An Exhausting Epic Battle... Golden Smash Over China

[Anchor]

In the badminton women's doubles final, Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na secured a comeback victory against world number one China. Following an intense showdown that left all players collapsing on the court, they claimed the women's doubles gold medal for the first time in 24 years.

Reporter Pyeon Gwanghyeon has the story.

[Reporter]

A masterclass worthy of a final between the world's top two rankings unfolded.

Facing the world number one Chinese pair of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na conceded the first game after an astonishing seven deuces, but they did not waver.

Displaying their solid teamwork built over nearly four years, they claimed the second game to level the match.

Then came the fateful final game.

Trailing 11-10, they faced a major crisis when Lee So-hee collapsed while defending, appearing to suffer from leg cramps. However, Lee So-hee got back up and Baek Ha-na ran that extra mile to keep the tight contest alive until the very end.

Next, it was the opponents' turn to face trouble.

As we tied the score at 18-18, China's Liu Shengshu collapsed clutching her leg.

With both teams physically exhausted, Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na dug deep for one final burst of concentration, winning three consecutive points to seal the victory.

After an exhausting battle lasting over an hour and 50 minutes, all four players collapsed onto the court.

Washing away the disappointment of the silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games held three years ago, Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na captured South Korea's first women's doubles gold medal in 24 years. After comforting Liu Shengshu, who received treatment for quite some time, they reveled in their joy with their signature piggyback celebration.

[Baek Ha-na / National Badminton Team : We had an opportunity back in Hangzhou as well, and now that it has been delayed by another three to four years, it feels like we broke that record. I think it's such an honor, and I'm just thrilled.]

[Lee So-hee / National Badminton Team : Among the four of us, I think cramps started coming up in my rear thigh first. Honestly, quite literally, the only thought on my mind was, let's just endure this.]

Following the World Championships last month, the pair of Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na defeated the same opponents once again to claim a major title, cementing their status as the new powerhouses.

[Lee So-hee / National Badminton Team : (Is the gold medal heavy?) It is very heavy.]

[Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee / National Badminton Team : Fighting!]

(Video Journalist: Yang Du-won | Video Editor: Park Jung-sam | Design: Park Tae-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.