Taipei: Taiwanese badminton stars Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan clinched the bronze medal in men's doubles at the 2026 BWF World Championships, following a semifinal defeat to a formidable Chinese duo. This achievement marks a significant milestone, as it matches Taiwan's best-ever result in the event.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lee and Yang, ranked 17th globally, were the only unseeded team to reach the men's doubles semifinals. They faced a challenging match against world No. 3 pair Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang from China, ultimately losing 21-18, 21-14. Despite the defeat, their semifinal appearance equaled the record set by Taiwanese pair Chen Hung-ling and Wang Chi-lin in 2018.
During the match, Lee and Yang initially kept the score close in the first game but were unable to maintain momentum as their Chinese counterparts surged ahead. The Chinese team's power and speed proved difficult to counter, leaving Lee and Yang trailing in both games. Yang noted that their opponents' strong serves and returns disrupted their defensive plays.
Following the match, Lee expressed satisfaction with the bronze medal but mentioned that they felt a better performance might have secured a spot in the final. Their coach, Chen Hung-ling, remarked on the importance of their breakthrough and anticipated that it would bolster their confidence for the upcoming Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, later this year.