Korea takes two more badminton bronze medals after China losses

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Korea takes two more badminton bronze medals after China losses

Published: 06 Oct. 2023, 14:48 Updated: 02 Jan. 2024, 15:09

Korea's Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung take bronze in the mixed doubles badminton tournament on Friday after losing to China in the semifinal round of the Hangzhou Asian Games. [YONHAP]

Korea settled for another two bronze medals in badminton on Friday after losing a mixed doubles and women’s doubles contest — both 2-1 to China — in the semifinal round at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Korea wins first badminton women's team gold since 1994

The Korean mixed duo of Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung won their first game 21-13 against China’s Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong but lost the second, with a final score of 21-15. They were unable to come back in the third and final game of the semifinal match, losing it 21-16 after spending the most time on the court.

The women’s duo of Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong also won their first game against China’s Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, ending it 21-16, but lost the next two 21-9 and 21-12, respectively.

In Asian Games badminton, a loser in the semifinals wins an automatic bronze.

The Friday mixed doubles and women’s doubles bronze finishes were Korea’s third and fourth badminton medals this year.

The Korean men’s badminton team took bronze after a grueling five-hour semifinal match against India during the men’s team contest last week.

But the Korean women’s squad went on to dominate China in the women’s team finals the next day, winning six straight games to claim the title and Korea’s first gold medal in the category since 1994.

Korea has more opportunities left to medal in badminton at this year’s Asiad with the team of Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee to meet Japan in the second women’s doubles semifinal match on Friday, which had yet to begin as of press time.

Korea’s An Se-young is through to the women’s singles final after defeating China in the semifinals on Friday, and so is the men’s doubles team of Choi Sol-gyu and Kim Won-ho, who beat Chinese Taipei in their semifinal match, also on Friday.

Athletes and teams who won their semifinal matches earned a spot in the gold-medal match on Saturday, the final day of the badminton schedule.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]