Holding Denmark's national flag over his head, Viktor Axelsen celebrated his victory after retaining his Olympics men's badminton singles title at Paris 2024 on Monday.
Gold medalist Viktor Axelsen of Denmark poses for photos after the victory ceremony of badminton men's singles at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Aug. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai)
Axelsen, the only non-Asian badminton medalist at the Games, defeated Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-11, 21-11 in the final.
The No. 2 seed won all three group matches before seeing off Singapore's 10th seed Loh Kean Yew in the quarterfinal and India's rising star Lakshya Sen to set up the final showdown against 23-year-old world champion Vitidsarn.
"I felt a lot of pressure during the match," Vitidsarn admitted, attributing his errors to the challenge of facing Axelsen in the final.
After defeating his friend Loh, an emotional Axelsen shed tears in an interview and expressed satisfaction with his performance, calling it a "big game changer."
"I'm very happy about the performance. I played very confidently, followed a good game plan, and executed everything I wanted to do. So I'm very happy and proud," he said.
The 30-year-old Dane broke a six-month title drought in May by winning the 2024 Malaysia Masters, setting the tone for his Olympic success. Among the older shuttlers at Paris 2024, Axelsen has adjusted his style, focusing more on defense and less on back-court kills. His 1.94m frame, initially a source of frustration, became an asset as he honed his skills.
Taking up badminton at the age of six, he overcame the limitations often perceived by others and rose to be one of the best in a sport typically dominated by Asian players. His victory over defending champion Chen Long in Tokyo made him the first non-Asian men's singles champion since fellow Dane Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen in 1996.
In addition to his Tokyo triumph, Axelsen's accolades include two world championships, three European championships, and over 100 consecutive weeks as world No. 1.
His second Olympic gold cements his legacy, making him only the second player, after China's Lin Dan, to win consecutive Olympic titles in men's singles.
Axelsen, who speaks fluent Chinese, often shares his training and life experiences with Chinese fans, showing his connection to a nation where badminton is well received.
Reflecting on his achievements, Axelsen acknowledged Lin Dan as his idol. "When Lin Dan won his second Olympic title, I couldn't imagine such a thing happening to me. His title defense also gave me motivation," he said after he repeated Lin's feat.
