Jason Teh willing to go the distance to achieve badminton goals

Badminton men's singles world No. 30 Jason Teh will be away from home from mid-January to early February to play in three back-to-back tournaments. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Jason Teh willing to go the distance to achieve badminton goals As the sports fraternity welcomes the Year of the Snake, a number of Singaporean athletes will be slogging on the courts, fields, and greens training and competing through the festive season. The Straits Times profiles five of them in badminton, football, golf and table tennis.

SINGAPORE – Jason Teh has set his sights on an Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Though they are more than three years away, the hard work begins now, as the badminton player plans to compete in more tournaments in order to gain valuable experience, move up the rankings ladder and eventually earn his ticket to the United States.

And this Chinese New Year, he will be on the road competing at the Jan 28-Feb 2 Thailand Masters instead of tucking into reunion dinner and visiting the temple with his family.

The 24-year-old told The Straits Times: “We don’t see it as a loss if I cannot make it for the gatherings, as my family is supportive of my ambition. This is a crucial period for me as I try to push up my world ranking from the 30s by playing more tournaments this year.”

The journey to the Olympics began for the Penang-born player in Johor Bahru, where as a child he trained with China’s former world champion Han Jian at the Setia Badminton Academy.

Then aged 11, he had to wake up in the wee hours as his father drove him across the Causeway to Montfort Primary School. His day began at 3am and after classes ended at 1.30pm, the duo would return to JB for badminton training from 4 to 6pm at the Rising Star Academy.

Teh, who has two older sisters, said: “It was tough for my father because he was the driver while I could sleep. He did it without complaint and I really respect him for his sacrifice and dedication. But, at that time, it was very tiring to wake up so early and I dreaded it.

“I liked badminton, but I was not focused because I didn’t have clear goals, and there wasn’t such a strong system and pathway at club level.”

A scrawny kid, Teh was a fast learner, smart and had good strokes. His family decided it would be best for him to develop in Singapore.

However, he started to stagnate, and it was only when he joined the Singapore Sports School and “after seeing a clear path and system” there, he decided to pursue a career in the sport.

While his game improved, he had to wait until he received his Singapore citizenship in 2019 before he could apply for the spexScholarship funding and represent the Republic in major Games.

In the last five years, he has tried to make up for lost time. He enlisted for national service straight after graduating from the sports school, became a full-time badminton player after NS, and won a men’s singles bronze at the 2021 SEA Games.

At world No. 30, he is currently Singapore’s No. 2 men’s singles player behind 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew (No. 11). Teh had a “minor breakthrough year” in 2024 with five finals on the Badminton World Federation World Tour and International Challenge circuits.

He has followed up his fine form in 2025 with his first victory against a top-10 player when he beat Japan’s ninth-ranked Kodai Naraoka at the recent Indonesia Masters.

But after losing in seven senior finals, he desperately wants a title to his name.

Teh said: “Being able to play among the elite is what I worked hard for, and I cannot start having cold feet now. Sometimes I reflect until I’m confused because each time I lose, I try to change things up, and things still didn’t work out.

“If I can play in another final, I’ll just stick to one game plan, give it my all and block out negative thoughts about losing.”

National women’s singles head coach Kim Ji-hyun, who also works with the men’s singles team, noted that Teh needs to work on better shot selections on the front and back court, reading different opponents’ gameplay and making the right adjustments to succeed at the elite level.

So serious is Teh about succeeding that he recently got a tattoo of the word, Believe, inside his left arm to add to his first, which reads Family.

Teh, who got engaged to Hong Kong doubles player Ng Wing Yung last Christmas, said: “I never asked myself why I’m so passionate about badminton.

“I just love to play it, and I really want to succeed in something I love. I want to do everything I can to get results to repay my father and those who have supported me.”

David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.

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