Daniel Marthin wins two gold medals at Asian Games 2026 in Japan

Daniel Marthin claimed two gold medals in the men’s team and men’s doubles events at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, anchoring Indonesia’s badminton campaign alongside partner Leo Rolly Carnando. The athlete’s double-gold performance capped a high-stakes tournament run that featured a dramatic comeback victory over China in the team final.

Born in Jakarta on July 31, 2001, Marthin stands 183 centimeters tall and plays as a right-handed specialist, according to official profiles from the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia (PBSI). He is the son of Sugiman and Martha Tobing, and he idolizes Indonesian men’s doubles legends Hendra Setiawan and Candra Wijaya. He began playing badminton at age seven, training initially at the Maxxer club before moving to PB Djarum in Kudus and subsequently entering the national training center (Pelatnas PBSI) in 2017.

How Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando Secured Team and Individual Gold in Japan

The campaign at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium saw Indonesia’s badminton team battle through demanding ties between September 20 and September 29, 2026. In the men’s team final against China, Indonesia dropped the first two matches as singles player Jonatan Christie fell to Shi Yu Qi (13-21, 18-21) and the pair of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri lost to Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang (20-22, 21-19, 14-21). Alwi Farhan sparked a recovery by defeating Li Shifeng in three games (23-21, 15-21, 21-16).

Stepping onto the court with the team deficit at 0-2 effectively neutralized, Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin leveled the tie at 2-2 by defeating He Ji Ting and Liu Yi in straight games (23-21, 21-10). Zaki then secured the deciding third point in the fifth match against Weng Hong Yang to hand Indonesia the men’s team gold medal. Indonesia ensured the team gold medal after defeating China 3-2 at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, Aichi, Japan, on Wednesday, September 24, 2026, with Leo Rolly Carnando stepping in when the Red and White squad trailed 0-2 to spark the path to the comeback.

In the individual men’s doubles tournament days later, Leo and Marthin advanced to the final to face China’s world champions, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang. Out of ten representatives across five categories, Indonesia advanced Amri Syahnawi/Nita and Leo/Daniel to the mixed and men’s doubles finals, with Amri/Nita losing to Jiang Zheng Bang/Wei Ya Xin (China) just a day after eliminating another Chinese pair who ranked world number one, Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping. Leo and Daniel also faced elite world men’s doubles pairs in their final two matches, defeating South Korea’s world number one pair Kim Won-ho/Seo Seung-jae in the semifinals before facing Liang and Wang. After dropping the opening game 19-21, the Indonesian pair seized control by winning the next two games 21-13 and 21-18, sealing Marthin’s second gold medal of the Games. However, they certainly played well, said former English badminton player Gillian Clark, who served as the final’s commentator. They were unable to break the 44-year wait for an Indonesian mixed doubles gold medal without a title since Christian Hadinata and Ivana Lie triumphed in New Delhi 1982.

Marthin Manages Severe Vision Impairment and Announces Engagement

Away from the tournament courts, Marthin’s career has weathered significant physical and personal milestones. In August 2023, he revealed that he had been competing while managing severe vision impairment caused by astigmatism and nearsightedness in both eyes, a condition that grew acute ahead of the 2023 BWF World Championships. Medical checks at the time recorded his right eye at minus 4.5 with four cylinders, and his left eye at minus 2 with two cylinders, creating blurred vision when one eye was covered.

In addition to his on-court achievements, Marthin announced his engagement to Blessaria Trishania Sumanti in March 2026 via social media posts depicting the couple in blue attire. Blessaria maintains ties to the sport as the sister of former national team player Zachariah Josiahno Sumanti. News of the engagement to Blessaria became known after Daniel shared moments of their proposal through social media in March 2026.

Next Steps for Indonesia’s Badminton Squad Following the Asian Games

Following the conclusion of the Asian Games competition on September 29, 2026, the Indonesian badminton delegation returned to Jakarta on the night of September 30, 2026, with the team’s haul of two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.