At the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals Gala Dinner in Hangzhou, China, the Badminton World Federation honoured the standout performers of the 2025 season, recognizing exceptional talent, consistent results, sportsmanship, and personality throughout the competitive year. Among the awardees was Victor Lai, highlighting his breakthrough season and growing prominence on the world stage.
Lai, 20, has been one of the most compelling stories of the 2025 badminton calendar. He made history earlier in the year by becoming the first Canadian to win a medal at the BWF World Championships, capturing bronze in men’s singles — a landmark achievement for both his country and the Pan American region.
His World Championships run included a dramatic quarter-final win over former world champion Loh Kean Yew and a competitive semifinal performance against world No. 1 Shi Yuqi.
The season also saw Lai achieve other notable results, including gold at the Pan Am Championships and strong performances on the BWF World Tour, reflecting his rapid rise in international badminton and a career-high world ranking achieved in late 2025.
While the gala recognized many of the sport’s top performers across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, Lai’s recognition stood out as a reflection of both his on-court results and his impact on elevating the profile of badminton in Canada and the Pan Am region.
The 2025 awards honour achievements from December 2024 through November 2025, and recipients were selected based on competitive excellence, consistency, and contributions to the sport over the full season.
With this accolade, Victor Lai adds a significant individual honour to what has already been a historic year, underscoring his emergence as one of the most exciting players on the global circuit.
