France enjoyed a historic day at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi as Alex Lanier and the mixed doubles pair of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue claimed landmark world titles.
Gicquel and Delrue became France’s first-ever badminton World champions, defeating top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping of China in the mixed doubles final.
The history continued in men’s singles as 21-year-old Alex Lanier stunned Japan’s Kodai Naraoka, winning the final 21-11, 21-11 in just 50 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.
Lanier, who had already made a name for himself by winning the European Championships as a teenager, produced a dominant performance against the 10th seed. His pace, physical strength and aggressive play left Naraoka with little room to respond.
The victory adds a World Championships gold to Lanier’s 2026 Singapore Open title and extends his perfect record in finals this year.
For France, it was a day that marked a new chapter in the country’s badminton history.
Source: INDIA TODAY
