Asian Games in Nagoya: Kunlavut Vitidsarn wins Thailand's first men's singles gold
On 29 September 2026 the Thai player beat Singapore's Loh Kean Yew 21-12, 21-16 in the final in Ichinomiya, ending a 64-year wait.
The final
Kunlavut "View" Vitidsarn won the men's singles gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Tuesday 29 September 2026, beating Singapore's Loh Kean Yew 21-12, 21-16 at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, according to The Star and The Nation. The Nation describes the first game as level at 8-8 before Kunlavut pulled away to 12-8 and 19-12, and the second as level at 13-13 before he led 18-15.
What is historic
Both papers call it Thailand's first Asian Games men's singles badminton gold. The Star adds that Thailand had waited 64 years for an individual badminton gold at the Games and that this was its first gold in any individual event; The Nation says Thailand's previous best in the discipline was a bronze in 1970. The Star also notes that Loh became the first Singaporean to reach an Asian Games final.
The road to the final
In the semi-final Kunlavut beat Indonesia's Alwi Farhan 21-13, 21-15, The Nation reports. The Star says he had earlier helped Thailand win the men's team bronze, its first team medal since Guangzhou 2010.
Why it matters
For Thai fans it is the first title of this kind at a major multi-sport Games. The Star also reports that Indonesia's Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly won the men's doubles the same day, 19-21, 21-13, 21-13 against China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang; we have that from one paper only.