Singapore badminton association to shift focus to young players after SEA Games heartbreak

Despite the setbacks, Neo said the senior shuttlers played an important role in guiding the juniors through the Games. 

Among the standout performers were men’s doubles pair Junsuke Kubo and Wesley Koh, who were impressive against much stronger opponents, although they did not medal. 

“We’re quite disappointed with the results but there are some takeaways. The seniors proved their leadership and brought the younger players along, and the junior players actually stepped up,” she said. 

“Knowing that our juniors are actually comparable (and) gave the world’s best a good fight – that gives us some glimpse of what the next two SEA Games (could) be.” 

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TOP PRIORITY 

With both Loh and Yeo anchoring Singapore’s singles efforts for years, the SEA Games results reignited questions about over-reliance on the pair.  

Neo acknowledged that Singapore must widen its base of elite players. 

“It’s true they have been our leading singles (players) for some time. We really need to strengthen the whole ecosystem, the whole badminton fraternity,” she said. 

“It’s (time) to really work on the development of athletes, probably shifting the focus on more of the youth and juniors, to ensure there’s a steady pipeline for the next SEA Games and beyond.” 

This push includes strengthening partnerships with regional training centres and private academies, as well as enhancing the overall coaching standards to ensure consistent athlete development. 

Neo stressed that the 2029 SEA Games will be particularly important as Singapore will be the host. Another tough test will be the Asian Games in September next year. 

“Ultimately, it is a whole-nation effort – from grassroots to high performance – to really build a strong and sustainable pipeline,” she said.