The 2024 Paris Olympics badminton events concluded with Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen successfully defending his men’s singles gold medal, cementing his place in Olympic history. Axelsen, 30, dominated the final against Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, winning 21-11, 21-11 in just 52 minutes. This victory makes Axelsen the first man to retain the Olympic men’s singles title since China’s Lin Dan in 2008 and 2012, and only the third man to clinch singles medals in three consecutive Olympics.In the bronze medal match, Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia overcame India’s Lakshya Sen in a closely contested game, winning 13-21, 21-16, 21-11. This marks Lee’s first Olympic medal and Malaysia’s second bronze in these Games. For Sen, despite becoming the first Indian male shuttler to reach an Olympic semifinal, the loss means India will return without a badminton medal for the first time since 2008.Meanwhile, in the shooting events, Italy’s Diana Bacosi and Gabriele Rossetti claimed gold in the mixed skeet team event. They narrowly defeated the United States team of Vincent Hancock and Jewell Austen Smith with a score of 45-44. This victory marks Italy’s ninth gold medal at these Olympics, showcasing their strong performance in shooting events.As the Paris Olympics continue, these results highlight the intense competition and historical achievements across various sports, with athletes pushing their limits to claim Olympic glory.
Key points
- Viktor Axelsen of Denmark successfully defended his Olympic gold in men’s singles badminton.
- Lee Zii Jia won Malaysia’s second bronze medal, defeating India’s Lakshya Sen in the badminton men’s singles.
- Italy’s Diana Bacosi and Gabriele Rossetti won gold in the mixed skeet team event, marking Italy’s ninth gold medal at these Olympics.
