Dane takes first title after marathon

Peter Rasmussen won the world badminton title yesterday in one of the most dramatic matches the sport has seen in Glasgow.

Rasmussen, 22, overcame the Chinese Sun Jun 16-17, 18-13, 15-10 in an epic which stretched over 125 minutes - one of the longest finals in a major tournament. Sun led 5-3 and 10-3 in the deciding game only to suffer two serious attacks of cramp. The Chinese soldiered on, heavily bandaged, but Rasmussen, seeded only 15, levelled at 10-10 and went on to claim Denmark's first men's singles crown since the championships started 20 years ago.

But it looked in the second game as if the title was heading to China as Sun won seven successive points to lead 13-6 with the title just two points away. Rasmussen clawed back to 13-13 and went on to capture the game.

With the Chinese team and medical officials watching anxiously, Sun laboured on. But his demise could not be long delayed as Rasmussen swept home.