At the Asian Games in Nagoya on September 29, Singaporean shuttler Loh Kean Yew secured a historic silver medal in the men’s singles badminton event, marking the best result ever achieved by a player from the Republic in the sport at the Games. Standing alongside Loh during the event was Kelvin Ho, a familiar figure who played a key role in the athlete’s development since 2021 and returned as the national singles assistant head coach in March.

Ho, 36, originally coached Loh to the world championship title in 2021 and has since helped guide the player to two significant finals in 2026, including his first Singapore Open final in May and the recent Asian Games silver medal. Reflecting on their journey, Ho expressed pride in the progress made, emphasizing the collaborative efforts that contributed to Loh’s growth.

Despite their success, the coaching relationship faced adjustments. In late 2024, amid concerns following an 833-day title drought for Loh, Ho was reassigned from national singles head coach to lead the national training squad (NTS) as the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) sought to appoint separate head coaches for men’s and women’s singles. Both Ho and Loh viewed the change as an opportunity for new experiences, with Ho embracing the NTS role to mentor emerging players and continue his own development as a coach.

Following Ho’s reassignment, South Korean coach Kim Ji-hyun was appointed in January 2025 as the national women’s singles head coach and later took on coaching duties for the men’s singles squad. Kim’s tenure lasted 15 months before she departed, having already contributed to four Badminton World Federation World Tour titles won by Loh, Jason Teh, and Yeo Jia Min. Subsequently, the SBA reinstated Ho as a key figure in the men’s singles coaching setup.

Ho acknowledged the challenges coaches face amid high expectations and noted the distinct benefits brought by foreign and local coaches. “Foreign coaches can bring different experiences, methodologies and perspectives, while local coaches bring their own understanding of the athletes and the environment,” he said, underscoring that the best support depends on the player’s stage of development.

Ho’s own journey has been marked by resilience. A former national player who left school at 17 to pursue badminton full-time, he experienced setbacks when the SBA disbanded its national team 2 in 2011. He later transitioned into coaching, where he encountered Loh as a youth prospect, fostering a long-standing coach-player relationship spanning more than a decade.

Loh described Ho’s role as more than just a coach, likening their bond to the Chinese saying “a teacher for a day, a father for life.” He emphasized Ho’s continuous presence and support even when not officially part of the national coaching staff, highlighting the trust and mutual understanding that underpin their partnership.

Ho, now a father of two, praised Loh’s maturity and autonomy in managing his career, saying the player has become more independent in decision-making and possesses a clear understanding of his strengths and areas for improvement. Ho’s coaching approach has evolved to focus on communication, clarity, and consistency, tailoring his guidance to suit individual learning styles.

He credited Loh’s recent successes to the player’s drive to improve, openness to learning, and ability to perform under pressure, while also recognizing the critical support from the SBA, High Performance Sport Institute, teammates, and sparring partners. For Ho, the most rewarding outcome is witnessing Loh’s development into a more self-reliant athlete.

Looking ahead, Ho is expected to retain his current role as the SBA continues its search for foreign head coach candidates. When asked about resuming the head coach position, he emphasized prioritizing what benefits the players best. “Ultimately, being able to help them develop, perform and represent Singapore well are what matter most to me,” he said.