'Inevitably, An Se-young will win the championship': The overwhelming 'No. 1' who erased even variables... The history of the miraculous 'GOAT by discipline'

*This content was translated by AI.

There is a saying that in badminton, all other players compete against each other until An Se-young (24, Samsung Life) ultimately wins the championship. As she prepares to compete at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, An Se-young is rewriting history in world badminton.

Three years ago, despite limping in the final, An Se-young defeated her 'arch-enemy' Chen Yufei (China) and held a magnificent coronation ceremony. At this tournament, she aims to challenge the all-time record of 46 major titles.

With an astonishing record of 49 wins and 1 loss this season, boasting a winning percentage of 98%, she is demonstrating the dignity of being the overwhelming 'No. 1'. She plans to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Susi Susanti of Indonesia, who is regarded as badminton's GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), by matching her record of 46 major title wins.

Despite continuing her career with injuries to her right knee and left foot since the Hangzhou Games, no rival has emerged for An Se-young. She overwhelms competitors in extreme cardiovascular endurance, explosive power, tactical judgment, and racket control. In particular, her 'swamp defense,' which can withstand any attack based on her supreme physical condition, frustrates opponents; adding offensive prowess to this, she reigns as an flawless No. 1. Her young age, still in her mid-20s, is a major reason why An Se-young is already being hailed as a GOAT.

While there have been GOATs in each sport—Babe Ruth in baseball, Pelé in soccer, and Michael Jordan in basketball—the fact that she is forging history in an environment where it has become increasingly difficult to maintain overwhelming advantages over competitors through sports science, particularly in nutritional, genetic aspects, and data analysis, evokes even greater admiration. Her achievements, made by shedding thicker drops of sweat than others despite countless frustrations against rivals, deserve our applause for her efforts.

The word 'overwhelming' is difficult to use in sports. Especially in relative sports, upsets can occur at any time depending on psychological factors, matchups, and daily condition. It is precisely this unpredictability that makes sports more attractive and delivers emotion when results defy expectations.

That is why those who have reached a position where no one can catch them through relentless effort beyond others, innate talent, and thorough analysis are praised even more. Those who overcome numerous variables, remain unsatisfied at the pinnacle, and continue to develop endlessly are etching their names in sports history.

The most dominant player in world history is considered to be wrestler Alexander Karelin (59, Russia). Born as a massive 5.5kg baby, his unbelievable career of 887 wins and 2 losses speaks for itself. Having achieved the feat of three consecutive Olympic gold medals and nine World Championship titles, he was the 'God of Wrestling' himself, who did not concede a single point to any opponent for six consecutive years. This means he made no mistakes even once on the tense international stage during that period. The Russian wrestling hero is currently active as a politician.

Another hero is American track and field legend Edwin Moses (71). In the 400m hurdles, from 1977 for ten years, he never relinquished the top spot, winning 122 consecutive races. This is an even more astonishing result because it is a sport where a single momentary mistake can change the outcome due to the need for speed and clearing hurdles. He broke the world record four times, making him the GOAT of track and field with no one but himself as a rival.

In team sports, Wayne Gretzky (65, Canada) of the North American Ice Hockey League (NHL) cannot be overlooked. He was the first to break 1,000 points in the NHL at the fastest pace and later added another 1,000 points even faster. With a career total of 2,857 points, he is considered a player who left a record that will practically never be broken, standing nearly 1,000 points ahead of second place.

There were also shining domestic players. Wrestler Sim Kwon-ho (54) cannot be excluded. Having reached the pinnacle in the Greco-Roman 48kg class at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he had to move up to the 54kg class when that weight category was abolished, yet he overcame this and also reached the top at the 2000 Sydney Games. He lifted opponents larger than himself onto the mat with ease, leaving behind a history that transcended human limits by achieving a grand slam in two weight classes.

Figure skating 'Queen' Kim Yuna (36) cannot be omitted when discussing GOATs. She achieved the first-ever all-around victory in 100 years of figure skating history and never once missed the medal podium in any competition she entered. Having set a world record with 228.56 points at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, she is evaluated as having opened a new horizon in figure skating history. Although she delivered an overwhelming performance at the 2014 Sochi Games, she was pushed to silver medal by a Russian host nation player due to an inexplicable judging decision, leaving the top spot but still receiving the title of 'Queen.'

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*This content was translated by AI.