Hyderabad: China's Lin Dan and Lu Lan won the men's and women's singles titles beating their compatriots in the World Badminton Championships in Hyderabad on Sunday.
Lin outclassed Jin Chen 21-18, 21-16 to complete a hat-trick of world titles and create history, while seventh-seeded Lu overpowered Lin's girlfriend Xie Xingfang 23-21, 23-12 to win her maiden title at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium.
Lu thus avenged her defeat in the Beijing Olympics final where she went down to Xie.
The women's doubles title, also an all-Chinese final, went to eighth-seed Yawen Zhang and Tingting Zhao, who toppled second-seeds Shu Cheng and Yunlei Zhao 17-21, 21-17, 21-16.
Denmark's Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl capped a stunning week riding on another upset to win the mixed doubles title.
The eighth-seeded duo, defeated defending champion and second seed Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia 21-13, 21-17 in 38 minutes.
The Danes were the only non-Chinese pair to win a title on Sunday and got the loudest of applause on their feat.
"It is the biggest day of my life. We can't believe. This victory means a lot to us. It has come against top Asian opponents. We played very patiently," Laybourn said.
In the men's doubles finals, fifth-seeded Chinese pair Yun Cai and Heaifeng Fu, in a marathon duel needed an hour and 15 minute to stave off a stubborn resistance from South Koreans Jae Sung Jung and Yong and win the men's doubles title 21-18, 16-21, 28-26.
China thus finished with four gold and three silver medals in the competition.
Olympic champion Lin had played with purpose throughout the tournament and stamped his supremacy with a clinical demolition of Jin in 45 minutes.
The 25-year-old Lin, seeded fifth, was never really challenged in the tournament except in the semi-finals where Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro stretched him to three games.
'Super Dan', as Lin is called, has been a phenomenon in badminton and also has four All-England crowns. He held the No 1 position for long since 2004 before he decided to focus only on important events.
"I am happy and honoured to win three titles in a row," Lin said.
"This is the first time I came to India and happy that I am leaving back victorious.
"I am not a genius. I only work hard. It's not impossible to achieve what I have achieved," he added.
Lin was never stretched by Jin who lapsed into a stream of errors while playing his first world championship final.
The match never really touched great heights but there were some moments that demonstrated why Lin is considered one of the greats in the modern era.
He showed outstanding reflex to lift a smash aimed right at his body in the first game and in the second, he waited till the last moment to judge the shuttle's fall, before sending it back with a swish of his racquet.
Lin started slowly in the first game and once he broke free from 6-6, he raced to an 11-6 lead.
Jin was reduced to do the catching up job with Dan retrieving anything coming his way.
Lin returned the deadliest of smashes from Jin and dominated the nets with his supple wrists.
Jin fought back in the second game with some powerful cross court smashes, but gave away easy points, his errors proving to be his undoing.
At 14-14, the two played out the longest rally of the game and it was Jin who got the point with a hard-hitting smash. But that was all.
There was no stopping Lin from then on. He opened up a lead, exhibiting his incredible smashing power and looked for quick finishes.
Lin reeled off five points and at 20-15, Jin after after saving a match point, threw the towel.
"He has the experience. He has played in three finals before. It was my first final and hopefully I will get better next time," Jin said.
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