Top five badminton superstars who did not win Olympic medal

World number 1 Shi Yuqi missed out on winning a medal in Paris.

In the world of badminton, Olympic glory remains elusive for some of the sport’s brightest stars. Despite their impressive records and accolades, five top players have yet to secure an Olympic medal, a benchmark often considered the pinnacle of athletic achievement.

Viktor Axelsen’s recent second gold medal in Paris has further raised the bar for badminton excellence. This comes after a decade of dominance by legends like Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, and Chen Long.

As the sport evolves, new talents have emerged, challenging the established order but still chasing that elusive podium finish.

5. Anders Antonsen

Currently ranked world number 6, Anders Antonsen is a three-time world championship medallist, including a silver in 2019. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Dane was defeated by Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting in a dramatic three-set quarterfinal match.

His journey at the Paris 2024 ended similarly, with a quarterfinal loss to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia. At 27, Antonsen remains hopeful of securing an Olympic medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

4. Chou Tien-chen

Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, 34, made his Olympic debut in 2016, losing to top seed Lee Chong Wei in the quarterfinals. He faced a similar fate in Tokyo 2020, bowing out to Chen Long in another quarterfinal clash.

The Paris marked Chou’s last chance for an Olympic medal, but he fell to India’s Lakshya Sen in the quarterfinals. Chou’s journey is particularly inspiring given his battle with early-stage colorectal cancer last year.

Also Read: Women’s Singles badminton players with most wins in their career

3. Akane Yamaguchi

At 27, Yamaguchi has established herself as a formidable force in women’s singles, with four world championship medals, including gold in 2021 and 2022. However, Olympic success has eluded her across three Games. She made her Olympic debut in Rio 2016, falling in the quarterfinals.

At Tokyo 2020, as the fourth seed, she again exited in the quarterfinals. History repeated itself in Paris, where top seed An Se-young ended her run in the last eight. Yamaguchi now sets her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games for a final shot at Olympic hardware

2. Kento Momota

Regarded as one of badminton’s all-time greats, Kento Momota won back-to-back world championship golds in 2018 and 2019 and claimed an impressive 11 titles in 2019. Following his victory at the Malaysia Masters in 2020, Momota was involved in a tragic accident, which disrupted his form.

Despite being the top seed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 at his home venue), he was unexpectedly knocked out in the round-robin stage by Heo Kwang-hee. Momota announced his retirement in May 2024, after the Thomas Cup.

1. Shi Yuqi

world number Shi Yuqi one entered the Paris Olympics as a favorite, boasting an impressive resume. Shi has been crucial in China’s three Sudirman Cup and two Thomas Cup victories. He also claimed gold at the 2018 and 2024 Asian Games and silver at the 2018 World Championships.

Despite winning four major titles in 2024 before the Olympics, Shi suffered a surprising quarterfinal loss to Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in Paris

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