PARIS: South Korea's An Se-young consolidated her status as the top player in women's badminton by winning the Olympic title on Monday, beating China's He Bingjiao in the final in Paris.
Reigning world champion Se-young, who has held the number one ranking for the past year, beat her sixth-seeded opponent 21-13, 21-16 at a lively La Chapelle Arena.
The 22-year-old is the dominant force in women's badminton and won eight titles on badminton's world tour last year.
She became South Korea's first Olympic women's singles champion since 1996.
"I've been saving up my feelings for the last seven years for this moment," she said.
"All the agony, the frustration, this is where it all came out."
Bingjiao, who lost the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, progressed to the final when her opponent Carolina Marin retired from their semi-final after collapsing with a knee injury.
She was looking to win China's third badminton gold of the Paris Games, following successes in mixed and women's doubles.
Bingjiao made Se-young work for every point in a fast and furious first game, until the South Korean began to ease ahead towards the finish.
She closed the first game out when Bingjiao smashed a return into the net.
Se-young quickly gained the upper hand in the second game and her march towards the title began to look inevitable.
Bingjiao slowed her progress with an incredible smash return midway through the game but Se-young would not be stopped and she sealed the win on her third match point.
Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska won the bronze by default after Marin's semi-final retirement. - AFP
