Axelsen beats champ Long for badminton gold

Denmark shuttler Viktor Axelsen with his men’s singles gold medal yesterday. Pic/AFP

Denmark's Viktor Axelsen won Olympic badminton gold on Monday, becoming the first non-Asian man to win the singles title since 1996.

World No. 2 Axelsen beat China's defending champion Chen Long 21-15, 21-12, taking control early and never loosening his grip in a relentless performance. Axelsen, who won bronze at the 2016 Rio Games, followed in the footsteps of compatriot Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, the Atlanta Games champion and the last winner from outside Asia.

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