Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn spilt blood, sweat and eventually tears as he turned badminton world champion after an attritional 19-21, 21-18, 21-7 victory over Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in Copenhagen. The 22-year-old world quantity three, who was runner-up a 12 months in the past, is the primary Thai to win the lads’s singles title on the World Championships. World quantity 4 Naraoka, additionally 22, put Kunlavut by way of an excruciating match of marathon rallies that lasted 109 minutes on Sunday — one of many longest males’s singles matches ever.

Kunlavut’s blood needed to be wiped off the court docket a number of occasions as he threw himself round to maintain the shuttle alive in a collection of prolonged rallies.

“I’m very happy, this has been a dream for me since I was a child,” mentioned an emotional Kunlavut.

“When I was young I’d promised my coach that I would get the gold medal. He passed away and I dedicate this gold medal to him.

“I had three targets once I was younger — Olympic Games, world championships and All England (championships). Now I’ve achieved a type of, so two are left.”

It was the second longest world championships men’s singles final, eclipsed only by the 124-minute epic between China’s Sun Jun and Denmark’s Peter Rasmussen in the inaugural world championships in 1977.

“I wanted to be ready for an extended match with Kodai,” added Kunlavut.

“We know one another’s sport as a result of now we have performed since our junior days. You must be very affected person with him and it was very tiring, so I did not have any vitality left to have a good time.”

South Korea’s world number one An Se-young enjoyed a more straightforward march to the women’s singles title when she beat Spain’s Carolina Marin 21-12, 21-10 in the final.

The top seed, who becomes South Korea’s first women’s world champion in the 46-year history of the event, sped to the title in just 42 minutes.

“I’m the champion. I’m so completely happy as we speak,” An said.

“I believe I performed effectively as we speak as a result of I loved myself on the market. I had a lot enjoyable.”

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