The world of badminton was shocked when the “Empress of Badminton” Ahn Se-young (22, Samsung Life Insurance) lashed out at the Korea Badminton Association after winning a gold medal. Ahn must have been so frustrated with the federation that she decided to spill the beans on what should have been a festive occasion.
The world No. 1 won the women’s singles badminton gold medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) victory over world No. 9 He Bingjiao of China at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris, France, at 5:55 p.m. KST.
It was South Korea’s first gold medal in badminton singles in 28 years, since Soo Hyun Suh at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Ahn finally won her first medal, a gold, in her second Olympic Games. Ahn first competed at Tokyo 2020 at the age of 19, where she lost in the quarterfinals to Chen Yuefei (CHN). But this time was different. Ahn led He Bingzhao 8-5 in the head-to-head series before this match, and she made it 9-5 with the win. Ahn is now just one Asian title away from a Grand Slam, having won the World Championships, Asian Games, and Olympic Games.
Ahn rattled He Bingzhao with her light touch from game one. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, Ahn faltered in the first game and eventually dropped the first game. “I was nervous,” Ahn said after the semifinal. However, this time was different. She didn’t give up much of a lead from game one and went into the first break with an 11-9 lead. She then took full control of the game, extending the lead to three points at 15-12, and won the game 21-13.
In game two, Ahn kept her nerves on edge and pushed her opponent hard. Ahn’s high clears and sharp hairpins left He Bingzhao running out of steam. At 2-2, after a long rally, Ahn finally won the point, sending the Korean fans in the stadium into a frenzy. Despite allowing a 5-5 tie, Ahn went into a one-minute break with an 11-7 lead. However, the break worked in He Bingzhao’s favor, as she scored back-to-back points to tie the game at 11-11. But Ahn was Ahn. She regained her focus and made it 14-11, eventually taking the next two games to win the game 2-0 and finally coronate the emperor.
However, shortly after winning the gold medal, Ahn dropped a bombshell when she spoke to the press, saying, “I’m a little disappointed in my team,” and “I think it will be hard to continue with them after this moment.”
On the eve of her 28th gold medal in the women’s singles badminton event, Ahn Se-young made a statement that took us back in time to June 26th. Ahn was attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games media day at the Jincheon Athletes Village in Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea, where she shared her thoughts and preparations for the Games. When asked about the exact condition of her knee, Ahn said, “I’ll tell you everything after the Olympics.” At the time, it seemed like she was trying to prove that she could actually compete at the Olympics rather than use an injury excuse, but in hindsight, it seems like she had a lot of resentment toward the federation.
Ahn suffered a thigh injury at the Indian Open earlier this year. She then lost in the quarterfinals at the Jeon Young 해외 카지노 사이트 Open in March. However, Ahn has since made a full recovery. She won the Singapore Open in June and then finished runner-up at the Indonesia Open. At the time, she said, “I think I’ve proven everything so that there will be no more talk about my injury. Now I’m just focusing on preparing for the Paris Olympics. I would say I’m at 80% because I’ve been training very hard. I’m going to make it to 100% when the Olympics come,” and she lived up to her expectations with a gold medal.
“When I couldn’t get up after the Asian Games because of my injury, I was really fighting, crying, and getting annoyed with Soo Soo Han and Coach Ronnie Augustinus, but I think it was a moment when I realized that it wasn’t in vain, and those are the moments I remember the most,” Ahn said in the Mix Zone interview with the press after the gold medal ceremony.
“My knee, I want to tell you that I almost got hated by a lot of people because of you,” Ahn laughed, referring to her knee condition. “I was afraid of every moment, and I was worried a lot. I couldn’t breathe, and I had to endure some difficult moments, and then this moment came when I could breathe and cheer, and I couldn’t be happier. I think I endured it for this moment,” she said.
“Actually, my injury was more serious than I thought,” Ahn said of her knee injury. This (knee injury) could not come out,” she said, “and I was a little disappointed with the national team for being so complacent.”
Ahn continued, “However, Ms. Soo Jung really cared a lot about my dreams and made me continue to go through difficult moments, so I feel very sorry for her. I just think it would be hard for me to continue with the national team after this moment,” she said, hinting at her retirement from the national team. When asked by the reporters if she was retiring from the national team, Ahn said, “I’ll have to talk about it, but I’m very disappointed.” She revealed her feelings.
The reason for Ahn’s decision was revealed at the official press conference after the game, which was attended by foreign media. It was a snipe at the federation. At the press conference, Ahn continued her bombshell remarks. “I’m really disappointed in them (the federation) because of my injury. I can’t forget that moment. From the moment I was misdiagnosed, I kept playing through it. My condition got worse at the end of last year, but I persevered, and my trainer helped me get to this point.” “I don’t know what the federation will do for me in the future. As long as I can play badminton, I can endure everything,” she said.
“I think it’s unfair that you can’t play the Olympics just because you leave the national team,” Ahn said, “I don’t think you should be stripped of your privileges. Singles and doubles are very different. But the federation has a tendency to block everything and be lax in the name of freedom. I think Korean badminton can make more progress, but with only one gold medal in this tournament, I think it’s time for the federation to reflect,” he said.
According to the badminton industry, Ahn had been complaining of knee pain since 2022, but continued to compete, including at the Hangzhou Asian Games. It is believed that Ahn has been in conflict with the federation for a long time. Ahn was diagnosed with a partially torn ACL after a second opinion before the Olympics. However, she played through the pain and eventually won the gold medal. After winning the gold medal, Ahn released her pent-up emotions. Ahn’s bombshell remarks have become a portrait of the Korean Badminton Association. The organization has yet to issue an official statement.