Source:REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
[Saba Sports News] On February 5, 2026, the Badminton Asian Team Championships continued in Qingdao, Shandong. Olympic champion and South Korean badminton star An Se-young celebrated her 24th birthday on the court, marking her first birthday in China. On that day, the South Korean women’s team faced their final opponent in the group stage, the Chinese Taipei team, where An Se-young won against Chiu Pin-Chian with a score of 2:0. After the match, she enjoyed the joy of victory amid the crowd’s blessings. In an interview, she expressed that spending her birthday during a competition was a very special and unforgettable moment for her. When discussing her personal goals for 2026, she stated that she hoped to maintain the good form from last year, achieve even better results, and stay healthy to successfully complete all competitions. Finally, An Se-young said “Happy New Year” in Chinese, offering her New Year blessings to Chinese fans. Throughout her career, An Se-young has participated in two Badminton Asian Team Championships, first competing at age 16 in 2018 and finishing third, and then winning second place in the 2020 event. This is her third participation, leading the South Korean women’s team in their challenge for the championship.