'First Gold in 31 Years': Sohee Lee and Hana Baek Smash to World Women's Doubles Badminton Title

Defeating World No. 1 China, Korea Recaptures World Title
for the First Time Since Gil Youngah and Jang Hyeok in 1995

Sohee Lee and Hana Baek, the flagship women's doubles pair for Korean badminton (world ranked No. 3), have reached the pinnacle of the World Championships, delivering South Korea's first gold medal in this event in 31 years.

Sohee Lee and Hana Baek, Badminton World Championships Women's Doubles Gold Medal After 31 Years - Yonhap News

On August 23, Korean Standard Time, the duo of Sohee Lee and Hana Baek claimed victory in the women's doubles final at the '2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships' held in New Delhi, India, defeating the world No. 1 Chinese pair of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning with a set score of 2-0 (21-15, 21-15).

This is the first time a Korean women's doubles team has won gold at this tournament since the partnership of Gil Youngah and Jang Hyeok at the 1995 Lausanne, Switzerland Championships, marking a major milestone after 31 years.

Having previously held the world No. 1 spot for 12 consecutive weeks, Sohee Lee and Hana Baek also broke through a four-match losing streak against the current world top-ranked pair with this finals victory. In addition, after winning back-to-back World Tour Finals—often called the 'champion of champions' tournament—at the end of last year, they secured another championship trophy about eight months later.

This year, they have consistently proven their dominance on big stages by regularly reaching the podium in major tournaments such as the Malaysia Open (Super 1000, silver medal), India Open (bronze medal), and All England Open (silver medal), and finally, they have crowned themselves world champions.

This is also the first time these two have won a World Championships medal as a pair. Notably, Sohee Lee had previously garnered a bronze medal in 2014 and a silver medal in 2021 alongside Shin Seungchan, and by winning gold this time, she has achieved the rare feat of collecting gold, silver, and bronze medals at World Championships.

Despite facing China's strongest pair, the Korean duo delivered a flawless performance throughout the match, demonstrating overwhelming prowess. Hana Baek firmly guarded the net, intercepting the opponents' attacks, while Sohee Lee controlled the rear with her wide defensive coverage and sharp offensive skills, completely dominating the court.

Starting the first game with five consecutive points and seizing the early lead, the Korean pair maintained calm control and never allowed a single tie, comfortably claiming the opening set.

At the beginning of the second game, the pair withstood an aggressive push from the Chinese team intent on turning the tide. However, after tying the score at 4-4, Korea regained control with three straight points. At 7-5, Sohee Lee's surprise half-smash found its mark, triggering another run of three consecutive points and widening the gap to 10-5.

Though briefly challenged as the score tightened to 13-12 in the later stages, the pair demonstrated intense focus—notably winning a crucial point after a grueling 67-shot rally—and went on a run of five consecutive points to seal the lead at 18-12.

The Chinese team, losing their concentration, committed a string of unforced errors at the end of the match, and ultimately, Korea’s victory was secured as the opponents' final shot caught the net.

Having delivered a golden smash in the women’s doubles, the Korean national team now sets its sights on a second gold medal at the tournament, led by women's singles world champion An Seyoung (Samsung Life Insurance), who is ready to compete.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.