Ruthless An retains Asian Games badminton crown as Kunlavut triumphs

Nagoya – An Se-young wants to follow in the footsteps of badminton legend Lin Dan after becoming the first woman to win two Asian Games singles titles on Tuesday, while Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn clinched the men’s crown.

An, the Olympic and world champion from South Korea, has not lost a match since March and gave another ruthless display in dominating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-9 in the final in Nagoya.

It was the 24-year-old’s eighth title of an incredible 2026 and gave her a second Asian Games gold after winning three years ago in Hangzhou.

China’s Lin, regarded as the greatest badminton player of all time, won two Asian Games men’s singles titles.

He also won Olympic gold twice and was a five-time world champion.

“I am trying to keep up with this great athlete,” said world number one An.

“There are lots of strong athletes that have achieved great things, and they motivate me to also perform well.”

An has only lost one match this year and of the titles she did not win, she finished runner-up at the All-England Open and pulled out injured from the Japan Open.

She won her second world crown in August in New Delhi.

“I’m very happy that I can keep winning titles,” she said.

“I think this is a result of my ability to focus.

“I wouldn’t necessarily call myself invincible, but I never give up and I always play my best game.”

An has now won her last nine matches against Yamaguchi, who is ranked No. 3 in the world and is a three-time world champion.

Backed by pockets of vocal Korean fans, including members of her family, An made a slow start but battled back and took control of the first game.

She sent Yamaguchi sprawling with one smash to the line, before clinching the first game with a backhand flick at the net.

An kept up her assault in the second game, building a big lead to make her latest title look inevitable.

It arrived when Yamaguchi hit a serve return long, and An celebrated by dropping to her knees and letting out a scream.

“I’m overcome with emotion,” she said.

“The fact that I won in front of my family was a great experience.”

Kunlavut wins men’s title

Earlier, Kunlavut Vitidsarn became Thailand’s first Asian Games men’s badminton singles champion after thrashing Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew 21-12, 21-16 in Tuesday’s final.

Former world champion Kunlavut was in rampant form in Nagoya against Loh, who is the first player from Singapore to reach an Asian Games final.

The win returned Kunlavut to the world No. 1 ranking and gave him his first singles title since January’s Malaysia Open after a number of near misses this year.

The Thai player won the first game in 20 minutes and took control of the second, with Loh struggling to keep up.

Loh fought back into contention but Kunlavut streaked away to clinch victory before bowing to the crowd.

“Before I came here, everything about my performance was not good enough to win a medal,” he said.

“Now I got the gold medal and everyone is really happy.”

China failed to win a medal of any description in the men’s singles, with defending Asian Games champion Li Shifeng and former world No. 1 Shi Yuqi both suffering early exits in Nagoya.

South Koreans Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na won the women’s doubles, while Indonesia’s Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando clinched the men’s doubles.

China’s Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin won mixed doubles gold.