(Reporter Kim Jeong-hyun, Xports News) Korean badminton was completely defeated by Japan in the 2025 Wonwon Yonex Miryang Korea Junior International Challenge held at the Miryang Badminton Stadium in Gyeongsangnam-do from the 1st to the 7th.
This competition was held in the under-13 (U-13), under-15 (U-15), under-17 (U-17), and under-19 (U-19) events, with 956 athletes from 13 countries around the world participating.
Prior to the competition, on the 30th of last month, ‘Legend’ Lee Yong-dae and ‘Empress’ Ahn Se-young gave their support by giving lessons and exhibition games to promising players from around the world.
But in the end, it became a Japanese feast. In particular, Japanese players swept the final stage in the ‘3rd year high school U-19 age group’, where many ‘national team candidate players’ who could soon be promoted to the national team participated.
According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) website on the 7th, Japan took 7 places among the finalists of a total of 10 teams (groups) in 5 events. In Korea, the mixed doubles team of Jeong Da-hwan and Kim Han-bi reached the finals. In addition, Thailand and Taiwan each took one place in the finals.
In the U-19 men’s singles final, Shunki Hagiwara defeated Punnathat Prepunpong (Thailand) 2-1. Da-hwan Jeong advanced to the semifinals, but lost 1-2 to Prempunpong and failed to advance to the finals.
In the women’s singles, a match between Japanese players took place in the final. Yuzuno Watanabe won the match against Saki Matsumoto, winning 2-1. All four players who reached the finals as well as the semifinals were Japanese players. Korean players Choi Ye-da and Kim Han-bi were eliminated in the quarterfinals after losing to two players who both advanced to the finals.
In men’s doubles, no Korean player advanced to the finals. The team of Cho Hyeong-woo and Kim Tae-yang lost 0-2 to the team of Masato Yamashiro and Mahiro Oku (Japan). Choi Kang-min and Jeong Da-hwan suffered a 1-2 upset loss to Chen Ping-shuan and Li Wei-ting (Taiwan).
In the final, the Chinese Taipei group won 2-0.
In the women’s doubles, like the singles, two Japanese groups reached the finals and had a family feast. The team of Meisa Anami and Himeka Hashimura won the championship after defeating the team of Ria Haga and Saki Matsumoto by forfeit.
At least in mixed doubles, Korea saved face. The team of Da-hwan Jeong and Han-bi Kim advanced to the top by defeating the group of Haru Masuda and Ria Haga (Japan).
The pair of Ahn Se-young, Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho are entering the second golden age of Korean badminton by maintaining their world rankings for a long time in women’s singles and men’s doubles, but Japan is improving their skills at the next generation level.
Photo = Yonex
Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon sbjhk8031@xportsnews.com
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