Badminton is one of the world’s newer sports, and has only been around for over 200 years. However, today, this sport is played in various parts of the world, at the Olympics, and at other tournaments. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the world’s oldest badminton players, their achievements, and where they are now.
Let’s get right into it.
7 Oldest Badminton Players
7. Lin Dan
Age and date of birth: 14 October 1983, Aged 40
Country: China
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Lin Dan is one of the oldest retired badminton players in the world. His career in the sport first began in 2001, when he was enlisted and joined the Chinese National Badminton Team. In the years leading up to his professional debut, he won big at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in both the single and team events. He would later go on to compete at the Olympics and win gold medals in 2008 and 2012.
In addition to competing at two Olympics, Lin Dan has also competed in the World Championship games multiple times, as well as the Asian Games, World Cup, and the Asian Games. Lin Dan eventually retired in 2020 at the age of 37, stating that although he would have loved to have continued playing, the physical toll the sport took on his body was too much to bear.
Did you know?
Lin Dan had a known rivalry with a fellow badminton player named Lee Chong Wei. Although Lin was the better player, their rivalry lasted several years.
6. Alan Budikusuma
Age and date of birth: 29 March 1968, Aged 55
Country: Indonesia
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Alan Budikusuma was widely known in the world of badminton during the 80s and 90s. His career as a player saw him compete in his first and only Olympic games 1992, when he won a gold medal. Although we don’t know much about his career as a badminton player before the Olympics, we do know that his skills as a player meant that he qualified for championships like the IBF World Championships, the Thailand Open, the Malayasian Open, and various others.
Budikusuma’s most famous match occurred at the Olympics when he defeated the player Ardy Wiranata in the finals.
Did you know?
Alan Budikusuma’s wife is Susi Susanti, who is also an Olympic gold medalist and badminton player.
5. Icuk Sugiarto
Age and date of birth: 4 October 1962, Aged 61
Country: Indonesia
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Just like some of the other players mentioned on this list, Icuk Sugiarto is one of the most widely respected and well-known players in Indonesia. He was known for his powerful playing skills on the badminton court, as well as as his speed.
Throughout his career, Icuk Sugiarto won big at various tournaments held across Asia, such as the Thailand Open, Malaysian Open, French Open, and Hong Kong Open. Since he was noted for his speed and power on the playing court, Icuk Sugiarto’s opponents often got tired early on in the games.
Did you know?
Icuk Sugiarto’s sons Tommy and Jauza are also badminton players.
4. Han Jian
Age and date of birth: 6 July 1956, Aged 67
Country: China
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: Sports-chest.com
Han Jian was one of the most talented badminton players of his generation. He was known for his calm and collected style of playing, and was particularly famous during the 1980s.
It’s interesting to note that although Han Jian did not compete at the Olympics, he did compete at various other tournaments. These include the Asian Games, the IBF World Grand Prix, and the World Championships.
Did you know?
Han Jian’s nickname in China is “sticky candy.” This nickname refers to a tactic that he often used during matches wherein he used long rallies to tire out his opponents and cause them to make mistakes.
3. Mathew Fogarty
Age and date of birth: 30 October 1956, Aged 67
Country: United States of America
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: Bwfbadminton.com
Although badminton isn’t a commonly played sport in America, Mathew Fogarty has carved a name for himself as one of the most formidable badminton players of his generation in the States. He was known primarily for playing in doubles tournaments and has won the U.S. National Badminton Championships four times.
In 2011, he played against Lucas Alves and Andrés Corpancho with his partner Nicholas Jinadasa at the Colombia International Games and won a gold medal.
Did you know?
Mathew Fogarty was the oldest shuttler to compete in the 2015 BWF World Championships that were held in Jakarta.
2. Liem Swie King
Age and date of birth: 28 February 1956, Aged 68
Country: Indonesia
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: CNN Indonesia
Liem Swie King was one of badminton’s leading singles players in the 70s and early 80s. He was known for being one of the best players of his generation, as well as for his jumping smash. Liem Swie King became interested in badminton after watching a local tournament in his area. His skills were eventually noticed by Budi Hartono, who owned a prestigious badminton club. After being invited to join the club and receiving proper coaching, King’s skills improved rapidly, and he began to compete in various local tournaments.
Did you know?
Liem Swie King has never competed in the Olympics, despite having been a strong player.
1. Prakash Padukone
Age and date of birth: 10 June 1955, Aged 68
Country: India
Retired from badminton: Yes
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Prakash Padukone is another one of the world’s oldest badminton players. His interest in badminton began when he was a child, as his father was the Mysore Badminton Association’s secretary for several years.
He began competing at the state level when he was only a teenager, and went on to compete at various events across India and the world. These include winning gold at the World Championships in 1981 in Kuala Lumpur, as well as at the Commonwealth Games in 1978 in Edmonton.
Did you know?
Prakash Padukone’s daughter Deepika is one of India’s leading actresses.
Conclusion
In this article, we took a look at some of the oldest badminton players in the world. All of the players mentioned on our list are currently retired, but have left an amazing legacy behind all of them. We hope you enjoyed this article, and that you learned something new from it.
