Bengaluru: Badminton legend and China’s two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan, has announced his decision to hang up his racquet, thereby ending a glittering two-decade long career.
The 37-year-old, who is the first men’s singles player to retain the Olympic title, has literally won every major prize in badminton, some of them multiple times.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) former world No.1’s trophy cabinet includes six All England champion crowns, five World Championship titles and two Olympic gold medals.
“I’ve dedicated everything to the sport I love. My family, coaches, team-mates and fans have accompanied me through many happy times and difficult moments,” Chinese media quoted Lin as saying in the retirement announcement, which was made on the Weibo app.
Lin, who had won the Olympics singles titles in Beijing (2008) and London (2012) was planning to go for a third Olympic title at Tokyo.
But with uncertainty over the games looming large due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and with his fitness remaining a concern, Lin made up his mind to call it quits.
The end of Lin’s career comes just over a year after the retirement of his great rival and friend, the Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei.
The duo who waged many close battles, reigned over the sport for more than a decade and have only relinquished that hold in recent years as their powers waned.
