Svetlana Zilberman (; Beliasova, born 10 May 1958) is an Israeli badminton player and coach that formerly represented the Soviet Union, then Israel. She is currently the oldest badminton player that is still active. In 1986, she won a bronze medal at the European Badminton Championships in the women's singles event. She also serves as coach of her son Olympic badminton player Misha Zilberman (along with her husband), and as coach of Israel's national badminton team

Early life; European Championships bronze medal She was born in Belarus. She began playing badminton at the age of 12, which is how she met her future husband Michael, who was her coach.

When she lived in the Soviet Union, she was one of the top European women's singles players. When she was 25 years old, she was for a time considered too old for the Soviet Union national badminton team. Nevertheless, at the USSR International she won the women's singles in 1979, 1982, 1983, and 1986, the women's doubles in 1983, 1985, 1987, and 1989, and the mixed doubles in 1979, 1982, 1983, and 1985. In 1981 she won the gold medals in the women's singles and women's doubles at the French Open. In 1982 she won the gold medals in the women's doubles and mixed doubles at the Czechoslovakian International. In 1986 she won the gold medals in the women's singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles at the Hungarian International.

In 1986, she also won a bronze medal at the European Badminton Championships in the women's singles event.

Israel Zilberman, her husband, and their son Misha Zilberman immigrated to Israel in 1991. She and her husband run two badminton clubs in Israel, and she also serves as coach of her son Misha (along with her husband), and as coach of Israel's national badminton team. Misha describes his mother as "the most important person in my career, the inspiration for my whole life." Misha is also a badminton player, and has competed at the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Olympics, and has also competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

After emigrating to Israel, she won the Israeli National Badminton Championships 17 times in the women's singles and doubles event, and 21 times in the mixed doubles event, as of 2016.

She won the gold medals in the 1997 Cyprus International women's singles, mixed doubles, and women's doubles, and in the 1998 Israel Open women's singles, mixed doubles, and women's doubles. At the 2003 IBF World Senior Championships in the age 40+ category, she won gold medals in the women's singles and women's doubles.

In 2009, Zilberman first played mixed doubles with her son, in the world championships; at the same time, she is his coach. Misha said that their relationship on court is "like any mixed doubles players," as they discuss how to improve and win the match, but that off the court "she is my coach, so there is no discussion."

They won the mixed doubles gold medals at the 2016 Suriname International in Paramaribo, Suriname, at the 2017 Lagos International in Lagos, Nigeria, and at the 2018 Ethiopia International in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At the 2019 BWF World Senior Championships in the age 60+ category, she won gold medals in the women's singles and women's doubles, and at the 2021 BWF World Senior Championships in the age 60+ category, she won the women's singles.

At the BWF World Championships 2022 in August, at the age of 64 years old Zilberman became the oldest player to win a match in competition history. She and her 33-year-old son Misha defeated Egyptian Olympians Adham Hatem Elgamal/Doha Hany."Misha Zilberman," /bwfworldtourfinals.bwfbadminton.com. The next-youngest badminton player on the list was 38 years old.

Achievements

European Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1986 Fyrishallen, Uppsala, Sweden Helen Troke 3–11, 7–11 Bronze

BWF International (3 titles, 1 runner-up) Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2016 Suriname International Misha Zilberman Alistair Espinoza Solangel Guzman 21–14, 21–15 Winner 2017 Lagos International Misha Zilberman Duarte Nuno Anjo Sofia Setim 20–22, 21–16, 21–7 Winner 2017 Ethiopia International Misha Zilberman Sifeddine Larbaoui Linda Mazri Walkover Winner 2017 Zambia International Misha Zilberman Jonathan Persson Kate Foo Kune Walkover Runner-up BWF International Challenge tournament BWF International Series tournament BWF Future Series tournament

IBF International Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1979 USSR International Sirisriro Patama Winner 1981 French Open Gillian Clark Winner 1981 USSR International Christine Magnusson 11–7, 7–11, 6–11 Runner-up 1982 USSR International Tatyana Litvinenko 11–5, 12–10 Winner 1983 USSR International Tatyana Litvinenko 11–4, 7–11, 11–7 Winner 1984 USSR International Tatyana Litvinenko 4–11, 11–2, 5–11 Runner-up 1985 USSR International Tatyana Litvinenko 3–11, 9–12 Runner-up 1985 Mozambique International Elena Rybkina 12–9, 11–8 Winner 1986 USSR International Madhumita Bisht 2–10, 8–11, 11–3 Winner 1986 Hungarian International Vlada Belyutina 11–0, 10–12, 11–2 Winner 1989 Norwegian International Camilla Martin 2–11, 3–11 Runner-up 1997 Cyprus International Diana Knekna 11–1, 11–3 Winner 1998 Israel International Diana Knekna 11–0, 11–1 Winner 1998 Amor International Judith Meulendijks 4–11, 0–11 Runner-up 2000 Cyprus International Margarita Mladenova 8–11, 8–11 Runner-up

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1981 French Open Vard Poghosyan Winner 1982 Czechoslovakian International Petra Michalowsky Monika Cassens Angela Michalowski 15–11, 16–17, 15–11 Winner 1982 USSR International Ludmila Suslo Wendy Massam Gillian Gowers 11–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1983 USSR International Lyudmila Okuneva Monika Cassens Petra Michalowsky 15–9, 15–5 Winner 1985 USSR International Elena Rybkina Tatyana Litvinenko Viktoria Pron 15–8, 9–15, 15–5 Winner 1985 Mozambique International Elena Rybkina Bridget Ibenero Vlada Belyutina 15–0, 15–7 Winner 1986 USSR International Irina Serova Tatyana Litvinenko Viktoria Pron 5–15, 18–13, 12–15 Runner-up 1986 Hungarian International Vlada Belyutina Monika Cassens Petra Michalowsky 15–12, 15–7 Winner 1987 USSR International Elena Rybkina Charlotte Madsen Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen 15–2, 17–14 Winner 1989 Norwegian International Irina Serova Camilla Martin Lotte Olsen 10–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1989 USSR International Irina Serova Margit Borg Astrid Crabo 17–14, 15–5 Winner 1997 Cyprus International Shirley Daniel Elena Iasonos Diana Knekna 16–17, 15–4, 15–3 Winner 1998 Israel International Diana Koleva Elena Iasonos Diana Knekna 15–1, 15–2 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1979 USSR International Anatoliy Skripko Viktor Shvachko Nadezhda Litvincheva Winner 1982 Czechoslovakian International Anatoliy Skripko Edgar Michalowski Monika Cassens 15–7, 15–11 Winner 1982 USSR International Vitaliy Shmakov Edgar Michalowski Monika Cassens 15–10, 15–11 Winner 1983 USSR International Vitaliy Shmakov Edgar Michalowski Monika Cassens 15–8, 15–10 Winner 1985 Mozambique International Anatoliy Skripko Clement Ogbo Dayo Oyewusi 15–1, 15–4 Winner 1985 USSR International Sergey Sevryukov Stefan Frey Mechtild Hagemann 15–2, 15–12 Winner 1986 Hungarian International Vitaliy Shmakov Thomas Mundt Monika Cassens 15–10, 15–10 Winner 1997 Cyprus International Leon Pougatch Peter Jensen Karin Knudsen 3–15, 15–2, 15–13 Winner 1998 Israel International Leon Pougatch Nir Yusim Diana Knekna 15–4, 15–5 Winner 2000 Cyprus International Leon Pougatch Konstantin Dobrev Dobrinka Smilanova 15–4, 15–5 Winner

References

External links

"Badminton Unlimited | Zilbermans: The Unconventional Mother-Son Combo," BWF 2022 (video).