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Badminton great Axelsen retires
TL;DR
Viktor Axelsen, the two-time Olympic and world champion badminton player, has announced his retirement at 32 due to a back injury. He won gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics and is celebrated as one of the most decorated players in the sport's history.
Viktor Axelsen won his second Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Games in Paris [Getty Images]
Two-time Olympic and world champion Viktor Axelsen has retired at the age of 32 because of a back injury.
The Dane won Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and bronze at Rio 2016.
Axelsen is one of the most decorated men's singles players in badminton history, with four European titles in addition to his World Championship crowns in 2017 and 2022.
"Today is not an easy day for me. Due to my recurrent back issues, I am no longer able to compete and train at the highest level," he wrote on Instagram.
"Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult. But I have now reached a point where my body won't allow me to continue.
"Since the day I picked up a racket, I knew my dream was to become the best in the world."
Axelsen spent more than 100 consecutive weeks as world number one, a mark surpassed only by Malaysian great Lee Chong Wei, who held the rank for 349 weeks.
He won the season-ending World Tour Finals five times and claimed 10 Super 1000 tournaments.
"I have accomplished everything I once dreamed of, and more," Axelsen said.
"What makes it hardest to say goodbye is not the competition itself, but everything around it. The journey, the daily grind, the people.
"I have given everything to this sport. It has never been just a career to me. It has been my life and I have left no stone unturned."
Q&A
Why did Viktor Axelsen retire from badminton?
Viktor Axelsen retired due to a back injury.
What are Viktor Axelsen's major achievements in badminton?
Axelsen won two Olympic gold medals, a bronze medal, four European titles, and World Championship titles in 2017 and 2022.
How old was Viktor Axelsen when he retired?
Viktor Axelsen was 32 years old at the time of his retirement.
