Spry for their age, shuttlers in their 60s compete at Badminton World C’ship

KUALA LUMPUR – Badminton has no age barrier as long as one is willing to go to great lengths to prove something.

With that said, 65-year-old Mathew Fogarty captured the attention of spectators at the ongoing Badminton World Championships in Tokyo after he retired from the second set during the first round to Malaysian mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei, 21-8, 19-2.

The American was partnered with 30-year-old Isabel Zhong.

Born on October 30, 1956, Fogarty had shared the men’s double title in four US National Badminton Championships – 1980, 1984, 1986, 2000 – with three different partners.

He told NBC Sports in an interview in 2019, that he plays “because I can, and I’m a doctor, and I think sports is a really important part of people’s health and fitness”.

Fogarty has played competitively since the age of 7.

He works as a psychoanalyst based in Los Angeles. 

He added that he will “stop badminton when I can no longer qualify. There’s still opportunity, and I love the sport. I’m going to continue to do the best I can”.

‘Mother-son duo’

Next to Fogarty was 64-year-old Svetlana Zilberman of Israel, who advanced into the second round of the mixed doubles event with her partner and son, Misha Zilberman.

The Zilbermans defeated Adham Hatem Elgamal-Doha Hany of Egypt, 16-21, 21-18, 21-11 in the first round.

With the victory, Svetlana became the oldest player to win a match at the BWF World Championship yesterday. 

The mother-son duo will clash against Malaysians Lai Pei Jing-Tan Kian Meng in the Round of 32 later today.

Born on May 10, 1958, Svetlana won a bronze medal at the 1986 European Badminton Championships in the women’s singles event. 

Together with Misha, they have won three BWF International Series tournaments – 2016 Suriname International, 2017 Lagos International, and 2017 Ethiopia International. – The Vibes, August 23, 2022