Viktor Axelsen

Viktor Axelsen
Axelsen at the 2018 Indonesia Masters
Personal information
CountryDenmark
Born (1994-01-04) 4 January 1994 (age 30)
Odense, Denmark
ResidenceDubai, United Arab Emirates[1]
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Years active2010–present
HandednessRight
CoachHenrik Rohde
Men's singles
Career record556 wins, 156 losses
Highest ranking1 (28 September 2017)
Current ranking2 (29 October 2024)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Denmark
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Men's singles
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Glasgow Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Tokyo Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Copenhagen Men's singles
Sudirman Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Kuala Lumpur Mixed team
Thomas Cup
Gold medal – first place 2016 Kunshan Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Wuhan Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Bangkok Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Aarhus Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Bangkok Men's team
European Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Kraków–Małopolska Men's singles
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 La Roche-sur-Yon Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2018 Huelva Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Madrid Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 2021 Kyiv Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Karlskrona Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Kazan Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Kolding Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Saarbrücken Men's singles
European Mixed Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Leuven Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2017 Lubin Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Copenhagen Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Vantaa Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Aire-sur-la-Lys Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Moscow Mixed team
European Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Amsterdam Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2014 Basel Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Kazan Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Kazan Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Liévin Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2024 Łódź Men's team
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Guadalajara Boys' singles
Silver medal – second place 2011 Taipei Boys' singles
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2011 Vantaa Boys' singles
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Vantaa Mixed team
BWF profile

Viktor Axelsen (born 4 January 1994) is a Danish badminton player. He is a two-time Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion, and four-time European Champion. He has held the No. 1 BWF World Ranking in men's singles for a total of 183 weeks (as of August 2024), and he is the current world No. 2.[2] Throughout his career, Axelsen has won every single major title in both team and individual events at least once (World Tour Super 1000 level or higher), except for Sudirman Cup (where his team won Bronze in 2013).[3] Known for his powerful smashes and solid defence, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest badminton players of all time.[4][5][6][7]

Axelsen won the World Championships in 2017 and 2022, becoming the only non-Asian male player besides Thomas Lund to win the title twice. He is also the back-to-back reigning Olympic Champion, winning the gold medals in men's singles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics after his bronze medal in 2016 Rio Olympics, thereby becoming the most successful badminton men’s singles player in Olympic history.[8][9]

Axelsen has led Denmark team to win all European Mixed Team Championships since 2015 and all European Men's Team Championships since 2012. On individual levels, he won three European Championships titles in 2016, 2018, and 2022, and a gold medal at the European Games in 2023.[10] He also won the 2010 World Junior Championships, becoming the only non-Asian singles player to win the title.[11] Axelsen held the world number one position in men's singles for a total of 183 weeks, making it the third-longest reign in badminton history, trailing only Lee Chong Wei (398) and Lin Dan (211). He was the recipient of the BWF Male Player of the Year award twice between 2020 and 2022.[12]

  1. ^ "Tokyo 2020 Olympic badminton champion Axelsen celebrates in Dubai". Gulf News. 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Viktor Axelsen | Profile". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Viktor Axelsen by numbers: Records, titles, medals and stats of the Danish badminton star". olympics.com. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Axelsen retains badminton Olympic title to be among the greatest". english.news.cn. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Into the League of Legends". bwfbadminton.com. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  6. ^ "'King' Axelsen emulates Lin Dan in retaining Olympic badminton crown". france24.com. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Viktory! Axelsen enters legend with consecutive badminton golds for Denmark". rfi.fr. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Tokyo 2020 Men's Singles Results - Olympic badminton". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  9. ^ "VITIDSARN Kunlavut vs AXELSEN Viktor - Men's Singles Gold Medal Match Match MS161 - Badminton". Paris 2024 Olympics. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  10. ^ Leer Scharnberg, Martin (30 April 2022). "Axelsen vinder EM i rendyrket dansk finale" [Axelsen wins the EC in a purely Danish final] (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  11. ^ Sachetat, Raphaël (25 April 2010). "World Juniors – Axelsen creates history". Badzine. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Axelsen, Zheng and Huang Rewarded For Stellar Seasons". Badminton World Federation. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2023.