When I worked for the Badminton World Federation at the London 2012 Olympic Games, I got to meet badminton players from around the world who are well-educated and held “day jobs”. A difference that separated the reigning great badminton nations from the rest of the world is their systematic and holistic athlete development from school-going age.
Until the Singapore Sports School was established in 2004, there was no real imagination for a young Singaporean badminton player even with the best of talent to reach the Olympics.
The emergence of the Paris 2024 Olympic badminton quartet (Loh Kean Yew, Terry Hee, Jessica Tan and Yeo Jia Min), who are all alumni of the Singapore Sports School, was made possible by the unique, all-rounded training they received during their critical teenage years.
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF BADMINTON
For the Singapore Sports School, now in its 20th year, badminton is a success story in restoring an Olympic pathway for students.
Being a highly technical sport that blends art and science, the historical success of former Singapore greats arguably lies in perfecting the art of badminton.
However, badminton has experienced a renaissance over the past two decades. With scoring system changes and the world governing body’s efforts to globalise the sport, badminton has evolved greatly in its variety and intensity. Sports science is needed more than ever to decode new tactics, minimise injuries and maximise longevity.
This is the area where Singapore’s scientific prowess has likely provided a winning edge for our national badminton players who came through the Singapore Sports School pipeline.
