Athletes compete in the mixed doubles final of the 'Li-Ning Vietnam International Series 2026' badminton tournament hosted by Bắc Ninh City. — Photos coutersy of Bắc Ninh's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism

BẮC NINH — The northern city of Bắc Ninh recently hosted the 'Li-Ning Vietnam International Series 2026' badminton tournament, which attracted nearly 300 athletes from 25 countries and territories.

Authorised by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the tournament featured competition in five categories: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles, conducted under a knockout format.

At the city's sports hall, the back-and-forth scoring and hard-fought matches right up to the final moments demonstrated the event's high level of competition.

No match ended in straight sets as players constantly drove their competitors to bring out their best to secure victory in the deciding set.

In the women's singles final, the match between Thai players Tidapron Kleebyeesun and Sarunrak Vitidsarn was a thrilling contest. After three sets, Tidapron Kleebyeesun emerged victorious with a 2-1 score, claiming the gold medal.

In the mixed doubles final, the pair Ko Shing Hei and Hung Ho Yan (from Hong Kong, China) faced Lim Su Min and Kim Hye Rin (South Korea). The match was a tight battle that required a third set to determine the winner. Ultimately, Lim Su Min and Kim Hye Rin won 2-1.

In the men's singles event, Dhruv Negi (India) faced Lee Yun Gyu (South Korea). After three sets, the Indian player won 2-1 and claimed the top spot on the podium.

The winner and runner-up of the men's singles receive their awards.

The women's doubles final between Ji Young Bin and Lee Ye Na (South Korea) and Tidapron Kleebyeesun and Nattamon Laisuan (Thailand) was fiercely contested. After a close battle over the first two sets, the Thai pair won the deciding set, securing a 2-1 overall victory and the gold medal.

In the men's doubles final, Choi Sol Gyu and Lim Su Min (South Korea) faced Njoto Michelangelo and Yu Zhirui Jerry (Hong Kong, China). Following the pattern of the four preceding finals, the match went to a deciding third set, with the South Korean pair of Choi Sol Gyu and Lim Su Min ultimately securing a 2-1 victory.

Consequently, Thailand and South Korea each claimed two gold medals across the five final events, while the remaining gold medal went to India.

Notably, Tidapron Kleebyeesun emerged as a standout performer, winning titles in both the women's singles and women's doubles events. This achievement further underscores the prowess of the Thai player, who had previously won the Sri Lanka Series 2025 and the Thailand International Series 2025. — VNS