BIRMINGHAM 2022
Shuttlers upbeat on making amends
Despite stiff competition, they aim not to return empty-handed like from the Gold Coast in 2018
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After returning from the Gold Coast four years ago with no medals for the first time this century, Singapore's badminton players are back at the Commonwealth Games determined to bring home some silverware.
In 2018, they were a team in transition. Danny Bawa Chrisnanta was 29, the only shuttler over 25, and the lack of experience showed. The Republic lost the mixed team bronze-medal play-off to England while there were quarter-final exits in the men's singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Four years later, the 10-member squad, half of whom are over 25, boasts higher pedigree. Loh Kean Yew is ninth in the world and the reigning world champion, Yeo Jia Min is the women's world No. 19 while the men's and mixed doubles pairings are inside the top 50.
Loh, 25, said: "The hunger is always there. Winning medals for Singapore at any major Games has always been our goal and we hope to achieve that here."
Their campaign at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre starts today with the mixed team event. Singapore face Group 2 opponents Mauritius and Barbados, before taking on hosts England tomorrow.
Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) technical director Martin Andrew on Tuesday backed his players to secure a medal, possibly one with a hue brighter than bronze.
He said: "We have the players to go further than that, but bearing in mind that we are seeded fifth, if we come away with a medal, that would be good.
"We expect two wins against Mauritius and Barbados. We have the players to push fourth seeds England very, very closely. They are strong in the doubles, whereas we are stronger in the singles.
"If we win the group, we will likely avoid the other top-four seeds India, Malaysia and Canada in the quarter-finals, which is an advantage to reaching the semi-finals."
The individual events then start next Wednesday, with Loh the highest-ranked men's singles player. Indians Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth are directly below him at world No. 10 and 11 respectively. Loh holds a 2-3 career record against Sen and is tied 1-1 with Srikanth.
Loh, who lost to eventual gold medallist Lee Chong Wei in the quarter-finals in 2018, said: "There's a lot more expectations from not just other people, but also from myself as I would like to do well too. The pressure will always be there, I just need to learn how to adapt and manage it."
Compatriot Yeo's path in the women's singles is more tricky. India's world No. 7 P.V. Sindhu is the clear favourite, while medal contenders include Canada's 2014 champion Michelle Li (13th) and Scotland's 18th-ranked Kirsty Gilmour.
But Yeo, 23, felt that after recovering from a calf injury, she is rediscovering the levels that helped her reach the prestigious BWF World Tour Finals last year.
She said: "I was competing every other week and I felt I was not really at my best, and it lasted for a while. Now I'm improving again... I'm getting my condition back and I'm ready for the Games."
The squad spent a week in Copenhagen where they trained with Denmark's top players such as Viktor Axelsen, Line Christophersen, Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen.
SBA's Andrew felt they benefited from the high-quality environment where the drills were shorter and sharper even though the two-hour duration is the same as the sessions back home.
While he acknowledged a podium finish would be tough for his doubles pairings due to the strength of India, Malaysia, England, Scotland and Canada, he challenged the entire squad to spring a surprise.
He added: "I'm confident if our players can perform round after round, they can do some damage."
WHAT’S HOT TODAY
SINGAPOREANS IN ACTION
ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Terry Tay (vault, floor exercise), Mikhail Haziq Ghazali (pommel horse) - qualification (from 7.05pm)
BADMINTON
Singapore v Mauritius (4pm), Singapore v Barbados (tomorrow, 2am) - Mixed team
LAWN BOWLS
Shermeen Lim Women's singles round 1 and 2 (3.30pm)
SWIMMING
Teong Tzen Wei, Mikkel Lee Men's 50m butterfly
Quah Ting Wen, Quah Jing Wen, Letitia Sim Women's 100m butterfly
Letitia Sim Women's 50m breaststroke
Quah Zheng Wen Men's 100m backstroke
Maximillian Ang Men's 100m breaststroke
Mixed 4x100m freestyle relay
(Heats 5.30pm, s-finals/finals tomorrow, 2am)
TABLE TENNIS
Singapore v Northern Ireland (7pm), Singapore v India (tomorrow, 1.30am) - Men's team group stage
Singapore v England (4.30pm), Singapore v Nigeria (11pm) - Women's team group stage
Catch the action live on Mediacorp Ch5 & meWatch Birmingham 2022 Ch01-04.
For reports and results, go to https://www.straitstimes.com/sport and https://www.birmingham2022.com
EVENTS TO WATCH
BADMINTON (4pm)
Singapore, who have men's singles world champion Loh Kean Yew and women's singles world No. 19 Yeo Jia Min in their ranks, begin their mixed team campaign against Mauritius and Barbados. Defending champions India start off against Pakistan.
RUGBY SEVENS (4pm)
Two-time defending Olympic champions Fiji will kick off their campaign with a Pool C encounter against Zambia. Women's Olympic champions New Zealand will open their tournament against Canada.
TRIATHLON (6pm)
Tokyo 2020 individual silver medallist and home favourite Alex Yee will be up against Olympic bronze medallist Hayden Wilde of New Zealand. In the women's competition, Bermuda's only Olympic champion Flora Duffy will reprise her duel against Tokyo silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown of England.
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