Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew Makes History with BWF Award Shortlist
In a move that reads like a punchline, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has pulled the top three male singles players out of the gossip column and placed them on a shortlist for the coveted “Male Player of the Year” award. The trio includes:
- Viktor Axelsen – Denmark’s reigning world champion, world No. 1, and the guy who practically turned badminton into a ballet.
- Lee Zii Jia – Malaysia’s Asian champion, world No. 2, known for his lightning footwork.
- Loh Kean Yew – Singapore’s 2021 world champion and newly minted world No. 3. He’s the first Singaporean to snag a spot on the shortlist, and it’s no wonder he’s already busy setting one record after another.
How the Shortlist Was Cooked
The BWF said the nominees were chosen based on performances from Nov 1, 2021 to Oct 30, 2022. So look at the menus: Akelsen has a basket full of titles, Lee hit a few high notes, and Loh just had a smashing couple of headlines.
Fun fact: Loh cheered himself on in an Instagram story, pronouncing, “I’ll vote for myself.” Need we say more?
The Awards Night
Finals will be decided by the BWF Awards Commission, and the ceremony is slated for Dec 5 in Bangkok – the same night as the BWF World Tour Finals gala.
What Loh Achieved in 2021‑22
That season was all about breaking barriers for Singapore:
- Had the Hylo Open victory and a runner‑up spot at the Indonesia Open.
- Snapped the world championship trophy in December – first Singaporean ever to do so.
- Earned a streak of accolades: Singapore’s Sportsman of the Year, the national badminton association’s Player of the Year, and even The Straits Times’ Athlete of the Year.
Though 2022 didn’t bring a trophy, Loh was still consistently stellar. He slipped into at least the quarter‑finals in 12 of his 16 individual matches – 8 of those being top‑tier World Tour events.
That consistency nudged him to a career‑high ranking, tying the record set by the legendary Zarinah Abdullah. The result? He’ll qualify for the BWF World Tour Finals (Dec 7‑11), the biggest season‑end summit, as one of the eight best performing men’s singles players of the year.
Who’s the Chief Contender?
Axelsen is the obvious field‑goal, with a whopping seven BWF World Tour titles under his belt, plus the world and European championships, during the assessment period. He even claimed the BWF Male Player of the Year title in 2020‑21.
Lee, while still terrific, managed the Thailand Open and Asian Championships but just missed the finals cutoff.
Conclusion
Loh Kean Yew may not have bagged a 2022 title yet, but his track record, global reach, and knack for history‑making speak volumes. Watch the awards belt roll – the storytelling magic of basketball, tennis, and badminton is just beginning to crack open. Go, Loh!
BWF Player of the Year Awards nominees
Badminton’s Big Shots of the Year
Male Player of the Year
- Viktor Axelsen – the Danish king who never forgets to put the “wow” in “wow!”
- Lee Zii Jia – the Malaysian maestro who keeps the crowd roaring.
- Loh Kean Yew – Singapore’s sprightly dynamo, proving small stature can pack a punch.
Female Player of the Year
- Akane Yamaguchi – Japan’s graceful warrior who turns every smash into a masterpiece.
- An Se-young – South Korea’s precision queen, a true surgical strike on the court.
- Tai Tzu‑ying – Taiwan’s fiery firebrand, the racket‑slinging sensation everyone’s talking about.
Pair of the Year
- Aaron Chia & Soh Wooi Yik – the Vietnamese twins who bring double the fun. (Chia nā, you’re a wizard!)
- Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan – China’s dream team; their synchronization is almost telepathic.
- Dechapol Puavaranukroh & Sapsiree Taerattanachai – Thailand’s dynamic duo, constantly turning the scoreboard into a rollercoaster.
- Zheng Siwei & Huang Yaqiong – China’s unstoppable pair, 打 (late) like a boss.
Most Improved Player of the Year
- Fajar Alfian & Muhammad Rian Ardianto – Indonesia’s rising stars who proved hard work beats talent.
- H.S. Prannoy – a top‑five target now no longer a distant dream.
- Jeong Na‑eun & Kim Hye‑jeong – the twins who upgraded a lot of technique and swagger.
🆕 Most Promising Player
- Kodai Naraoka – Japan’s bright‑future talent with an impressive server.
- Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto & Lisa Ayu Kusumawati – Indonesia’s double‑dream team, both are bound for greatness.
- Alex Lanier – the French prodigy who’s seen the world at his feet.
Male Para Badminton Player of the Year
- Daiki Kajiwara – a Japanese fighter who swings like a pro.
- Cheah Liek Hou – Malaysia’s icon of strength.
- Lucas Mazur – France’s determined rockstar.
- Chu Man Kai – Hong Kong’s unstoppable athlete.
- Pramod Bhagat – India’s messenger of perseverance.
- Choi Jung‑man – a Korean ace who turned adversity into wonder.
Female Para Badminton Player of the Year
- Manisha Ramdass – Jamaica’s brilliant guardian of the net.
- Nithya Sre Sumathy – India’s focused fighter.
- Sarina Satomi – Japan’s steely performer.
- Carmen Giuliana Poveda Flores – Puerto Rico’s rising star.
- Manasi Girishchandra Joshi – also belongs to India, rockin’ the games.
- Pilar Jauregui Cancino – Chile’s dynamic shuttle‑queen.
Para Badminton Pair of the Year
- Fredy Setiawan & Khalimatus Sadiyah Sukohandoko – Indonesia’s unstoppable duo.
- Thomas Wandschneider & Rick Cornell Hellman – Germany’s power partnership.
- Lucas Mazur & Faustine Noel – France’s sweet duo.
- Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli & Noor Azwan Noorlan – another Indonesian powerhouse combo.
- Sarina Satomi & Yuma Yamazaki – Japan’s trinity of talent.
- Subhan Subhan & Rina Marlina – Indonesia’s back‑to‑back boomers.
Bonus note: this roster was first dropped in The Straits Times. You’d need the proper clearance to copy it. (Just saying— don’t be a copy‑cat! )
