Badminton women's doubles world ranking No. 3 Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na secured South Korea's first gold medal at the World Championships in 31 years.
The duo triumphed on August 23 in New Delhi, India, defeating world No. 1 Liu Shengsu and Tan Ning of China 2-0 (21-15, 21-15) in the final of the 2026 BWF World Championships.
This marks the first time a South Korean women's doubles team has won the championship since Gil Young-a and Jang Hye-ok in 1995 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Lee and Baek lifted the trophy about eight months after winning their second consecutive title at the World Tour Finals, a prestigious event in badminton. This victory also ended a four-match losing streak against the top-ranked Chinese pair.
This is the first time Lee and Baek have medaled together at this tournament.
Lee previously won a bronze medal in 2014 and a silver medal in 2021 while partnering with Shin Seung-chan. With this gold medal, she has now collected medals of all three colors at the World Championships.
Despite facing a formidable opponent, the South Korean pair dominated the match with consistent and precise play.
Baek solidified the front of the net, disrupting the opponents' rhythm, while Lee showcased extensive defense and sharp attacks from the back court.
The South Korean team seized the momentum right from the start, scoring five consecutive points and never allowing a tie in the first game.
In the early stages of the second game, they faced a strong counterattack from the Chinese team but regained control with three consecutive points at a 4-4 tie.
At 7-5, Lee executed a surprise half-smash that landed perfectly, adding three more points to extend their lead to 10-5.
Although they allowed the Chinese team to close the gap to 13-12, they maintained remarkable focus during a lengthy rally of 67 exchanges, scoring five consecutive points to solidify their lead at 18-12.
The Chinese team, losing their concentration, made several errors, and the final shot from China hit the net, confirming the victory for the South Korean pair.
The South Korean team now looks to Ahn Se-young, the world’s top women's singles player, to continue their success as she aims for her second championship title.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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