2024 Paris Olympics, badminton: Decoding An Se-young's successful campaign
On Monday, August 5, South Korea's An Se-young came out triumphant in women's singles badminton event. 22-year-old Se-young won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, defeating China's He Bingjiao in straight games. Se-young won the contest 21-13, 21-16. Notably, she had large bandages strapped around her right leg which she injured during the 2023 Asian Games. We decode her successful Paris campaign.
Why does this story matter?
Since badminton became an Olympic sport in 1992, South Korea alongside China and Indonesia have at least won a medal in each Games (men's or women's events). Se-Young delivered the goods for her nation battling through her injury. She credited her coach for helping her through. Se-Young was confident of bringing more laurels for her country in the future, highlighting she is still young.
Se-young makes history for South Korea
Se-young became just the second women's singles shuttler to bag a gold medal at the Olympics. Bang Soo-hyun was the last Korean player to attain this feat back at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She also won a silver at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Notably, Se-Young and Soo-hyun are the only women's singles medalists in badminton for South Korea in Olympic history.
Se-Young won her group and moved directly to the quarter-finals
Se-Young was placed in Group A and she won both her matches. She beat Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova 21-15, 21-11. In the next clash, she dismissed France's Qi Xuefei 21-5, 21-7. Se-young moved directly to the quarter-finals being the top seeded player alongside 2020 Olympics winner Chen Yufei and Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, who finished above 3rd seed Tai Tzu-ying in Group E.
Se-young beat Japan's Yamaguchi and Indonesia's Tunjun next
In the quarter-finals, Se-young came from behind to take down Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 15-21, 21-17, 21-8. It was the 24th meeting between the pair. Se-young improved her win-loss tally to 11-13. In the semis, Se-young overcame Gregoria Mariska Tunjun of Indonesia 11-21, 21-13, 21-16. Se-young extended her win-loss record to 8-0 over Tunjun, who was the eventual bronze medalist after Carolina Marin's injury.
Se-young extends her win-loss tally versus Bingjiao to 9-5
As mentioned above, Se-young was up against Bingjiao in the final. Notably, the latter was trailing against Spain's Marin in the semis. However, with an injury forcing Marin to withdraw midway, Bingjiao reached the final. Se-young was the superior force in the summit clash. It was the 14th meeting between the pair on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Tour. Se-young went ahead 9-5.
Se-young made her Games debut in Tokyo
Se-young made her debut at the Olympic Games back in 2021 (2020 Tokyo Olympics). She did a reasonable job before being eliminated in the quarter-finals by China's Yufei, who was the eventual gold medalist.
