Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie clinched gold in Asian Games badminton, overcoming a stiff challenge from Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan in front of a raucous home crowd in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old Christie won the men’s singles final against world number six Chou 21-18, 20-22, 21-15, ripping his shirt off in a celebration now familiar to the delighted fans.
That came after Christie, ranked 15th in the world, stormed past Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in the semis.
Christie overcame nerves to edge the first game but faltered in the second, before finding his form in the decisive final game.
The shuttler began his men’s singles journey in the regional Olympics with a shock win over China’s world number two Shi Yuqi in the opening round.
Chou, who won his closely fought final-four battle against another local hero Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, settled for silver. Nishimoto and Ginting bagged bronze.
