RIO DE JANEIRO - Shuttlers Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi dramatically won Olympic gold for Japan in the women's badminton doubles at the Rio Games on Thursday.
Japan's Misaki Matsutomo (R) and Ayaka Takahashi (L) react after winning against Denmark's Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl during their women's doubles gold medal badminton match on August 18, 2016
The Japanese duo sensationally came from behind to defeat Denmark's Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl 18-21, 21-9, 21-19 in a thrilling encounter.
The match was locked at 16-16 in the final game as the Danes and Japanese traded point for point.
Denmark raced ahead to 19-16 and looked like they were heading for victory, only to be stunned by their counterparts.
Japan won four points on the bounce to go 20-16 ahead, eventually edging the game by just two points.
Earlier in the day South Koreans Jung Kyung-Eun and Shin Seung-Chan had defeated China's Tang Yuanting and Yu Yang to claim bronze.
The South Korean pair breezed through the first game, taking it 21-8 before clinching victory and third place on the podium with a more hard fought 21-17 win in the second.