Viktor Axelsen celebrates with a Danish national flag as he runs a victory lap after winning the men's singles badminton final match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris on August 5, 2024. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
PARIS: Denmark's Viktor Axelsen retained his Olympic badminton title on Monday, demolishing Thailand's world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men's singles final in Paris.
Backed by a vocal crowd of Danish fans at Adidas Arena in Port de la Chapelle, the second-seeded Axelsen battled past his eighth-seeded opponent 21-11, 21-11 in 52 minutes.
The lanky Dane became the first man to retain his Olympic men's singles title since Chinese legend Lin Dan, who won in 2008 and 2012.
Kunlavut's silver was Thailand's first-ever Olympic medal in badminton.
The Thai made a good start but Axelsen soon settled into his rhythm and built up a commanding lead in the first game.
He closed it out in 24 minutes, raising his hand in apology after winning the game with a shot that hit the net tape and flopped over.
Axelsen was again unstoppable in the second game, unleashing the full force of his 6ft 4in (1m94) frame to rain down smashes.
After clinching the title, he grabbed a Danish flag and tore around the arena.
Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia took bronze after beating India's Lakshya Sen 13-21, 21-16, 21-11.
China topped the badminton medals table for a seventh straight Olympics, winning golds in the mixed and women's doubles.
Taiwan won men's doubles and South Korea's An Se-young took gold in women's singles. - AFP
