Kunlavut first Thai man to win Asian Games badminton singles gold

Kunlavut Vitidsarn made history as Thailand's first Asian Games men's badminton singles champion when he defeated Singapore's Loh Kean Yew with a score of 21-12, 21-16 in the final held on Tuesday. The former world champion showcased his exceptional skills in Nagoya, overwhelming Loh, who became the first player from Singapore to reach an Asian Games final.

This victory marked Kunlavut's first singles title since winning the Malaysia Open in January following several near misses this year. The Thai player took an early lead in the first game, held onto it in the second, while Loh fought back to reclaim the momentum, eventually succumbing to Kunlavut's dominance. China did not secure any medal in the men's singles category.

Notably, the defending champion Li Shifeng and former world number one Shi Yuqi both exited early in Nagoya. On the women's side, South Korea's world number one An Se-young claimed the title by defeating Japan's Akane Yamaguchi with a score of 21-17, 21-9 in the final.