HE’S 90 years old, has a mean badminton swing and showing no signs of slowing down.
When Sze Seong Ng first picked up a wooden badminton racquet back in 1930s Malaysia, little did he know he’d be swinging a carbon fibre one more than 70 years later at Ocean Ridge Leisure Centre.
“It is because of this that I am healthy,” Seong Ng said.
“We used to use a wooden one; it was quite heavy.”
Seong Ng said he had played in Perth ever since he arrived from Kuala Lumpur 22 years ago in 1990. A twice-daily routine of Chi Kung (Chinese meditation) had kept him in good touch.
His daughter Li Cheng (52) reminisced about playing badminton in the back yard of the family home when she was growing up.
The sport had remained an important part of the family after they moved to Australia.
“We all played... my brother plays in Melbourne and my daughter plays now,” she said.
Seong Ng, a Joondanna resident and former builder, plays as part of a burgeoning group of local badminton seniors.
Leading the way is Des Leonard (74), who is current president of Heathridge’s seniors’ badminton club.
“It’s a very fast sport; badminton has the fastest travelling missile of any racquet sport,” he said.
Leonard said they were always looking for new members.