# Svetlana Zilberman

Svetlana Zilberman (née 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. 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 |