The China Mail - France's badminton gold winners set for obscurity back home

World number 10 Lanier beat Japan's Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in the men's singles final, after the French pair of Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue triumphed in the mixed doubles.

The 21-year-old Lanier said it "was a day for French badminton", but the sport has few takers in a country where football rules.

"I'm not exactly sure, I don't know," Lanier said with a laugh when asked about his stardom back home. "I mean, probably I'm going to walk in the road and nobody cares."

Gicquel and Delrue won France's first-ever world championship gold earlier in the day when the pair beat Chinese top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 22-20 19-21 21-15.

Surrounded by the Indian media, the French pair lapped up all the attention but said reality back home would be different.

"We would be welcomed like nobody knows us," Gicquel said with laughter around.

"There will be nobody waiting for us, I think. We are really good in so many sports, and I think a lot of people follow us and follow badminton, so that's amazing.

"But it's not like football or basketball or anything. We hope that thousands of people wait for us but that's not going to happen."

National singles head coach Kestutis Navickas lauded his players for their achievements but said badminton as a sport will take time to gain ground.

"We don't get that much attention (back in France) as here now, so it's a pleasure," Navickas told reporters.

"Thank you very much because it's still a big moment and it's not so popular as here in India.

"But those results, they are just giving the belief to the whole badminton community... also that helps to attract the talent."

B.Carter--ThChM