Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue were crowned world champions in mixed doubles badminton on Sunday, August 23, in New Delhi, India, becoming the first French pair to win the title. Hours later, Alex Lanier added a second historic result for French badminton by winning the men's singles world championship.
Gicquel and Delrue, partners for about ten years, beat the world's top-ranked pair, China's Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping, in three sets, 22-20, 19-21, 21-15.
A Breakthrough Against China
The French pair had lost all four of their previous meetings with the Chinese duo. This time they controlled most of the match, which opened with a tight battle between two pairs who barely let each other pull away.
Speaking to the French Badminton Federation after singing the French national anthem, Gicquel said it was extraordinary, that they were on top of the world, and that he was extremely proud.
The day before, the pair had already beaten another Chinese duo, Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin, to reach the final. Gicquel said he thought of himself as a boy watching two Chinese flags and telling himself they were now above them, adding that 15 years ago French badminton could not have dreamed of such a moment.
The pair had also been crowned European champions in 2024. Delrue said they had lived through a great deal together over ten years with Gicquel, and that reaching this point felt incredible.
Lanier Makes History in Singles
Delrue also said she had enjoyed being the one to win first, adding that they knew Lanier, competing later that day, wanted to win too and that they could feel it.
She was right. Lanier beat Japan's Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in the men's singles final, becoming the first Frenchman to win a world singles title in badminton.
Lanier had not qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but rose rapidly in French badminton over the following two years. In 2024 he became the first Frenchman to win a Super 750 tournament on the circuit, a level equivalent to a Masters 1000 in tennis.
Against Naraoka, ranked 11th in the world, the 21-year-old Lanier fought hard early on before winning the first set comfortably. He remained calm and dominant in the second set to seal the win without difficulty.
A Landmark Day for the Sport
Lanier, who was born in Caen, also became the first player to win the European singles title last year, adding to an already strong record. The two victories in New Delhi mark the first time French badminton has reached this level in either mixed doubles or men's singles at a world championship.
