Daily Times

TOKYO: Childhood friends Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin won men’s doubles badminton gold on Saturday in Tokyo, giving Taiwan its first Olympic medal in the sport.They beat China’s Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen 21-18, 21-12 in the final in just 34 minutes.China won the mixed doubles the previous day and had hopes of pulling off a golden badminton sweep in the Japanese capital.But world number three team Lee and Wang were too strong, claiming gold after knocking off the number one and two teams along the way to the final.Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and SohWooiYik took bronze.Taiwan could claim another gold, in women’s singles, after world number one Tai Tzu-ying overcame India’s P.V. Sindhu in the semi-finals.Tai made short work of the world champion, beating her 21-18, 21-12 to set up a final showdown with China’s Chen Yufei.Sindhu was aiming to go one better than the silver she won at Rio 2016, but she still has a chance to claim bronze against China’s He Bingjiao on Sunday.

In men’s singles, Denmark’s world number two Viktor Axelsen cruised into the semi-finals, but compatriot Anders Antonsen was unable to join him.Axelsen beat China’s Shi Yuqi 21-13, 21-13 to set up a clash with Guatemalan world number 59 Kevin Cordon, who kept his fairytale run going with a 21-13, 21-18 win over South Korea’s HeoKwang-hee.But Antonsen stumbled in his quarter-final against Indonesia’s Anthony SinisukaGinting.Ginting will face China’s Chen Long in the final four, after the defending champion beat Taiwan’s world number four Chou Tien-chen.Axelsen was all business against Shi, completing the match in just 41 minutes.World number three Antonsen clawed his way back after losing the first game against Ginting, but was unable to last the pace.Cordon edged a step closer to winning Guatemala’s second-ever Olympic medal with his win over Heo, who knocked out Momota in the group stage.The 34-year-old journeyman crumpled to the ground in disbelief after hitting the match-winning point, then lay sobbing on court.In women’s doubles Indonesia’s GreysiaPolii and ApriyaniRahayu will play China’s Chen Qingchen and JiaYifan in the final.