Singaporean shuttler Loh Kean Yew secured a historic silver medal at the Asian Games men’s singles badminton event on September 29, 2026, after falling to Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the final held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The world number 13 lost the straight-game match 2-0, dropping the opening round 21-12 before falling 21-16 in the second game against the top-ranked Thai player.
Road to the Final and Historic Breakthrough
Loh’s run to the gold medal match marked a major milestone for Singaporean badminton. The 29-year-old also became the first Singaporean to win a silver medal at the Asian Games badminton men’s singles event.
To reach the title match, Loh beat a challenging bracket. In the second round, he defeated India’s Lakshya Sen. He then overcame Malaysia’s Justin Hoh 21-14, 21-14 in the round of 16. The defining moment of his tournament came during the quarter-finals on September 27, when he defeated then-world number one Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. That victory marked Loh’s first win against the 2018 Asian Games champion in 11 career meetings and guaranteed him a historic podium finish.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn Claims Gold for Thailand
Across the net, Kunlavut Vitidsarn delivered a historic performance for Thai badminton.
The final scoreline reflected Kunlavut’s control throughout the two games. After establishing an early advantage in the first game to win 21-12, the Thai shuttler withstood Loh’s second-game push to close out the match 21-16, sealing the championship in straight sets.
Campaign Summary and Impact
While the gold medal ultimately went to Kunlavut, Loh’s runner-up finish stands as a landmark achievement in Singaporean athletic history.