South Korea’s Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee Win Historic Badminton Women’s Doubles Gold at 2026 Asian Games

A Historic Breakthrough for South Korean Badminton

The victory for Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na ends a long title drought for South Korea in the women’s doubles discipline at the continental games. The last South Korean pair to secure gold in this event was the duo of Ra Kyung-min and Lee Kyung-won, who reached the top of the podium in 2002.

Their path to the gold medal saw them overcome a formidable challenge from the Chinese favorites, who pushed the match to a tense conclusion.

Match Dynamics and Final Score

The final was a closely contested battle that required all three sets to decide the outcome. After dropping the opening set, the South Korean pair mounted a comeback, ultimately securing the match with a 2-1 victory. The final set scores were 26-28, 21-18, and 21-18.

The match took place at the Ichinomiya Municipal Gymnasium, located northwest of Nagoya, the primary host city for the 2026 Asian Games.

Building on Previous Success

At the previous Asian Games in 2023, Lee and Baek reached the final but were forced to settle for the silver medal after falling to the Chinese pair of Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan. By defeating Lin and Tan in this year’s final, Lee and Baek have successfully climbed the final step of the podium that eluded them three years ago.

Tournament Context and Venue Details

The Ichinomiya Municipal Gymnasium hosted the final stages of the event, providing a venue that saw attendance throughout the tournament’s duration.

With this victory, Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na confirm their current form, having entered the tournament as the world number two pair. The result adds to the growing medal tally for South Korea at the 2026 Games and provides a definitive end to the nearly quarter-century wait for a gold medal in the women’s doubles category.