A German expat with a zest for badminton, cooking and community service

Editor's note:

Shanghai has been enriched by the many expatriates who have come from all over the world to sink roots in the city and contribute to a melting pot of ideas and cultures. This series introduces you to some of them.

Lothar Sysk, an expat from Germany and dedicated sports enthusiast, is closely following Chinese competitors in badminton at the Paris Olympic Games.

"Since Lin Dan retired, I haven't had a favorite Chinese badminton player," Sysk said. "I just support them all and cheer for each one."

He can rattle off the names: Shi Yuqi, Li Shifeng, Chen Yufei and He Bingjiao.

Since an early age, Sysk has had a passion for sports, including table tennis, soccer, judo and squash. In his hometown of Erlangen, he dominated the judo mats, clinching several championships.

A friendly match with German table tennis legend Timo Boll in 2012 remains a cherished memory from his 17 years in Shanghai. He lost the game but was proud to have scored four points.

After he moved to Shanghai, he found a new love in badminton. Years of practice have honed his skills to a high level, securing him third place in a citywide tournament and nearly getting him a friendly match with Malaysian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei.

Every January, Sysk celebrates his birthday with a badminton tournament in the town of Zhangjiang in Pudong, where he lives and works.

This year, the event grew into the Lothar's Friendship Cup, complete with a trophy he designed himself. It drew many professionals and was won by David von Schwerin, a former Austrian national player and Tokyo Olympics umpire.

"I'm now looking for sponsors for next year's Lothar Cup," he said. "Badminton has helped me make a lot of friends. My Chinese might not be perfect, but the language of sport is universal."

Skysk traveled around the world in his work for VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH, a company involved in fire safety and security technology, but business didn't bring him to China until 2001. At the time, he knew little about the country,

"I had only seen reports on German television showing Chinese streets crowded with bikes," he recalled.

Seeing the enormous market potential in China, he proposed opening a company branch office in Shanghai.

"When I made the presentation to our then CEO, I was wearing Chinese clothes, serving Chinese tea and had Chinese music playing in the background," he said. "The last slide of my presentation was: 'Don't miss the train to China.'"

His pitch won over his boss, who gave the green light to set up a Shanghai office, where he now serves as chief representative. China today comprises 70 percent of the company's global business.

"Moving to Shanghai was a very important step in my life that I have no regrets about," he said. "It's not just a city of career opportunities; it's where I've really settled and found a new sense of home."

Sysk views the city as an ideal spot for expats. His fondness for the city was enhanced when he was introduced to badminton in his adopted home.

It all began while he was playing table tennis at a local stadium. Sysk said he was approached by a Chinese man who, upon discovering that he had never played badminton, invited him to try out the game. The unexpected encounter turned into a game changer.

"We played for just five minutes, and he said I had some talent and asked me if I wanted to be his student," Sysk recalled. "I said yes."

His mentor was Du Wenxi, a veteran of the sport.

"Finding such a top-notch coach felt like hitting the jackpot," Sysk said. "The best part was that Du taught me for free and became a good friend."

After nearly nine years of intensive training, Sysk has ensconced himself in the local badminton scene. Following Du's footsteps, he offers free badminton lessons to Chinese and foreigners.

One memorable episode involved a Malaysian student who sought to set up a match between Sysk and Malaysian badminton great Lee Chong Wei. Although the match never came to pass, Lee made amends by gifting Sysk a limited-edition, signed badminton racket, one of only 25 ever made.

Sysk's community involvement goes beyond badminton. He and his Chinese wife are volunteers with the local "I FOR" group, which engages in activities such as waste sorting and park clean-ups.

"I don't expect anything in return," Sysk said. "The smiles and happy faces I receive are more than enough."

Sysk is a passionate cook, a skill he learned from his mother, He often makes meatballs for cleaners, security guards and management staff in his residential compound.

"My wife really loves my cooking," he said. "We rarely go out for dinner because she likes it so much."