'Heartbreaking Comeback Loss → South Korea's Gold Medal': Even China Admired the Unprecedented Fighting Spirit — "The Difference in Mental Strength Decided the Match… A Defeat Without Shame" [Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games]

*This content was translated by AI.

Even China was left speechless by the mental strength of South Korean athletes. The iron-willed spirit that defended the court until the very last moment decided the outcome.

Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na, ranked second in the world in women's badminton doubles, won the gold medal with a 2-1 (26-28, 21-18, 21-18) comeback victory over the world No. 1 pair of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning (China) in the women's doubles final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held on the 29th at the Ichinomiya City Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

It has been a remarkable achievement for South Korean women's doubles to reach the top of the Asian Games podium for the first time in 24 years, since the pair of Ra Kyung-min and Lee Kyung-won at the 2002 Busan Games.

Chinese media also focused intently on this match. The local outlet "Sohu.com" reported immediately after the game, "The No. 1 seed Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning pair suffered a 1-2 comeback loss to South Korea's Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee pair despite playing through injury in the women's doubles final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games," adding, "China's bid for a third consecutive Asian Games title in women's doubles and their ninth overall victory was thwarted."

The outlet detailed, "Liu Shengshu, who was already carrying an injury, injured her leg while diving to defend during a 18-18 tie in the third game, leaving her unable to stand," and "After brief treatment, she endured on her knees until the end but eventually collapsed, exiting the court receiving stretcher-level care after the match."

Reactions from Chinese fans were mixed following the crushing defeat. In the comment section of "Sohu.com," local netizens offered encouragement to the young players who competed with injuries, saying, "My heart was torn seeing them receive shuttles until the very end even while sitting on the floor" and "Although we lost, it was a match without shame."

However, some voices were critical, stating, "Injury is just part of the game and cannot be an excuse," and "The injury was self-inflicted by reckless defense, and there was a lack of mental strength and decisiveness at crucial moments."

The desperate fighting spirit of the players who endured injuries with their entire bodies decided the match. After losing the first game 26-28 in a tight deuce battle, South Korea took the second game 21-18 to level the score.

In the decisive third game, South Korea also faced a crisis. The eldest sister Lee So-hee complained of cramps and pain in the back muscle of her right thigh during the match. However, Lee So-hee continued to dive for defense while limping, and Baek Ha-na covered the court widely, burning with determination. At the crucial 18-18 moment, while the opposing Liu Shengshu collapsed due to severe leg pain, South Korea maintained its focus until the end, calmly scoring three consecutive points to put a period on the blood battle with a 21-18 victory.

After the match, Baek Ha-na said, "My sister's effort to squeeze out her last bit of strength was the driving force behind our victory," and performed a celebration where she carried Lee So-hee on her back. Lee So-hee also smiled broadly, saying, "My thigh muscle pulled up, but I endured as much as possible. Today we played a 120-point match."

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*This content was translated by AI.