Badminton world No. 1 An Se-young advanced to the women’s singles final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, defeating China’s Chen Yufei 2-0 (21-5, 21-12) at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan. An will face Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi on Tuesday with an opportunity to secure the first back-to-back women’s singles title in Asian Games history.
An Se-young Targets Historic Repeat Against Akane Yamaguchi
An cruised through the semifinal match against Chen in just two games, extending her winning streak against the Chinese competitor to five matches. An opened the first game with nine consecutive points to establish control. In Tuesday’s championship match, the South Korean star will square off against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. An carries an eight-match winning streak into the final against Yamaguchi, having also defeated her during the team competition earlier in the week.
The women’s singles event at the Asian Games dates back to 1962. A victory on Tuesday will make An the first player to win consecutive gold medals in the discipline.
South Korea Secures Doubles Final and Multiple Medals
In the women’s doubles tournament, South Korea’s Lee So-hee and Baek Hana booked their spot in the final by defeating Japan’s Kie Nakanishi and Rin Uesaka 2-0 (21-13, 21-12). Lee and Baek won the silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games and are aiming to become the first South Korean women’s doubles pair to claim gold since 2002. They will face China’s top-ranked team, Lin Shengshu and Tan Ning, in Tuesday’s final, having previously defeated the Chinese duo at the World Championships in August.
South Korea added bronze medals in other badminton divisions. In the men’s doubles semifinals, the world No. 1 duo of Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae fell 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) to Indonesia’s Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando in 32 minutes, earning a bronze medal since the tournament does not hold third-place playoffs. Yoo Tae-bin claimed a second bronze for South Korea in the men’s singles after dropping a 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 21-12) semifinal to Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.
Weightlifting and Team Sports Schedule
Away from the badminton courts, weightlifter Park Hye-jeong prepares to defend her gold medal in the women’s +86-kilogram event on Tuesday. Park faces a competitive field that includes two-time Olympic gold medalist Li Wenwen, who missed the 2023 Asian Games due to injury, and Ouisal Ikhlef of Qatar.
In team sports, South Korea’s women’s football team is scheduled to face host nation Japan in the semifinals at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Fukuroi. The Taegeuk Ladies are seeking their first Asiad gold, holding three bronze medals in tournament history. Meanwhile, the men’s handball team plays Japan in the Nagoya bronze medal match, aiming for a return to the podium after finishing fifth three years ago.
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