Victor Lai of Canada secured the men’s singles bronze medal for the second consecutive time at the badminton world championships held on Saturday. The 21-year-old athlete, hailing from Markham, Ontario, and seeded seventh, faced a defeat in the semifinals against European champion Alex Lanier from France with a score of 16-21, 21-13, 21-14 at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi.
In the badminton world championships, both semifinalists who do not progress to the final are awarded bronze medals. Lai made history last year by claiming Canada’s inaugural medal at a badminton world championship after defeating 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the quarterfinals in Paris. This year, he overcame Loh in the round of 16 and then triumphed over Rasmus Gemke from Denmark in the quarterfinals to secure his second world championship medal.
Over the past year, Lai’s impressive performance has seen him rise from 50th to seventh in the world rankings, showcasing his dedication and skill in the sport.
