The Young Canadian defeated former World Champion Loh Kean Yew in the quarterfinals.

At just 20 years old, Victor Lai has etched his name in Canadian badminton history by becoming the first Canadian player ever to win a medal at the BWF World Championships. Born on December 19, 2004, in Scarborough, Ontario, Lai’s historic achievement came at the 2025 TotalEnergies BWF World Championships in Paris, where he stunned the badminton world with his remarkable performance.

The fact that Lai entered the World Championships as an unseeded player makes his semifinal achievement even more remarkable. He is now set to face the world number 1 Shi Yuqi, who himself would be looking to win his first World Championship Gold. Shi achieved his best performance at the World Championships 2018, winning a silver medal after losing to Kento Momota in the final.

Victor Lai 🇨🇦 is through to the semifinals! 🔥

A guaranteed spot on the podium and first ever medal for Canada. 👏#BWFWorldChampionships #Paris2025 pic.twitter.com/J6fhopYAo1

— BWF (@bwfmedia) August 29, 2025

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Victor Lai’s Historic Breakthrough

Lai secured Canada’s first-ever Badminton World Championships medal by defeating Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, the 2021 world champion and ninth seed, in straight sets 22-20, 21-18 during the quarterfinals. This victory guaranteed him at least a bronze medal and a place in the semifinals, marking a watershed moment for Canadian badminton.

The magnitude of this achievement cannot be understated. The BWF World Championships, held annually since 1977, represent the pinnacle of badminton competition outside the Olympics. For nearly five decades, Canada had never placed a player on the podium at this prestigious tournament. Lai’s breakthrough not only rewrites the record books but also signals the emergence of a new force in international badminton.

Rising Through the Ranks

Standing 1.84 meters tall and playing right-handed, Lai entered the 2025 World Championships ranked 50th in the world. As a debutant at this year’s championships, his journey to the semifinals included a significant victory over South Korea’s Jeon Hyeok Jin, whom he defeated 21-17, 21-13. This win was particularly impressive considering that Jeon had previously eliminated Malaysian star Lee Zii Jia in the opening round.

Lai’s path to the semifinals also included a notable victory over China’s Lu Guang Zu. Having lost the first set 21-13, Lai came back strong in the second and third sets and won with dominance 21-12, 21-10 to take out the world number 11, the 28-year old Chinese.

Previous Achievements and Development

Before his World Championships breakthrough, Lai had already established himself as a rising talent in North American badminton. His medal collection includes gold at the 2025 Pan Am Championships in Lima for men’s singles and team medals at various Pan American competitions. He also claimed victory at the 2025 Pan Am Mixed Team Championships in Aguascalientes and previously won bronze medals at the Pan Am Men’s Team Championships in 2022 and 2024.

His junior career showed early promise with a gold medal in boys’ singles at the 2022 Pan Am Junior Badminton Championships in Santo Domingo, where he also contributed to the mixed team gold. His only BWF Junior International title came at the 2021 Portuguese Junior International, where he defeated Paul Tournefier 21-13, 21-13.

On the BWF World Tour, Lai has demonstrated his ability to compete with elite players. His runner-up finish at the 2025 Canada Open Super 300 tournament, where he lost to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto 13-21, 14-21, showed his capability to reach major finals. He has also been runner-up at several BWF International tournaments, including twice at the Canada International (2023 and 2024), where he lost both times to fellow Canadian Brian Yang.

Looking Forward

Victor’s achievement could inspire a new generation of Canadian players and potentially attract increased investment and attention to the sport nationally. The breakthrough also validates Canada’s badminton development programs and coaching systems.

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