Jayce
On August 3, at the Paris Olympics, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan won the women’s doubles badminton final, defeating their teammates Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning with scores of 22-20 and 21-15. This victory follows their silver medal from the previous Olympics and marks a historic gold medal in Paris. In the first game, Chen and Jia made a remarkable comeback from 16-20 to 22-20. This is the first time in 20 years, since the 2004 Athens Olympics, that the Chinese team has secured both gold and silver in women’s doubles.
With this victory, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan have completed the Grand Slam in women’s doubles badminton. In the Tokyo Olympics, they lost to the Indonesian pair Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu in the final, finishing as runners-up. After three years of hard work, the “Fanchen” duo finally achieved their most precious gold medal in Paris.
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, along with Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, gave exclusive interviews after the match.
Jia Yifan revealed that before heading to the Paris Olympics, she had a high fever for four days and was diagnosed with pneumonia. She admitted to feeling anxious and helpless during the week she was hospitalized but credited Chen Qingchen’s unwavering belief and support for helping her through. “Going into the final, I felt more composed. I would have been happy with a second place because it would have still been a hard-earned achievement. This time, the mood was calmer compared to the previous final.”
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan have been partners since 2014, marking a decade-long journey together. During the Paris Olympic cycle, they won gold medals at the World Championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023, culminating in their 2024 Olympic gold. Chen joked, “Winning a championship takes ten years,” to which Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, standing beside them, were taken aback. The “Fanchen” duo quickly added, “But it will be different for you two. You don’t need ten years!”
Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning reached the final in their Olympic debut, securing a silver medal with a promising future ahead. Liu Shengshu remarked, “The Paris Olympics felt like a dream. I look forward to the next cycle!”
