Shi Yuqi plays at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo on April 12. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Shi Yuqi, a badminton player from Nantong, Jiangsu province, triumphed after a 42-minute battle at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on April 12, winning his first men's singles title at the event.

This victory marks his first international and continental gold medal of the season. It was Shi's fifth appearance at the Badminton Asia Championships, with his previous best result being a runner-up finish in 2019.

Notably, this is the first time in 41 years that a badminton player from Nantong has won the men's singles title at the Badminton Asia Championships, and the first time since 2017 that a Chinese male badminton player has claimed the title.

In the first game of the final, Shi's aggressive attack strategy proved highly effective, allowing him to win the game with a score of 21-8. In the second game, his opponent, India's dark horse Ayush Shetty, showcased his powerful play, and briefly took the lead. However, at a critical moment, Shi adjusted his tactics, improved the precision of his shots and minimized his opponent's chances to attack. This allowed him to level the score at 8-8. Following that, he continued to widen the gap, securing the victory with a 21-10 win.

Since 2018, Shi has secured major titles at seven premier competitions, including the All England Open, BWF World Tour Finals, the Indonesia Open, the Malaysia Open, the China Open, the BWF Badminton World Championships and the Badminton Asia Championships. The only titles left missing from his quest for a career grand slam are Olympic Games and Asian Games gold medals.