Alex Lanier yesterday became the first singles badminton player from France to clinch the BWF World Championships title, moments after France took gold in the mixed doubles, after Taiwan won bronze medals in the men’s singles and doubles the previous day.
Taiwanese badminton stars Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan fell in the men’s doubles semi-finals to a Chinese duo, giving them a bronze medal, matching Taiwan’s best-ever result in the event.
Lee and Yang, ranked 17th in the world and the only unseeded pair in the men’s doubles semi-finals, lost 21-18, 21-14 to world No. 3 Chinese pair Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang.
Photo: EPA
However, by reaching the semi-finals, they matched the best result by a Taiwanese men’s doubles pair at the world championships, set by Chen Hung-ling and Wang Chi-lin in 2018.
Taiwanese badminton veteran Chou Tien-chen on Saturday fell just short of becoming the oldest player to reach a BWF World Championships men’s singles final, falling to Japan’s Kodai Naraoka.
The 36-year-old Chou, ranked sixth in the world, won the opening game, but was visibly tired as the 74-minute semifinal wore on, with the 25-year-old Naraoka rallying to win 17-21, 21-11, 21-10.
An ELTA Sports commentator covering the match said that it was rare to see Chou so exhausted that he had to crouch beside the court.
Despite the defeat, Chou collected his second World Championships bronze medal, following his run to the semi-finals in 2022.
Chou on Friday made tournament history by becoming the oldest player to reach a World Championships men’s singles semi-final, doing so at 36 years and 225 days old.
In the women’s final, South Korea’s world No. 1 An Se-young yesterday beat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14 for her second world crown.
However, it was history for French badminton, after the 21-year-old Lanier beat Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in a lop-sided men’s final at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
World No. 10 Lanier smashed the winner as he jumped in delight and hugged his coach before standing on the podium for his gold medal.
The finalists went toe-to-toe until the mid-game interval of the opening game with former European champion Lanier leading 11-9.
The brawny Lanier then hit the gas to open the gap and take the opener in 23 minutes with a lethal combination of attack and defense.
Lanier kept up the momentum in the second game to take five straight points in a 8-3 lead.
World No. 11 Naraoka fought back with his power game, but soon lost steam to a fitter and inspired Lanier, who beat world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Victor Lai en route to the final.
The women’s title clash was much closer with last year’s winner Yamaguchi giving it her all in a fast-paced battle between No. 1 and 2.
Yamaguchi’s returns and jump smashes entertained a large crowd, but An had answers to everything with her attacking and baseline play.
Earlier in the mixed doubles, French pair of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue beat Chinese top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 to get a first-ever world championship gold for France.
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