It was a historic Sunday for French badminton as the nation secured its first-ever world championship gold medals in dramatic fashion. The celebration began when the mixed doubles pair of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue edged out top-seeded Chinese opponents in a thrilling three-game match. Shortly after, 21-year-old Alex Lanier cemented his place in history by dominating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka with a decisive 21-11, 21-11 victory. Lanier, whose performance was marked by both tactical precision and relentless energy, described the day as a collective triumph for the French team, noting his desire to mirror the success of his compatriots to bring home a second gold.

On the women’s side, South Korean sensation An Se-young proved her world-class caliber by capturing her second championship crown. In a high-intensity final against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, An utilized superior baseline play to secure a 21-17, 21-14 victory in under an hour, delighting her fans despite recent concerns over a foot injury. While Yamaguchi fell just short of the title, her silver medal win marks a milestone as she becomes the first women’s singles player to secure six career medals at the championships. The event concluded with dominant performances from China, who secured titles in both the men’s and women’s doubles categories.