Susilo hits the books

STUDIES, instead of sport, are set to come first for one of Singapore's top badminton players.

Ronald Susilo has applied for a full-time management course with SIM University (UniSIM), and is expected to take a 15- month break from competitive action.

The Indonesia-born shuttler, who turns 30 next June, says it is time to think about his future after sport.

'I'm thinking of widening my knowledge and taking up this course will help me do that,' he said.

If his application is accepted, Susilo is likely to miss the South- east Asia Games in Laos in December next year.

This is because the diploma course starts in January and will end in early 2010.

Classes will be held six times a week, covering topics like marketing, accounting, economics and business law.

To fund his tuition fees and other expenses, Susilo has applied for the SembCorp Trailblazer-Wong Kok Siew Scholarship.

A former Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student, he did not further his education after his GCE O-Level examinations in 1997.

Instead, he became a full-time shuttler, and quickly established himself as Singapore's No 1.

In 2004, he landed his first major title when he won the Japan Open.

Later that year, he vanquished world No 1 Lin Dan on his way to the men's singles quarter-finals at the Athens Olympics.

But his body has taken a battering in recent years, with injuries to his shoulder, knee and Achilles' tendon. They make it difficult for him to deliver consistent results.

As his form dipped, so did his world ranking. Susilo, who went into the Athens Games as the world No 9, is now ranked 56th in the world.

At the Beijing Olympics in August, he was eliminated in the opening round by second seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.

'Taking time off for studies will also give my body a chance to rest and help me recover from all the injuries,' he said.

When asked if he was considering retiring from badminton soon, he replied: 'I don't know yet.'

But he is keen on setting up a badminton academy. To prepare for this - and to keep fit - he intends to pick up the racket after classes.

'I can conduct short coaching courses for young players, or spar with my national teammates to help them,' he said.

Another top male shuttler, Kendrick Lee, is also hitting the books. He is taking a diploma in management studies at UniSIM, but on a part-time basis.

'I've gone back to my studies as I cannot wait until my badminton career is over,' said the 24-year- old, who dropped out of Singapore Polytechnic in 2002.

'Otherwise, I would be even further behind my peers.'

The world No 31 started classes in July and will have to endure a punishing schedule over the next 30 months.

Lessons are held three times a week in the evenings, and Lee often has to rush straight from training at the Singapore Sports School in Woodlands to UniSIM's campus at Namly Avenue, off Bukit Timah.

Whenever he travels overseas for tournaments - he is currently playing in the Denmark Open - he would pack his textbooks with his badminton gear.

Lee, who is eyeing a career in banking, says it is too early to tell if all this will take a toll on his on- court performances.

But he has no regrets so far.

'In Singapore, we cannot live without paper qualifications,' he said. 'As much as I like badminton, I have to keep up with my education.'

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'I don't know yet.'

RONALD SUSILO, on whether he is retiring from badminton