By Yoo Jee-ho
ICHINOMIYA, Japan, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- World No. 1 An Se-young extended her dominance in women's badminton Tuesday in Japan by winning her second straight Asian Games gold medal -- something no female singles player had accomplished in the event's 64-year history.
The 24-year-old South Korean star, who has lost just once in 57 matches this year, said she cannot wait to see just how far she can go in what has already been a legendary career.
An Se-young of South Korea celebrates after winning gold in the women's singles badminton event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
"I think I can only get better from here. I am really excited about that," An said. "I feel like I have improved since the Paris Olympics (where she also won gold) two years ago, and I don't know just how much better I can get from this point and on."
That is a scary preposition for An's rivals, though they seem to be rivals in name only, with none of them offering much of a threat lately.
In Tuesday's gold medal match at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, just northwest of the main Asiad host city of Nagoya, world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi went on the offensive early before slowing down considerably. The final score of 21-17, 21-9 flattered the Japanese veteran.
An said she can keep herself motivated because winning never gets old for her.
"Every competition is new to me, and I see myself as a challenger in every event," An said. "I want to keep winning titles because it always feels new to me."
An Se-young of South Korea hits a return to Akane Yamaguchi of Japan during the women's singles badminton final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
An added that she had not thought about making history as the first back-to-back Asiad women's singles champion and said, "Winning this gold medal is just a part of the process for me."
"If I let my guard down and lose my focus, then I can always fall from the top," she continued. "I want to stay locked in on the present and give my best effort every time."
Asked what she thinks awaits her at the end of her process, An smiled and said, "My happiness."
"I will keep pushing myself and challenging myself to get to that point," she said. "That is what keeps me going."
An Se-young of South Korea kisses her gold medal won in the women's singles badminton event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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