Story of Malaysian Shuttler Tan Boon Heong

The former Malaysian men’s doubles player’s incision was kept in the Guinness World Records. However, the smash did not take place in an actual match so some reports do not consider it as a legitimate way of setting a world record.

In addition, it is also a direct insult to Denmark’s Mads Pieler Kolding, who executed a shot timed at 264.7mph (426kph) playing for the Chennai Smashers in India’s 2017 Premier League. Despite not having done it in an arena, Tan Boon's reputation as a hardcore smasher remains untainted.

Malaysia’s Tan Boon Heong Was Chosen by Yonex

When the summer of 2013 arrived, the world's most renowned producer of badminton rackets, Yonex, assembled Malaysia’s Tan Boon Heong and Lee Chong Wei. They were asked to break the Guinness World Record for fastest badminton hit. Holding the Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed badminton racket, they attempted to outpace Heong’s previous record of 261.6mph (421kph).

After a series of smashes, both the players exceeded Heung's numbers. Lee secured a smash speed of 283.3mph (456kph), while Tan touched the summit by hitting the shuttle at 306.3mph (493kph). It is said that the run commenced in laboratory conditions.

The temperature was at least 50 degrees along with the usage of dehumidifier machines to reduce the humidity. Furthermore, the Yonex Nanoray Z-Speed is known to have a better swinging speed than other badminton racquets. It has a slightly elongated stem, with a smaller head size and a subtle flex in the frame.

Where is Boon Heong Now?

Before his record-breaking smash dated 2013, Boon Heong had set up a previous record of 421 km/h (262mph) in 2009. Using Yonex's latest badminton racket, the ArcSaber Z-Slash, he bettered Naoki Kawamae’s record of 414 km/h (257mph). Boon Heong then talked about his past experiences, "People started to notice my smashing ability when I was 17 years-old. And aware that it is one of my strong points, I spent extra hours working on it.”

Boon Heong continued, “Having a strong smash alone is not enough. It is also important to have a good defense and to complement well with the partner. Kien Keat and I still have to work in these areas." The former doubles ace had a fulfilling career in badminton and now he has sunk his claws into sports commentary. The 33-year-old Boon Heong has a barrage of followers, courtesy of his Facebook Live sessions where he started his journey as a sports analyst.

Boon Heong also used to comment during the Open tournaments in Thailand around January 2021. He now offers T-shirts and racquets as rewards for a few lucky fans as a token of gratitude to all his supporters. He also hosts talk shows together with Datuk Lee Chong Wei on their Facebook under the page ‘Bad Talk,' which has also gained popularity in recent times.