Author: bas_admins

Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the SG Coach Full Integration Programme Level 1 (Badminton) held from August to September 2025.

The course was conducted as part of SBA’s continued efforts to raise coaching standards and nurture the next generation of badminton coaches in Singapore. Participants undertook a structured curriculum comprising both theoretical and practical components, designed to provide a solid foundation in coaching principles, session planning, and player development.

Under the guidance of certified BWF tutors, the course delivered a rigorous and engaging learning experience. Tutors facilitated sessions both in the classroom and on court, ensuring a well-rounded approach to coach education.

SBA remains committed to the ongoing development of qualified coaching professionals, who play an important role in strengthening the local badminton ecosystem.

We extend our congratulations to all participants and look forward to their continued contribution to the sport.

The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) proudly announces the official opening of the KFF Badminton Arena on 6 September 2025, at the historic Guillemard site, by Minister Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and President of the Singapore National Olympic Council.

With an expected turnout of about 200 guests, the day’s programme will feature an exhibition match showcasing our national players, coaches, and ex-national athletes. Local badminton stars such as Li Li (2002 Commonwealth Games women’s singles gold medalist), Kendrick Lee (2007 SEA Games men’s singles silver medalist), Derek Wong (2014 Commonwealth Games men’s singles silver medalist) and Loh Kean Yew (2021 BWF World Champion) will be attending the grand opening.

A Generous Gift to the Community

SBA has been in partnership with the Karim Family Foundation (KFF) for a number of years with the KFF becoming a well-known name in the badminton fraternity with its logo on the front of badminton jerseys donned by the national team and its title sponsorship of the KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2023-2025. The Foundation’s donation to the rejuvenation of the KFF Badminton Arena has enabled, under SBA’s stewardship, the establishment of a community hub that boasts twelve badminton courts available for public and corporate bookings, and amenities such as food and beverage outlets, a 24-hour gym, spa and a Li-Ning sporting apparel store. The KFF Badminton Arena consists of nine courts in the 1,300-seater hall at 100 Guillemard Road, which will retain the name Singapore Badminton Stadium, and an additional three premium air-conditioned courts with corporate boxes are located at 102 Guillemard Road. In addition, SBA’s stalwart partner JK Technology has also equipped the facility with advanced technology worth about $3 million, which include pan-tilt-zoom cameras that are able to autonomously track gameplay for training purposes.

Lead Principal of the Karim Family Foundation, Ms Cindy Karim, said: “We are proud to be a part of Singapore’s sporting and national history in committing to revitalise this important historical site. The Karim Family Foundation’s multiple and deep partnerships with SBA include supporting the development of young and elite athletes, staging a world-class BWF badminton event in Singapore and bringing the sport of badminton to the community. Generations of homegrown badminton stars have spent years training and toiling on the Guillemard courts. We hope that the budding talents today will be inspired as they look up at billboards of the champions who have come before them, and chart their own course to be the sporting heroes of tomorrow.”

A Venue Steeped in History

The stadium at Guillemard first opened its doors to the public in June 1952. It hosted the Thomas Cup in 1955 and 1958, as well as the badminton events at 1983 SEA Games where Wong Shoon Keat won Singapore’s first and only badminton men’s singles gold medal. Beyond the world of sports, the stadium has been a stage for celebrated performances by both local talents and international acts, including Cliff Richard and the Shadows (1961) and The Rolling Stones (1965). In the 1960s, the PAP had also made public speeches at the venue to celebrate their victory in the general elections, and the stadium was the site for the vote-counting for the Referendum on Singapore’s merger with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak on 1 September 1962. On 1 September 1999, the Singapore Badminton Hall at Guillemard became the first sports facility in Singapore to be designated a historic site by the National Heritage Board.

Two-time Olympian Derek Wong said: “My father Wong Shoon Keat and I trained at Guillemard while representing Singapore on the national team. We spent many years of our lives on these courts and now we can come back for games with friends. I’m glad to see the space rejuvenated today with cafes, a spa and a 24-hour gym – facilities we never had back then. It’s a nostalgic feeling to see young and aspiring players training in the same hall I grew up in.”

Looking to the Future

Mr Lawrence Leow, President of Singapore Badminton Association (SBA), said: “This is a momentous occasion as we officially open the KFF Badminton Arena today. Infrastructure and facilities form the backbone of badminton development in Singapore. I’m confident that this new hub will bring families together to eat, play, exercise and relax, and become a vibrant space for the community for years to come.”

In the first match of the day, new Thai pairing Dechapol Puavaranukroh “Bass” and Supissara Paewsampran “Fame” romped away with a quick victory against Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet from Hong Kong China 21-16, 21-9 to secure the Mixed Doubles championship.

Following that, Chen Yufei triumphed 21-11, 21-11 against compatriot Wang Zhiyi to secure the Women’s Singles crown, after finishing as runner-up last year.

In the Women’s Doubles, Korean pair Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong overcame their Japanese opponents Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi 21-16, 21-14 to clinch the title.

In the Men’s Singles, Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a virtuosic display beat Lu Guangzu 21-6, 21-10 to capture his first SBO Super 750 title. In the process, he also became the first men’s singles Thai player to attain the world number one ranking.

The final match of the day had the spectators in the packed stadium cheering the loudest! The men’s doubles was an exhilarating match with Malaysians Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik coming from behind to beat the All England Open champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae 15-21, 21-18, 21-19.

We hope to see you back here in 2026!

On the semi-finals and finals days of the KFF SBO 2025, the winners of their respective matches hit these special commemorative shuttlecocks – in the colours of the Singapore flag – into the spectator stands. The crowd were screaming to catch the attention of the players in the hope of getting their hands on these shuttlecocks.

SBA’s VP (Business Development & Communications) Professor David Tan wore a matching ensemble on both days as he handed these prized memorabilia to the winners.

Did you manage to catch one? If you did, do share your memorable moment on Instagram – #kffsbo2025

On Wednesday 7 May 2025, the SBA Shuttle Stories series was launched at Temasek Junior College with Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Olympian Jessica Tan sharing her sporting journey before about 200 students.

The objectives of the SBA Shuttle Stories are to inspire students with stories about an athlete’s journey that resonate with SBA’s values and to introduce our national athletes to the community at large to encourage more to take up the sport either as a co-curricular activity (CCA) or more professionally.

Temasek Junior College’s A Division, B Division and C Division badminton teams from the National School Games all showed up in full force to ask questions and to grab a photo with our iconic shuttler.

Loh Kean Hean, 30, has retired from competitive badminton. He now runs Élever Badminton, a badminton academy he co-founded in June 2023 with his friend Eng Chin An, who captained the National University of Singapore (NUS) Badminton varsity team and had played competitively at local and international competitions since young. Kean Hean will receive the maximum payout of $100,000.

With men’s doubles partner Terry Hee, Loh reached a career-high world ranking of no.22 in 2022 and won a bronze medal in the men’s doubles event at the 2021 SEA Games, among a clutch of medals at the SEA Games and Commonwealth Games between 2015 and 2022 in the team event. Hee and Loh have also won the Dutch Open and Czech Open together. This year, with his new partner, Howin Wong, Kean Hean nabbed his third men’s doubles title at the National Open Championships, having won the title in 2020 and 2021 with Terry Hee.

Kean Hean said: “I’m grateful for the payout as it will help alleviate my financial worries so I can focus on building Élever Badminton, now that I have retired from the international scene. I love this sport and I want to share this passion for badminton with more kids through the classes and community events that we do at Élever Badminton. This includes our collaboration with SBA through the SBA Academy where we provide weekly classes to schools without badminton as a co-curricular activity (CCA) to promote the sport, and hopefully grow the talent pool in Singapore so that they may one day represent Singapore in major games like I did. We partnered with three schools last year in the south and west of Singapore, and with the positive feedback we received, we hope to expand this programme to more schools this year in other parts of the island.”

He added: “Through Élever Badminton, I hope to be able to give back to society. Having received so much support in our sporting journey over the years, I have been thinking about what more we can do for the community. I have previously worked with Pertapis Children’s Home and also gave a sharing session and held a friendly badminton game with kids organised by The Salvation Army and Team Singapore. These types of events spurred me to do more. At Élever Badminton we also have a student with special needs, and we really want to create more programmes to make badminton accessible to all children, regardless of their background”.

On Wednesday 7 May 2025, the SBA Shuttle Stories series was launched at Temasek Junior College with Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Olympian Jessica Tan sharing her sporting journey before about 200 students.

The objectives of the SBA Shuttle Stories are to inspire students with stories about an athlete’s journey that resonate with SBA’s values and to introduce our national athletes to the community at large to encourage more to take up the sport either as a co-curricular activity (CCA) or more professionally.

Temasek Junior College’s A Division, B Division and C Division badminton teams from the National School Games all showed up in full force to ask questions and to grab a photo with our iconic shuttler.

This is your chance to win 7 pairs of passes for the entire KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2025 (SBO), as we literally bring the Open to you!

For at least 30 days starting from today, one SBS Transit bus, service number 7, is covered in a lilac wrap with photographs of local players, past winners and top international shuttlers who have either previously competed or will be competing at the Singapore Badminton Open. Local players featured are Loh Kean Yew, Jason Teh, Yeo Jia Min and Terry Hee. The bus runs from Bedok to Clementi, passing Orchard Road and Holland Road … there are many sites for you be able to catch the bus.

The 7 most creative selfies with the bus that are posted on Instagram with the hashtag #kffsbo2025chasethebus will win these passes. Winners will be contacted via Instagram on 12 May 2025. The winning selfies will also be shown at the SBO.

Bus service number 7 was chosen as it passes the Singapore Badminton Stadium which is now branded as the KFF Badminton Arena when it reopened on National Day last year. On 1 September 1999, the Singapore Badminton Hall at Guillemard became the first sports facility in Singapore to be designated a historic site by the National Heritage Board. The stadium was officially opened in June 1952. It hosted the Thomas Cup in 1955 and 1958. The stadium was the site for the vote-counting for the Referendum on Singapore’s merger with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak on 1 September 1962.

With a Commonwealth Games gold medal, five SEA Games bronze medals and an Olympic Games under her belt, Jessica Tan has decided that it is time to step away from taking part in international competitions, and to embark on her undergraduate studies in sport management.

Since joining the national team at the age of 18, Jessica has given her all in over 10 years of competition, winning her first senior title at the 2014 Singapore International tournament in the mixed doubles event with Terry Hee. Jessica will be receiving the maximum highest payout of $100,000 from SBA’s post-career gratuity programme. Established in 2023, with a generous commitment of $500,000 from JK Technology and with a further $1 million top up from SBA, this programme aims to provide financial security to national players post-retirement.. The amount awarded is pegged to an athlete’s highest world ranking and the amount of time they represented Singapore, with payouts ranging from $16,000 to $100,000. The payout will be in cash (63%) and CPF top-up (37%).

Jessica has applied for admission into an undergraduate sport management programme in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, she would be working at SBA to hone her skills in pathway programme planning, business development and communications. She will also assist Doubles Head Coach Paulus Firman with coaching.

Jessica said: “After dedicating so many years of my life to the sport of badminton, there is an inevitably bittersweet feeling stepping away from these exhilarating competitions. I still remember vividly the match point at 20-15 in the Commonwealth Games when we won, collapsing onto the ground weeping tears of relief and joy! But one never really retires from badminton; it will always be a part of my life. I’m excited about going back to school again, and I’m grateful to SBA, SportSG and sponsors for their generous support throughout my career.”

President of SBA, Mr Lawrence Leow, said: “Jessica and Terry have done Singapore proud, and they have certainly inspired more young boys and girls to play badminton. Jessica had to overcome significant personal adversity to qualify for the Olympics, and SBA would like to thank Jessica for her sacrifices and hard work for over a decade. SBA is firmly behind her in the next phase of her sporting career.

SBA’s new Chief Executive Officer, Woo Kaiwei, 40, brings with him over a decade of experience in strategy development, corporate planning and business transformation.

Woo was previously the head of strategic planning and corporate development at So Drama! Entertainment, a MINDEF-related organisation, where his responsibilities include the cascading of strategic priorities into cross-departmental strategic initiatives and driving alignment with MINDEF and other strategic partners. Prior to this, he has held various other roles within MINDEF, the Public Service Division in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Singapore Press Holdings.

Woo graduated with a BSc (First Class Honours) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Warwick, and later obtained a MSc in Contemporary China Studies from the University of Oxford. He also completed an Executive Education program in Managing Innovation at the Harvard Business School in 2024.

Sports have been a big part of Woo’s life since he was young. Recognising the importance of parents as first coaches, Woo was first introduced to badminton alongside table tennis, swimming and cycling by his father when he was seven. In junior college, he took on competitive swimming and appreciated the challenge of balancing between academic demands and competitive sports.

Excited with this new challenge, Woo said: “SBA has a strong and accomplished legacy in Singapore, dating back to 1929. It is undoubtedly one of the most established national sports associations in Singapore. I am both excited and humbled to be entrusted with the mandate of furthering the Association as a globally recognised badminton powerhouse while fostering a nation united by the love of badminton. It takes an entire village to achieve that vision, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders in the public, private and people sectors.”