Badminton at the Olympic Games
Badminton
Badminton has been a full Olympic sport since Barcelona 1992, with men's and women's singles and doubles; mixed doubles was added at Atlanta 1996. It had been a demonstration event at Munich 1972.
2024HolderViktor Axelsen (Denmark)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds
- China, 22 of 44
- India
- 3 medals, all in women's singles: Saina Nehwal, bronze 2012; P. V. Sindhu, silver 2016 and bronze 2020
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
2024Gold3rdSilverGold: Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)Silver: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand)
- Bronze
- Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia)
2020SilverGold3rdGold: Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)Silver: Chen Long (China)
- Bronze
- Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Indonesia)
2016Gold3rdSilverGold: Chen Long (China)Silver: Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
- Bronze
- Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
20121 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Lin Dan (China)Silver: Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
- Bronze
- Chen Long (China)
20081 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Lin Dan (China)Silver: Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
- Bronze
- Chen Jin (China)
20041 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia)Silver: Shon Seung-mo (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Indonesia)
20001 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Ji Xinpeng (China)Silver: Hendrawan (Indonesia)
- Bronze
- Xia Xuanze (China)
1996SilverGold3rdGold: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen (Denmark)Silver: Dong Jiong (China)
- Bronze
- Rashid Sidek (Malaysia)
19923rd1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronzeGold: Alan Budikusuma (Indonesia)Silver: Ardy Wiranata (Indonesia)
- Bronze
- Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen (Denmark); Hermawan Susanto (Indonesia)
In 1992 both losing semi-finalists received bronze; from 1996 there is one bronze per event.
2024HolderAn Se-young (South Korea)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds
- China, 22 of 44
- India
- 3 medals, all in women's singles: Saina Nehwal, bronze 2012; P. V. Sindhu, silver 2016 and bronze 2020
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
2024SilverGold3rdGold: An Se-young (South Korea)Silver: He Bingjiao (China)
- Bronze
- Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Indonesia)
20203rdGoldSilverGold: Chen Yufei (China)Silver: Tai Tzu-ying (Chinese Taipei)
- Bronze
- P. V. Sindhu (India)
2016Silver3rdGoldGold: Carolina Marín (Spain)Silver: P. V. Sindhu (India)
- Bronze
- Nozomi Okuhara (Japan)
20123rd1 gold, 1 silverGold: Li Xuerui (China)Silver: Wang Yihan (China)
- Bronze
- Saina Nehwal (India)
20081 gold, 1 silver3rdGold: Zhang Ning (China)Silver: Xie Xingfang (China)
- Bronze
- Maria Kristin Yulianti (Indonesia)
20041 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Zhang Ning (China)Silver: Mia Audina (Netherlands)
- Bronze
- Zhou Mi (China)
20001 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Gong Zhichao (China)Silver: Camilla Martin (Denmark)
- Bronze
- Ye Zhaoying (China)
1996Gold1 silver, 1 bronzeGold: Bang Soo-hyun (South Korea)Silver: Mia Audina (Indonesia)
- Bronze
- Susi Susanti (Indonesia)
19922 bronzesSilverGoldGold: Susi Susanti (Indonesia)Silver: Bang Soo-hyun (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Huang Hua (China); Tang Jiuhong (China)
In 1992 both losing semi-finalists received bronze; from 1996 there is one bronze per event.
2024HolderLee Yang and Wang Chi-lin (Chinese Taipei)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds
- China, 22 of 44
- India
- 3 medals, all in women's singles: Saina Nehwal, bronze 2012; P. V. Sindhu, silver 2016 and bronze 2020
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
2024SilverGold3rdGold: Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin (Chinese Taipei)Silver: Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang (China)
- Bronze
- Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia)
2020SilverGold3rdGold: Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin (Chinese Taipei)Silver: Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen (China)
- Bronze
- Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia)
2016Gold3rdSilverGold: Zhang Nan and Fu Haifeng (China)Silver: Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong (Malaysia)
- Bronze
- Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis (Great Britain)
2012GoldSilver3rdGold: Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng (China)Silver: Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen (Denmark)
- Bronze
- Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae (South Korea)
2008GoldSilver3rdGold: Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia)Silver: Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng (China)
- Bronze
- Hwang Ji-man and Lee Jae-jin (South Korea)
20043rd1 gold, 1 silverGold: Ha Tae-kwon and Kim Dong-moon (South Korea)Silver: Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Eng Hian and Flandy Limpele (Indonesia)
2000Gold1 silver, 1 bronzeGold: Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya (Indonesia)Silver: Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Ha Tae-kwon and Kim Dong-moon (South Korea)
19961 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja (Indonesia)Silver: Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock (Malaysia)
- Bronze
- Antonius Ariantho and Denny Kantono (Indonesia)
1992Silver3rd3rdGoldGold: Kim Moon-soo and Park Joo-bong (South Korea)Silver: Eddy Hartono and Rudy Gunawan (Indonesia)
- Bronze
- Li Yongbo and Tian Bingyi (China); Razif Sidek and Jalani Sidek (Malaysia)
In 1992 both losing semi-finalists received bronze; from 1996 there is one bronze per event.
2024HolderChen Qingchen and Jia Yifan (China)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds
- China, 22 of 44
- India
- 3 medals, all in women's singles: Saina Nehwal, bronze 2012; P. V. Sindhu, silver 2016 and bronze 2020
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
20241 gold, 1 silver3rdGold: Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan (China)Silver: Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning (China)
- Bronze
- Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida (Japan)
2020SilverGold3rdGold: Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia)Silver: Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan (China)
- Bronze
- Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong (South Korea)
2016GoldSilver3rdGold: Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)Silver: Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Denmark)
- Bronze
- Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan (South Korea)
2012GoldSilver3rdGold: Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei (China)Silver: Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa (Japan)
- Bronze
- Valeria Sorokina and Nina Vislova (Russia)
20081 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Du Jing and Yu Yang (China)Silver: Lee Hyo-jung and Lee Kyung-won (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Wei Yili and Zhang Yawen (China)
20041 gold, 1 silver3rdGold: Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen (China)Silver: Gao Ling and Huang Sui (China)
- Bronze
- Lee Kyung-won and Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)
20001 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronzeGold: Ge Fei and Gu Jun (China)Silver: Huang Nanyan and Yang Wei (China)
- Bronze
- Gao Ling and Qin Yiyuan (China)
19961 gold, 1 bronzeSilverGold: Ge Fei and Gu Jun (China)Silver: Gil Young-ah and Jang Hye-ock (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Qin Yiyuan and Tang Yongshu (China)
19921 silver, 1 bronze1 gold, 1 bronzeGold: Chung So-young and Hwang Hye-young (South Korea)Silver: Guan Weizhen and Nong Qunhua (China)
- Bronze
- Gil Young-ah and Shim Eun-jung (South Korea); Lin Yanfen and Yao Fen (China)
In 1992 both losing semi-finalists received bronze; from 1996 there is one bronze per event.
2024HolderZheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong (China)
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds
- China, 22 of 44
- India
- 3 medals, all in women's singles: Saina Nehwal, bronze 2012; P. V. Sindhu, silver 2016 and bronze 2020
- Cycle
- Every four years
Winners, newest first
2024GoldSilver3rdGold: Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong (China)Silver: Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino (Japan)
20201 gold, 1 silver3rdGold: Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping (China)Silver: Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong (China)
- Bronze
- Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino (Japan)
20163rdGoldSilverGold: Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)Silver: Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying (Malaysia)
- Bronze
- Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei (China)
20121 gold, 1 silver3rdGold: Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei (China)Silver: Xu Chen and Ma Jin (China)
- Bronze
- Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen (Denmark)
20083rdGoldSilverGold: Lee Yong-dae and Lee Hyo-jung (South Korea)Silver: Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)
- Bronze
- He Hanbin and Yu Yang (China)
2004Gold3rdSilverGold: Zhang Jun and Gao Ling (China)Silver: Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms (Great Britain)
- Bronze
- Jens Eriksen and Mette Schjoldager (Denmark)
2000GoldSilver3rdGold: Zhang Jun and Gao Ling (China)Silver: Tri Kusharjanto and Minarti Timur (Indonesia)
- Bronze
- Simon Archer and Joanne Goode (Great Britain)
19963rd1 gold, 1 silverGold: Kim Dong-moon and Gil Young-ah (South Korea)Silver: Park Joo-bong and Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)
- Bronze
- Liu Jianjun and Sun Man (China)
In 1992 both losing semi-finalists received bronze; from 1996 there is one bronze per event.
India at the Olympic Games
| Games | Event | Player | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Munich 1972 (demonstration) | Men's singles | Suresh Goel | Joint 5th |
| Beijing 2008 | Women's singles | Saina Nehwal | Quarter-final (joint 5th) |
| London 2012 | Women's singles | Saina Nehwal | Bronze |
| London 2012 | Men's singles | Parupalli Kashyap | Quarter-final (joint 5th) |
| Rio de Janeiro 2016 | Women's singles | P. V. Sindhu | Silver |
| Rio de Janeiro 2016 | Men's singles | Srikanth Kidambi | Quarter-final (joint 5th) |
| Tokyo 2020 | Women's singles | P. V. Sindhu | Bronze |
| Paris 2024 | Men's singles | Lakshya Sen | 4th |
| Paris 2024 | Men's doubles | India (pair) | Quarter-final (joint 5th) |
Sindhu is the only Indian with two Olympic badminton medals.
More about this tournament
Medal table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 22 | 15 | 15 | 52 |
| 2 | Indonesia | 8 | 6 | 8 | 22 |
| 3 | South Korea | 7 | 8 | 7 | 22 |
| 4 | Denmark | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 5 | Chinese Taipei | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Japan | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Malaysia | 0 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| 9 | Great Britain | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | India | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 | Thailand | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Russia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
History
How it began
Badminton was a demonstration event at Munich 1972 and became a medal sport at Barcelona 1992 with four events; mixed doubles came in 1996.
Champions by era
China have won half the golds (22 of 44); Indonesia and South Korea won most of the rest in the 1990s and 2000s. Lin Dan (2008, 2012) and Viktor Axelsen (2020, 2024) are the two-time men's singles champions; Lee Chong Wei lost three finals in a row (2008 to 2016).
India's story
India's first Olympic badminton medal was Saina Nehwal's bronze at London 2012. P. V. Sindhu reached the final in 2016 and won bronze in 2020; Lakshya Sen was fourth in the men's singles at Paris 2024.