Badminton WC: France's Alex Lanier, An Se Young Of Korea Clinch Singles Titles (round-up)

Badminton WC: Frances Alex Lanier, An Se Young of Korea clinch singles titles (round-up) (Image Source: IANS)

Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium: The BWF World Championships 2026 concluded on Sunday with a slew of new records as mixed doubles combination of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue won France's first gold medal and Alex Lanier later added the men's singles crown to their tally while An Se Young of Korea bagged her second gold medal in women's singles at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

Last edition's bronze medallists Gicquel and Delrue went two steps ahead as they upset top seeds Feng Yan She and Huang Dong Ping of China 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 in an hour and 18 minutes to write their name in the history books. France then became only the second European nation to win more than one gold medal in a single edition when Lanier outplayed Japan's Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in just 50 minutes.

The Korean contingent will also go home with two gold medals after women's world number 1 An Se Young regained the world crown by defeating defending champion Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14, while Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee ended a 31-year wait for a women's doubles crown by upsetting Chinese top seeds Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning 21-15, 21-15. Korea last won the women's doubles title in 1995. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand received their bronze medals as well.

Lee also became the oldest women's doubles world champion at 32 years and 70 days.

Both the singles finals turned out to be straight-game affairs as the eventual champions found an additional gear in the second half of both games. In the women's singles final, An won four straight points from 17-17 to take the opening game and then raced from 11-10 to 21-14 to win in the second.

In the men's singles final, Lanier turned up the heat while trailing 7-9 in the opening game, winning 13 of the next 14 points to take control. The Frenchman never looked in trouble in the second game and won seven straight points from 14-11 to be crowned France's first men's singles champion.

With China's record of winning at least one title since they entered the world championships in 1983 on the line, third seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang rose to the occasion by beating former champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia 21-16, 21-17 to continue the streak. This was Liang and Wang's first World title.

The final day of action in Delhi once again witnessed a solid turnout from fans, who got to cheer for Treesa and Gayatri's bronze while Korea's An Se Young was perhaps the most popular player of the day as she proved once again why she is the best in the world.

Final results:

Men's singles: 9-Alex Lanier (FRA) bt 10-Kodai Naraoka (JPN) 21-11, 21-11

Women's singles: 1-An Se Young (KOR) bt 2-Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) 21-17, 21-14

Men's doubles: 3-Liang Wei Kang/Wang Chang (CHN) bt 4-Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (MAS) 21-16, 21-17

Women's singles: 1-An Se Young (KOR) bt 2-Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) 21-17, 21-14

Mixed doubles: 5-Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue (FRA) bt 1-Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (CHN) 22-20, 19-21, 21-15

Article Source: IANS