Childhood friends give Taiwan first Olympic gold medal in badminton

Gulf Today Report

Childhood friends Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin have swept China’s Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen for gold in the men’s doubles badminton final in Tokyo on Saturday, giving Taiwan its first Olympic medial in the sport.

The unseeded Taiwan, after a shaky start, took the first game 21-18, with a highly aggressive style, and then dominated China in the second, 21-12 in just 34 minutes.

China won the mixed doubles the previous day and had hopes of pulling off a golden badminton sweep in Tokyo, after a spotty performance at the Rio Games in Brazil. In 2012, at London Games, China won all 5 badminton gold medals.  

Taiwan's Wang Chi-lin (top L) hits a shot next to Lee Yang against China's Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen (R). AFP

Earlier on Saturday, Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh won bronze in men’s doubles, beating Indonesian veterans Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan, 2-1.