Singapore's Senior Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, who just stepped down as Prime Minister to make way for his deputy, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, has these words to say of him: "As my deputy, he was like my badminton doubles partner. He could smash and retrieve, which complemented my strengths in drop-shots and net play. "He was not only a most supportive and valuable deputy but also a key minister handling many jobs at any one time. "He dealt with difficult issues like pulling Singapore out of recession and restructuring of the economy and financial sector." Maybe because of the badminton euphoria that Ronald Susilo has created at the Athens Olympics, but it is nice to hear from a respected leader of Singapore using the badminton game as an example of a successful partnership. The younger Lee can smash and cover the court quicker, while the older Goh is more effective up front covering the net area and cutting off weak returns with taps, blocks, pushes and the occasional smash! Mr Lee was definitely an effective and valuable doubles partner and together, this combination has won several battles. Mr Goh must have played some badminton before, maybe even at the secondary school level as he was a sportsman and head prefect at the prestigious Raffles Institution. Now he plays tennis and golf. Whatever the case, Singapore Badminton can certainly benefit from such publicity from the high profile personalities! Above all, we should all aspire to be effective and successful partners!
Good read! Being his age, I'd say his wrists must be made of rubber! Get ready to be tricked all the way lads! Maybe it's time for you to go and do an 'assesment' on Mr Goh's skills on the court, maybe a game or two as well as perhaps asking him to become one of the guest on our famous BF.com alongside JR and Thomas! I think that'd be great, although next to impossible.
perhaps badminton will become the next big thing in Singapore. i heard that it is a very very popular activity in the Philippines right now. it only takes a couple of sharp minded businessmen to jump start it!
Nice yes! Ronald Susilo was already the flag holder for Singapore at the Olympics and thanks to him badminton seems to be getting more and more important in Singapore...
Yes you're right. It is much easier to get Ronald Susilo to be a guest than the "tall, imposing" Mr Goh as FEND rightly observed! I read that Mr Goh had his humble beginnings in Pasir Panjang (Long Beach??) close to where the sea was, although with land reclamation, the sea has been set much further back and is now occupied commercially as a container port. Thus I believe he must have been a champion swimmer and maybe he played water polo as well. Pasir Panjang is known to have produced several national swimmers and water-polo players during the heydays. Since he is now into tennis, he must be pretty good at strategy and tactics, something most useful for the game of badminton. And being a veteran, huh, I think you know what experience can do! Tricky is not too inapt a word to use!
If i remember correctly, badminton is already the most popular sport in Singapore. It can't be too far from the that fact, cause its impossible to book any courts even if you try 2 days advance of the weekends.
Well, I was hoping you're right, but I think Badminton ranks about third place if my memory serves me right. I read sometime ago that swimming is the number one sport here, probably because of the warm weather and maybe because we're a small island surrounded by water and soccer ranks at least higher than badminton because of the publicity that this game enjoys by courtesy of the TV and the newspapers. The English Football Leaque has always been a favourite and ever since betting was legalised, the game took on an even higher plane. I agree that court bookings at the public courts eg the community centres, especially during peak hours over the weekends, are difficult. If only they are prepared to open up the school courts but the security issue has always been a problem for the school management. Talking about SM Goh, it was he who challenged the SBA to set a goal to develop a team that can reach the Thomas Cup finals by 2012 about 2 years ago when he was Prime Minister. It coincided with the time when the present SBA President, Mr Lim Swee Say, the fomer Environment Minister, took over the helm and set about making plans to achieve the targets. (Actually the SBA was fortunate to have many prominent people, a few of whom are Cabinet Ministers and even the late President of Singapore, Mr Ong Teng Cheong, as its leader.) Come to think of it 2012 is not an impossible target. By then, our current first batch of Sports School students should be around 20 to 21 years of age. Together with the foreign teenage imports from China, we should have a creditable contingent for both the TC and Uber Cup, certainly better than the current situation. With so many prominent personalities interested and involved in Singapore badminton and the wonderful response from the ordinary man in the street to Ronald Susilo's win against the World No.1 at the Athens Olympics, the game is now looking up pretty well!
You said it, just 2 1/2 years ago, the number of courts in Manila could be counted with two hands, to date there are about 80 badminton centers (at least). And its not only in Manila, the badminton fever has grip the provincial scene also..
So now Lee Kuan Yew is the Coach and Goh is the assistant coach? HEhehe Soon we will have new names and posts for the politicians..
Well it is indeed a very popular sport in Phils.. i've seen the popularity grow until where it is now.. even most of it is concentrated in Metro Manila.. i can say it is still in an infant stage.. Its growing like crazy these few years.. i hope the right pll will manage to take care of this sport in the phils.
