Badminton Youth Games Concludes with Seven Individual Gold Medalists
The First National Student (Youth) Games saw the conclusion of the badminton open group competition on November 11th. The competition was fierce and exhilarating, with each of the seven gold medals finding their respective owners. The Nanjing team emerged as the biggest winner, clinching two gold medals.
The men’s singles final showcased a masterful performance from Hu Zhe’an of the Hangzhou team, who defeated Zhu Xuanchen of the Wuhan team with a score of 2-1. Hu Zhe’an, who had previously secured the men’s singles runner-up title at the 2023 World Youth Badminton Championships, displayed a steady game and aggressive offense to secure the gold medal.
In the women’s singles final, Xu Wenjing of the Nanjing team triumphed over Sun Zichun of the Shenyang team, clinching the gold medal with a sophisticated performance. Xu Wenjing’s adept combination of pull and drop shots, along with strategic ball path changes, allowed her to dominate the match and secure the championship.
The men’s doubles final brought a thrilling clash between the Xiamen team’s Lin Xiangyi/Ma Shang and the Jinan team’s Xu Huayu/Zhang Kunzhong. The Xiamen team emerged victorious with a narrow win of 2-0, with both games ending with just a 2-point difference. Ma Shang expressed his satisfaction with the win, remarking that the gold medal marked a perfect conclusion to his youth stage.
Other events saw the women’s doubles championship going to Luo Yi/Liao Lixi of the Shanghai Yangpu District team, while the mixed doubles match was won by the Guangzhou team’s Gao Jiaxuan/Li Qian. The mixed doubles gold medal for the Guangzhou team came after a hard-fought battle, with coach Zhang Zhijun acknowledging the team’s nerves and the tough nature of their victory.
The Nanjing team emerged as the leader in the gold medal tally with two gold medals, while the Jinan team and the Hangzhou team tied for second place with one gold and one silver each. The Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xiamen teams also claimed one gold medal each, rounding off a successful and thrilling badminton open group competition at the Youth Games.