French badminton pair breaks European VM gold drought in doubles

A French mixed doubles pair has ended a 17-year European drought for gold medals at the World Badminton Championships. Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, seeded fifth, secured the title by defeating the top-seeded Chinese pair, Yan She Feng and Dong Ping Huang.

The final was a closely contested three-set match, with the French duo ultimately prevailing with scores of 22-20, 19-21, and 21-15. This victory represents a historic moment for French badminton, marking the country's first-ever gold medal at the World Championships.

European nations had not won a gold medal in any doubles category at the World Championships since 2009. That year, Danish players Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter-Juhl claimed the mixed doubles title. The French win signifies a significant achievement in breaking the long-standing dominance of Asian players in badminton doubles at the world level.

There is potential for France to add to its medal tally, as Alex Lanier is also competing for gold in the men's singles final later on Sunday.