China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang captured the silver medal in the men’s doubles badminton event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, marking a significant milestone for the nation. Despite their strong start, winning the opening game 21-19, the Chinese duo could not sustain their lead against Indonesia’s Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando. The Indonesian pair fought back to win the second game 21-13 and clinched the gold with a 21-18 victory in the deciding game.
This achievement represents China’s first appearance in the Asian Games men’s doubles final in 36 years. The last Chinese team to reach this stage was Li Yongbo and Tian Bingyi, who secured gold at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. Liang and Wang, who entered the competition as reigning world champions after their victory at the World Championships in August, had previously defeated Indonesian opponents in both the Asian Games men’s team final and the men’s doubles semifinal.
Despite the defeat in the final, Wang Chang expressed optimism about their future, stating that they remain determined to pursue gold at upcoming major competitions. Their performance in Aichi-Nagoya adds to China’s strong overall showing in badminton at the Asian Games.
In addition to the men’s doubles silver, China concluded the badminton events with gold medals in the women’s team and mixed doubles categories, as well as silver medals in the men’s team and women’s doubles events. These results underscore China’s continued strength and competitiveness in the sport on the Asian stage.