China claim four of five main awards at Badminton World Federation’s 2024 gala ceremony
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China's Shi Yuqi had a breakthrough season in which he attained the world No. 1 ranking for the first time.
PHOTO: AFP
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HANGZHOU – China were the big winners at the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) 2024 awards ceremony, claiming four of the five main categories at a gala dinner in Hangzhou on Dec 9.
The only major accolade to elude them was the Female Player of the Year, which went to South Korea’s world No. 1 An Se-young for a second year running.
The 22-year-old, who won the Paris Olympic gold and four BWF World Tour titles this season, claimed the prestigious year-end accolade ahead of Indonesia’s Gregoria Tunjung and China’s Wang Zhiyi and Han Yue.
But China’s Shi Yuqi was named the Male Player of the Year while his compatriots swept the doubles’ awards – Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang (men’s doubles), Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning (women’s doubles) and Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping (mixed doubles).
Shi had a breakthrough season in which he attained the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, helped China win the Thomas Cup and also won four BWF World Tour titles.
He pipped a strong field which included Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen and Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and Anders Antonsen.
Shi said: “I feel good because this is recognition for my year’s worth of hard work. I was more spirited this year and performed better, especially in team events. I was determined (to do well) and I achieved good results.”
While Axelsen retained his Olympic title at Paris 2024, he had won only twice on the BWF Tour this season.
The world No. 3, who had pulled out of the Dec 11-15 BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou due to a left foot injury, recently took issue with the world governing body’s response to his withdrawal.
The defending champion shared on X that BWF had asked for his medical documents in order to waive the US$5,000 (S$6,700) penalty for not competing in the US$2.5 million tournament, adding that he gets fined anyway whenever he sent his medical documents when he was unwell previously.
But last season’s Male Player of the Year did not end up empty-handed, even though he was not at the ceremony.
He emerged as the male winner of the new Players’ Player of the Year award, which is voted by fellow players. An was the female winner.
In a pre-recorded video, Axelsen thanked his peers for voting for him, adding: “It means a lot to me.”
The Eddy Choong Rising Star award for Under-21 players, previously known as the Most Promising Player Award, went to Frenchman Alex Lanier.
The 19-year-old, who won the Japan Open for his biggest title, had also beaten the likes of Shi, Chou (twice) and Malaysia’s Paris Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia this season.
World No. 8 Lee will be hoping to end his season on a high at the World Tour Finals, which takes place at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.
The men’s singles competition is wide open, following Axelsen’s withdrawal.
The Dane’s spot in Group A will be taken by China’s Asian Games champion Li Shifeng (world No. 6), who will be facing Antonsen (No. 2), Chou (No. 9) and Lee.
In Group B, Shi will take on Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie (No. 4) Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn (No. 5) and Japan’s Kodai Naraoka (No. 7).
In the women’s singles, An is in Group B with China’s Han (No. 8), Thailand’s Supanida Katethong (No. 10) and Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi (No. 4). Group A comprises China’s Wang (No. 2), Indonesian Tunjung (No. 6), Aya Ohori (No. 9) of Japan and Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan (No. 12).
Retired legends and former Olympic champions Chen Long from China and Lee Yong-dae from South Korea were inducted into the BWF Hall of Fame.
