Kento Momota, the former world champion of badminton, has announced his retirement from playing for Japan’s national team at the age of 29. He made the announcement at a press conference in Tokyo, stating that he would represent Japan one final time at the Thomas Cup international team competition in Chengdu, China later this month. Momota became the first Japanese man to win the world championship in 2018 and successfully defended his title in 2019.
However, recent injuries have dashed Momota’s hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. After much reflection, he has decided to retire from international competition as he realized he could no longer reach the pinnacle of the sport and become world No. 1 again. Momota expressed his gratitude for having had an amazing career playing for his national team and expressed a desire to help others find enjoyment in sports going forward.
At the height of his career, Momota was a dominant force in badminton, winning a record 11 singles titles in the 2019 season. However, his career was not without controversy and tragedy. In 2016, he was suspended for gambling at illegal casinos which prevented him from competing for a medal at the Rio Olympics. Additionally, in early 2020, he was involved in a car crash that claimed the life of the driver of the van he was traveling in, causing a significant setback in his career.
Despite these challenges, Momota managed to win another title in November 2021 after a year-long drought following the accident. His appearance at the Tokyo Olympics was disappointing as he made an early exit in the group stages. Moving forward, Momota plans to continue playing domestically in Japan’s national championships and professional S/J League as he transitions to
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