Picture Credit: Twitter
The legendary Chinese badminton player Chen Long announced his retirement at the age of 34, capping an illustrious career that included an Olympic gold medal and two world championships titles. The former world number one earned the Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and then finished with a silver at the Tokyo Olympics. He has not played since the 2021 Olympics, and has now formally announced his retirement, following in the footsteps of his teammate and great Chinese star Lin Dan, who retired in 2020.
“At this special moment, I’m really full of emotion. I want to say thank you to the Chinese badminton team, my family and the fans. Badminton is the love of my life,” said Chen Long via Weibo. “I was lucky enough to wear the national shirt and play for my country, because not all dreams come true in life,” he added.
The Chinese Badminton Association also organized a small farewell ceremony for Chen Long after the Sudirman Cup quarter-finals. The exciting moments from Chen Long's career were first shown on the big screen. His wife, Wang Shixian, a former world number one in women's singles, was also invited to the event.
Chen Long's commitment to the Chinese badminton team throughout the years was recognised at the ceremony by Zhang Jun, Chairman of the Chinese Badminton Association. Additionally, he stated his hope that the athlete will continue playing badminton even after retiring.
