Lanier, An Se-young crowned World champions
Alex Lanier and An Se-young secured world championship titles at the 2026 World Badminton Championships. Lanier made history as the first French men's singles champion, while An Se-young reaffirmed her dominance in the women's category.
Why it matters
This marks a significant shift in international badminton, highlighting the rise of French talent and the continued consistency of top-ranked players.
Alex Lanier walked into the history books and An Se-young reiterated her supremacy after being crowned world champions in style at the 2026 World Badminton Championships.
Lanier, at 21-years-old, became the first French men’s singles champion with a clinical, one-sided 21-11, 21-11 dismantling of Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the final to make it a double delight for the French. The mixed doubles pair of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue became the first-ever French champions in the morning, defeating the top-ranked pair of Feng Yan Zhe & Huang Dong Ping 22-20, 19-21, 21-15.
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