Singaporean world champion para-shuttler turns to crowdfunding to qualify for 2024 Paralympic Games

Singapore national para-badminton player Tay Wei Ming is crowdfunding to achieve his dream of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Born with Erb's palsy, a condition affecting his right arm, the 34-year-old hopes to raise $64,000 to cover the cost of his overseas competitions.

Competing for Singapore since 2008, he won the men's doubles SU5 with Indonesian player Suryo Nugroho at the 2017 Badminton World Federation Para-Badminton World Championships in Ulsan, South Korea, which Wei Ming called "my proudest achievement".

SU5 is a classification for athletes with an upper-limb impairment.

He also won the men's singles SU5 title at the 2018 Spanish Para-Badminton International in Alcudia, Mallorca.

He said: "Currently being an athlete with limited resources, I am still fighting to keep that dream alive, in hopes of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games!

"In order to be as best prepared as possible to secure that spot, I need to push up and maintain my world ranking during this period of two years (2022-2024). As such, this can only be achieved by participating in as many international competitions whenever possible in order to accumulate a substantial amount of ranking points."

On the crowdfunding page, he breaks down the cost which comes to a total of $128,000. 

Donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar under the One Team Singapore Fund. Launched in 2017, the One Team Singapore Fund matches cash donations to support Team Singapore athletes and has been extended from 2022 to 2027.

Wei Ming told Stomp: "All proceeds will go through Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) and will be purely used on my training and tournament-related matters."

He said that SDSC gives him an allowance and he also works as a part-time badminton coach.

His next competition is the Thailand Para-Badminton International in August, followed by the Indonesian Para-Badminton International.

Wei Ming has raised more than $9,000 so far on the crowdfunding page.

To donate, click here.