An Se-young retains Asian Games badminton title in historic win as organisers apologise for mix-up

NAGOYA – South Korea’s badminton world No. 1 An Se-young became the first woman to win two Asian Games singles titles after dominating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-9 in the Sept 29 final.

The reigning Olympic and world champion, who has not lost a match since March, gave another ruthless display in Nagoya to retain the Asian Games title she won in 2023 in Hangzhou.

It was the 24-year-old’s eighth title of an incredible 2026.

Of those 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 title in August in New Delhi.

Backed by pockets of vocal South Korean fans in the arena, 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 primal scream.

An had already beaten Yamaguchi this week in the women’s team event.

The world No. 1 has been in feisty form at the Asian Games, apologising after her frustration threatened to boil over in an earlier match.

She also had stern words for her watching father, saying: “I am out there running myself into the ground and he is just cheering away in comfort.”

Fellow South Koreans Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na won the women’s double gold after a marathon 26-28, 21-18, 21-18 win over China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning.

The match was poised at 18-each in the final game when Liu went down with an ankle injury.

She managed to continue but the South Korean pair took advantage to close out the match.

China’s Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin won the mixed doubles final, beating Indonesia’s Amri Syahnawi and Nita Violina Marwah 21-19, 21-8. AFP