation for my efforts (and) I think it’s a good start for future players, so they’ll be more motivated to stay for the longer term.”
David Tan, SBA vice-president for business development and communications, highlighted the importance of the gratuity in helping former players transition to their post-career lives. He also revealed the SBA’s plans to offer life-skills support to national team players before their retirement. “I’m meeting every national team player one-to-one over the next 12 months to see what their ambitions are after they retire. And we want to help them start taking courses while they’re competing,” he said, as reported by The Straits Times.
During the ceremony, 12 student-athletes were also awarded scholarships under the long-term athlete development programme, funded by the JKTech Foundation. Aaliyah Zakaria, an 18-year-old national training squad player and scholarship recipient, expressed her gratitude, saying, “My family and I are indeed grateful for the help that SBA and JK Tech are giving us and I can’t wait to compete in more international competitions. My dream is to represent Singapore at the Olympic Games.”