Kento Momota: The bittersweet farewell of badminton icon

Momota met with a car accident in Kuala Lumpur in 2020.

Japan’s badminton gem and former World No. 1 Kento Momota announced his retirement from international badminton at a press conference held in Japan. This news shattered the dreams of millions of fans worldwide who were expecting a comeback from him. Momota, currently ranked World No. 52 failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Starting his professional career in badminton in 2013, Momota stayed in the sport for over a decade. He has been tasting success since the time he entered professional badminton with major achievements such as two world champion titles, two Asian champion titles, and one All England Open title.

The car accident we wish had never happened

Momota won 11 titles, a Guinness world record in the 2019 season. He was at his best till the time he met with a car accident on his way to Kuala Lumpur airport in January 2020. Though Momota escaped danger, he was left with a bad injury which made him undergo surgery to repair a fractured eye socket and he could never recover from it. He tried hard to make a comeback after resting for over a year, but his efforts proved futile.

Even before entering his 30s, the 29-year-old announced his retirement which seemed earlier than expected to many.

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The dearth of an Olympic medal

He failed to play at the 2016 Rio Olympics after being banned from selection for gambling at an illegal casino. This did not demotivate him as he went on to become a two-time world champion and two-time Asian champion [2018, 2019], even winning the All England Open in 2019. Following the accident, at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, he lost in the opening round and was not able to secure a spot in the Japan team to play at the Paris Olympics.

At the press conference, he said he had no regrets about retiring from top-level badminton. He stated, “Since the accident in 2020, there was a lot of hardship. I tried so many times but I just couldn’t close the emotional, physical gap between who I used to be and who I am.” The legend refused to shed tears and stated that his goal now is to get a driver’s license.

However, Momota will be playing badminton at the domestic level. This is good news for his fans who will miss seeing him compete at international tournaments. 

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