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Sister Act: Badminton SEA Games 2025
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Written by: Jiang Xindi (25S6H)
Edited by: Lei Yanyang (25S61)
Sisters Li Zhenghong and Li Zhengyan won the bronze medal in the Badminton Women’s Team Event at the SEA Games 2025.
“She is multifunctional and plays too many roles. She’s my sister, my roommate, my doubles partner…my best friend and partner-in-crime, but also the professional troublemaker in my life.”
Since childhood, Li Zhenghong and Li Zhengyan have been each other’s closest companions. Just a year apart in age, they share remarkably similar journeys—from being introduced to badminton by their family to ultimately competing side by side on the international stage. Their sibling bond has been central to their athletic pursuit, providing a level of trust, understanding, and support that goes beyond many competitive partnerships.
SEA Games 2025
Being selected to represent your country is perhaps one of the greatest honours for any athlete. But for Zhenghong, qualifying for the SEA Games 2025 team bore extra significance. Having suffered a knee injury in 2024 that required surgery, her journey of rehabilitation and catching up was never an easy one.
“It was definitely a period of mental and emotional turmoil as well, because I was experiencing all kinds of emotions and thoughts throughout the year— happiness…gratitude …excitement, but also anxiety…worry…disappointment…and frustration.”
From the elation felt as progress was made, to the panic that crept in when recovery seemed too slow, from the frustration and dismay that arose with each setback to the renewed hope with every step forward, Zhenghong’s path to securing a spot in the SEA Games team was marked by constant emotional shifts.
Even after making the team, juggling preparation for the SEA Games with her A-Level examinations proved an intensive challenge. Yet, despite the stress and pressure, Zhenghong thoroughly enjoyed the competition and was deeply grateful to be able to play badminton again, while also looking forward to future opportunities with excitement.
Her younger sister Zhengyan shared similar sentiments, expressing that, “[The SEA Games] was a cool experience, I got to go overseas and it is my first major game. It feels like my efforts for the past few years paid off because I managed to get to this level.”
They ultimately clinched Women’s Team bronze, earning Singapore’s first medals of the 2025 SEA Games.
Family and Friends: Biggest Cheerleaders
To many, badminton is fundamentally individualistic—even in doubles—where each player’s technique and decision-making is the final determining factor towards success.
While true to a certain extent, Zhenghong and Zhengyan’s experiences are far from this “lonely” narrative.
In fact, what kick-started their impressive pursuit of the sport was their parents and older siblings, who are badminton enthusiasts.
Admittedly, Zhengyan expressed that she did not take to badminton immediately.
“I didn't really like it as a kid, but after I grew up, I started to see the fun in the sport, I started to have an interest in it."
When asked further about what caused this pivotal change, she replied, “My national team friends are the main part of my journey, and if not for them, I don’t think I would be so motivated to go [train] every day. It can be quite a commitment sometimes, but when we’re suffering together, it’s less painful.”
“Strength is in numbers”, she added.
Likewise, Zhenghong also emphasised the importance of a strong support network, sharing that, “The most important thing is to seek help and not struggle on your own. It’s very important to leverage the strengths and expertise of others…because we can’t handle all our problems on our own.”
Both sisters expressed their gratitude for the encouragement they received from those around them, particularly from their family, who consistently turned up to support them at badminton events and competitions — even flying to Thailand to cheer them on during the SEA Games.
The Road Ahead
Despite their many achievements, Zhenghong and Zhengyan continue to set their sights further ahead, expressing their ambition to continue pursuing badminton after junior college.
For the sisters, while their medals and titles are milestones to be proud of, it is their shared journey — their common struggles, the lessons learnt and time spent together on the court — which gives these achievements their meaning.
“Anything I need to say to my sister, I’ve told her already, but I actually sincerely hope that she continues to enjoy the sport and that she’s able to continue enjoying it,” Zhengyan said.
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