[Anchor]
World-dominant South Korean badminton player An Se-young has achieved a back-to-back Asian Games gold medal, a feat accomplished by no one before her. Solidifying her status as the greatest player in history once again, An flashed a bright smile and said, "I want to have a glass of beer tonight."
Reporter Yu Byeongmin has the story from the venue.
[Reporter]
In the final against world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi, An Se-young initially conceded control early in the first game to her opponent's quick attacks.
However, An's time trailing did not last long.
She continuously lofted the shuttlecock to every corner of the court, forcing Yamaguchi to run relentlessly and exhaust her stamina, while easily turning the tables with sharp smashes whenever an opening appeared.
Having closed out the first game 21-17, An faced a fierce counterattack from Yamaguchi early in the second game. After getting hit in the face by the shuttlecock, she came back even stronger.
Even when Yamaguchi repeatedly hammered down smashes, An effortlessly returned them and tapped the shuttlecock into open spaces on the court, leaving Yamaguchi frustrated.
When Yamaguchi's final attack went out, securing a 2-0 victory, An celebrated her historic second consecutive Asian Games title with her signature roar, fully savoring the joy of the win.
[An Se-young/National Badminton Team Member, Asian Games : It is truly crazy. The feeling is crazy, too. The taste of victory seems even better the more you experience it, which makes me want to keep experiencing it over and over again.]
Playing a total of just 180 minutes across five matches in the tournament and completing a "flawless victory" without dropping a single game, An smiled brightly and embraced her parents at the venue, saying that for today, she believes she truly is the greatest player of all time.
[An Se-young/National Badminton Team Member, Asian Games : Today, I think I'll enjoy the title of GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Honestly, I haven't had a single glass of namak-biru (draft beer) since coming to Japan. My family and I are going to enjoy a fun little party.]
No one could stop her.
An Se-young proved her qualifications as the greatest player in history, putting a spectacular finale to the tournament.
(Camera Reporter: Yang Doo-won | Video Editor: Lee Jae-sung | Designer: Kang Yoon-jung)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.