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Reuters

Agence France-Presse

Alex Lanier on Saturday became the first singles badminton player from France to clinch the world championship title, moments after the French took gold in the mixed doubles.
In the women’s final, South Korea’s world No 1 An Se-young beat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14 for her second world crown.
But it was history for French badminton, after the 21-year-old Lanier beat Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in a lopsided men’s final that took 50 minutes at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
World No 10 Lanier, who knocked out Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka-long in the last 16, smashed the winner as he jumped in delight and hugged his coach before standing on the podium for his gold medal.
“I think definitely today was a day for French badminton and it was a day for the whole staff also,” Lanier said after the triumph.

“Today it was the day for France, and when the mixed won, everyone was happy, and I just thought that I needed to give them a double smile, double moments, and I needed to make history again.”
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, whose parents are professional sailors, then hit the gas to open the gap and take the opener in 23 minutes with a lethal combination of attack and defence.
Lanier kept up the momentum in the second game to take five straight points and an 8-3 lead.
World No 11 Naraoka, a former finalist, fought back with his power game but soon lost steam to a fitter and inspired Lanier, who also beat world No 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn and No 7 Canadian Victor Lai en route to the final.
Lanier’s win tops off a year of French ‌dominance, after Christo Popov’s World Tour Finals victory last year, and ⁠the French team’s triumph over Denmark to win the continental championships this year.
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 No 2.
Yamaguchi’s returns and jump smashes entertained a large Sunday crowd, but An had answers to everything with her attacking and baseline play.

Reigning Olympic champion An, who won her previous world title in 2023, secured the win in 49 minutes and let out a scream and raised her hands to celebrate.
Yamaguchi, with a silver, became the first women’s singles player to achieve six medals at the showpiece event.
Earlier ⁠in the day, ⁠Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue became the first French pair to win a badminton ‌world title after defeating top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping of China 22-20, 19-21, ‌21-15 in ‌the mixed doubles final.
In the women’s doubles final, South Korea’s Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee also beat the Chinese top-ranked pair, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, 21-15, 21-15, becoming ‌the country’s first world champions in the event in 31 years.


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Badminton World Federation (BWF)

Alex Lanier, mixed-doubles pair clinch badminton world titles in France’s golden double

France’s Alex Lanier celebrates his win against Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the men’s singles final of the world championships in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: AP

South Koreas An Se-young screams in delight after winning the women’s final. Photo: AFP

Thom Gicquel (right) and Delphine Delrue helped make it a historic day for France. Photo: Xinhua

Fan Zhendong enjoys ‘fitting, warm welcome’ in home debut for Borussia Dusseldorf

Fan Zhendong secured two points with a pair of 3-1 wins to help Borussia Dusseldorf secure their second league win in as many matches. Photo: Jorg Fuhrmann


Fan Zhendong beat TSV Bad Konigshofen’s Andre Bertelsmeier at Mitsubishi Electric Hall. Photo: Xinhua

Hong Kong’s young balance bike stars face early retirement due to lack of space

Wong Tsz-ching finished in the top 10 of the eight-year-old category at the King of Runbike World Cup. Photo: Wong Siu-cheong


Wong Tsz-yau, who is five years old, started competing on balance bikes at two and a half. Photo: Wong Siu-cheong

Wong Tsz-ching celebrates on the top of the podium after winning a local competition. Photo: Wong Siu-cheong

Wong Tsz-ching started riding at four and entered his first race six months later. Photo: Wong Siu-cheong

Sport

Other Sport

An Se-young helps South Korea to double triumph as well, while Chinese top seeds in mixed doubles, women’s doubles lose their finals


An Se-young helps South Korea to double triumph as well, while Chinese top seeds in mixed doubles, women’s doubles lose their finals.


An Se-young

Akane Yamaguchi

Alex Lanier, mixed-doubles pair clinch badminton world titles in France’s golden double

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}An Se-young helps South Korea to double triumph as well, while Chinese top seeds in mixed doubles, women’s doubles lose their finals

An Se-young helps South Korea to double triumph as well, while Chinese top seeds in mixed doubles, women’s doubles lose their finals