China's Weng Hongyang hits a return against Indonesia's Jonatan Christie during their men's singles final at the South Korea Open Badminton Championships, April 10, 2022. /CFP
China's Weng Hongyang, the biggest dark horse at the BWF South Korea Open, upset world No. 8 Jonatan Christie from Indonesia to claim the men's singles title on Sunday.
This is the first time that a Chinese shuttler wins a gold medal in the men's singles at the world stage in three years.
The world No. 156 Chinese took a hard-won victory, 12-21, 21-19, 21-15, over the 2022 Swiss Open champion Christie.
The 22-year-old from Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, joined the national team in March 2018 without much international competition experience.
He started the journey at the tournament as a substitute but became the only Chinese advancing into the semifinals.
China's Weng Hongyang celebrates his victory over Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in their men's singles final match at the South Korea Open Badminton Championships, April 10, 2022. /CFP
Local favorite and the tournament's second seed An Se-young beat sixth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand in the women's singles final after the South Korean won in two straight games, 21-17, 21-18.
The women's doubles crown went to South Korea's seventh seeds Jeong Na-eun and Kim Hye-jeong, who swept eighth seeds Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard of Thailand 21-16, 21-12.
Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea became the men's doubles champions by commanding Indonesia's fourth seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 19-21, 21-15, 21-18.
Malaysia's second seeds Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing won the mixed doubles title by smashing South Korea's fourth seeds Ko Sung-hyun and Eom Hye-won 21-15, 21-18.
(With input from Xinhua)