The Retirement of Kento Momota: A Chapter Closed for One of Japan’s Most Successful Badminton Athletes

Former badminton world champion Kento Momota has announced his retirement from playing for the Japanese national team at the age of 29. In a press conference held in Tokyo, he stated that he would represent Japan for the last time at the Thomas Cup international team competition in Chengdu, China later this month. Despite being one of Japan’s most successful athletes, Momota made history as the first Japanese man to win the world championship in 2018 and successfully defended his title the following year.

However, a series of recent injuries have dashed Momota’s hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, leading him to make the difficult decision to retire from international competition. He expressed his realization that he could no longer reach the pinnacle of the sport and become the world No. 1 again.

Momotas career was not without controversy and tragedy. He was suspended for gambling at illegal casinos in Japan, which led to him missing out on competing for a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Additionally, he was involved in a car crash early in 2020 that claimed