Love match: How badminton brought romance into the life of former national player Benny Khaw

Benny with his wife, Julia Cox. Partners for 25 years, they were married after he was hospitalised for Covid-19 before he passed away only nine days later.

PETALING JAYA: Badminton brought love into the life of former national badminton player and coach Benny Khaw.

Khaw, 85, passed away on Jan 17 after being admitted to the Kingston Hospital in London for Covid-19.

His stepdaughter Eleanor Cox, 34, said she would miss the unconditional love Benny had for his family.

"It will be hard to replace the love that he gave us.

"He was the sort of man who was proud of his family and even when he was admitted to hospital, he would show pictures of us to the nurses," she said on Tuesday (Feb 2).

"Benny was a brave and religious man.

"He left his family in Malaysia and came to England for studies in the 1960s," she said.

She said it was around Boxing Day (Dec 26) that Benny started feeling unwell.

"We had no idea it was Covid-19 but then on New Year's Day, he pointed to his chest and said it felt like he had been hit by a train.

"We admitted him on Jan 2 and found he had Covid-19. His health declined rapidly.

"It came as a shock to us because Benny was fit for his age and looked like he was 65 or 70," she said, adding that he hardly ate chocolate and never drank or smoke.

Benny and his stepdaughter Eleanor.

Eleanor said Benny met her mother in his late 50s at a club while she was playing badminton there.

"It was around that time that things progressed and love blossomed between them.

"It just goes to show you that badminton brings more to your life than just sports, health and friends," she said, adding that for Benny, it brought him love and countless life experiences.

She said her mother Julia and Benny tied the knot while he was being treated in hospital on Jan 8. They were partners for 25 years.

"They had talked about marriage but never got around to it.

"It was his dying wish to be married to my mum and she felt the same way," she said, adding that the wedding was more of a celebration of their life together.

Eleanor said through his experience in badminton, Benny managed to mingle with many great athletes including the Sidek brothers and Datuk Lee Chong Wei.

"He worked as a customs and excise officer in the investigations division and even there he would take his colleagues out for badminton games during lunch break.

"I think he really missed the beaches of Penang. It would be hard emotionally for us to go now, but in time we would love to go back to Malaysia," she said.

Meanwhile, former national badminton player Tan Aik Huang said Benny was a good doubles player.

"In the 1960s when we went to England for championships, he was always there to help.

"When I heard he passed away, I could not help but feel sad," he said, adding that Benny was a good man.