Golden belief: Lanier, Gicquel-Delrue lead historic French blitz at BWF World Championships
New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Before the New Delhi World Championships 2026, France had only ever won two bronze medals in the entire history of the tournament. On Sunday, they added two gold medals to their kitty, completely rewriting their future.
At just 21 years old, Alex Lanier has made history in New Delhi, defeating Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 to become the first Frenchman to win the men’s singles title in the BWF World Championships.
The victory gives France its second gold medal of the 2026 World Championships, following the historic mixed doubles triumph of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, who became the first French pair to win a World Championships medal.
For Thom and Delphine, it is a remarkable step up from last year’s World Championships in France, where the pair took bronze. Twelve months later, they have gone all the way to gold. Their victory also ended a 17-year wait for a European pair to win the mixed doubles World Championships.
In just one week, French badminton went from being an underdog to sitting on top of the world. For national singles coach Kestutis Navickas, this success wasn’t magic; it was a change in mindset and the belief that the French shuttlers are no less than others.
When asked about the mental changes with the players that led to two gold medals this year, Navickas replied to IANS: “The belief.”
He continued, “The belief that we belong here and the belief that we can do it… With Alex, we won tournaments already. Thom and Delphine, they won tournaments already. So why not? Why are we worse? We are not worse.”
The players already knew how to win on the regular tour, but conquering the World Championships required matching the top Asian powers in confidence. The coaching team focused on building momentum, sharpening their skills, and teaching the players to trust that they truly belonged on the biggest stage.
“I believe it’s a belief in the whole country, in the whole badminton society now,” Navickas said. “There is a belief that we can win.”
When asked how his team will be welcomed on returning as world champions, Navickas stayed humble: “I don’t know. We never became champions. Maybe they will surprise us.”
–IANS
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