SEA Games: I gave it my all, says Loh Kean Yew after world champ falls to Thai in final
HANOI - Singapore's Loh Kean Yew once again settled for silver in the SEA Games badminton after being beaten in the men's singles final on Sunday (May 22).
Thailand's world No. 18 Kunlavut Vitidsarn defeated the world champion 21-13, 21-13 at the Bac Giang Gymnasium.
After the match, Loh admitted that he had been second-best on the day, saying: "Definitely I can play better than this... I tried my best but it wasn't enough."
Loh, who had squeaked into the final the day before after taming wily Vietnamese veteran Nguyen Tien Minh 21-15, 10-21, 23-21, said he was spent but refused to use that as an excuse.
In contrast, Kunlavut had breezed into the final on the back of a 21-11, 21-12 win over Singaporean Jason Teh.
"I was tired, but my opponent was also tired," said Loh. "But he prepared better than me today.
"I still give my all, and I fight to the end."
This is Loh's second consecutive singles silver at the biennial Games after he lost to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in 2019.
He also has a singles bronze from 2015 on home soil.
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