Viktor Axelsen, the reigning Olympic champion from Denmark, successfully defended his title in the men’s singles badminton event at the Paris Olympics. In a dominant performance, Axelsen defeated Thailand’s world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in straight sets (21-11, 21-11) in just 52 minutes.
Axelsen, the second seed, was backed by a boisterous crowd of Danish fans at La Chapelle Arena. He quickly established his dominance, building a commanding lead in the first game. Despite a promising start from Vitidsarn, Axelsen’s superior experience and tactical prowess proved too much to overcome.
In the second game, Axelsen unleashed his full arsenal of shots, including powerful smashes and precise drop shots. Vitidsarn fought valiantly, but Axelsen’s relentless pace and unwavering focus proved insurmountable.
With the victory, Axelsen became the first man to retain the Olympic men’s singles title since Chinese legend Lin Dan, who won in 2008 and 2012. The 30-year-old Dane celebrated his triumph by grabbing a Danish flag and running around the arena.
“To be honest, I didn’t even know how I would like to celebrate when I won because I was so focused on winning,” said Axelsen. “I was so focused on being calm and playing the right shots.”
Vitidsarn’s silver medal marked Thailand’s first-ever Olympic medal in badminton. The Thai player made a strong start but was unable to match Axelsen’s consistency and power.
In the bronze medal match, Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia defeated India’s Lakshya Sen in three sets (13-21, 21-16, 21-11).
China continued its dominance in badminton, topping the medals table for the seventh straight Olympics. The Chinese team won gold medals in the mixed and women’s doubles events. Taiwan won the men’s doubles gold, while South Korea’s An Se-young claimed the women’s singles title.
