Leo/Daniel seal Indonesia's 3rd gold at 2026 Asian Games

Ichinomiya, Japan (ANTARA) - Indonesian badminton pair Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin claimed the men's doubles gold at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, adding to their earlier victory in the men's team event.

Leo and Daniel secured the gold medal after overcoming China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang by a score of 19-21, 21-13, 21-18 in the final held in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Tuesday.

"We kept reminding each other during the match. We told ourselves, 'If not now, when?' So we made the absolute most of the opportunity we had," Daniel said after the match.

Despite stumbling in the opening game, Leo and Daniel showed unwavering resolve to secure the next two games and seal the victory.

"It was quite a tight match, but we managed to keep our game plan and communication intact. We are also grateful to our support staff, coaches, and everyone who supported us. Praise be to God, everything went smoothly," Leo said.

Leo/Daniel and Liang/Wang are fierce rivals who frequently face off in BWF competitions.

While their rivalry has been intense, the Indonesian pair had failed to avenge previous losses in their most recent encounters.

However, Leo and Daniel finally broke that losing streak against the Chinese pair at this year's edition of the Asian Games.

"We had been losing to them in our recent meetings, with our last victory coming at the Singapore Open. So this win serves as motivation," Leo added.

The men's doubles victory secured Indonesia's third gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games, following earlier golds in the badminton men's team event and in weightlifting, won by Rahmat Erwin Abdullah.

Indonesia has so far secured 30 medals: three golds, seven silvers, and 20 bronzes.

Translator: Roy Rosa, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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