NEW DELHI: The shuttlecock hung in the air for a heartbeat, just long enough for Alex Lanier to measure destiny.The 21-year-old Frenchman unleashed a venomous, angled smash that kissed the hardwood before his opponent Kodai Naraoka could even flinch. As the winner landed, the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium arena erupted into a wall of sound. Lanier dropped his racket, leaped into the air in pure, unbridled euphoria, and went straight into a tearful embrace with his coach Kestutis Navickas.Standing atop the podium moments later with gold draped around his neck, he was all smiles. French badminton, so long an aspiring outsider, had finally conquered the world. On an unforgettable Sunday, Lanier etched his name into sporting folklore, becoming the first-ever singles badminton player from France to clinch the World Championship title.His historic triumph capped a watershed afternoon for French badminton. Moments before Lanier walked through the players’ tunnel, the French mixed doubles pair of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue had already seized a sensational gold. Lanier carried the momentum of an entire nation’s breakthrough on his shoulders.Lanier’s march to the world crown was a showcase of breathtaking athleticism and nerve. The 21-year-old dismantled Japan’s world No. 11 Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in a lopsided 50-minute clinic.“It is a great day for French badminton and a great day for the whole staff,” Lanier said. “When the mixed gold was won, I just thought that I needed to give them a double smile and I needed to make history again.”The title clash began as a tense, toe-totoe duel, with former European champion Lanier holding a narrow 11-9 cushion at the mid-game interval. But from there, the Frenchman hit the gas. He took the opening game in 23 minutes. Naraoka attempted to dig deep in the second game, but the 25-year-old Japanese star soon ran out of steam. Lanier shut the door with punishing smashes to seal a comprehensive victory.
Second world crown for An Se-young
The women’s singles final was a show of pure, indomitable will. Japan’s defending champion Akane Yamaguchi’s returns and jump smashes tested South Korea’s world No. 1 An Se-young at every turn. With the opening game locked in a nerve-wracking 17-17 deadlock, the 24-year-old South Korean dug deep to claim the opener 21-17 before prevailing in a series of high-speed rallies in the second game. Securing the 21-17, 21-14 victory in 49 minutes, An celebrated with a visceral victory cry.Yamaguchi becomes the first women’s singles player to capture six World Championship medals, but the day belonged to An Se-young, the flawless champion. With her second world title, the reigning Olympic champion accomplished a historic clean sweep. She holds the women’s singles crowns in the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games and Asian Championships simultaneously.
