BEIJING: China’s badminton Olympic champion Wang Yilyu announced on Saturday that he has retired from the national team due to injury.
Wang won the mixed doubles gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics with Huang Dongping after they beat compatriots Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong. The 28-year-old shuttler also helped China claim the Sudirman Cup and Thomas Cup.
“Saying goodbye is a very difficult decision for me,” Wang wrote on social media. “Since I joined the national team in February 2012, I have dedicated all of my youth to badminton over 11 years.”
Wang also expressed gratitude to his partner Huang. “She is the most adamant and most passionate girl I’ve ever met. Every quarrel, every failure in the past six years only made us better in tune with each other, and helped us reap good memories of that summer [in Tokyo].”
Wang added that he will not leave badminton and will continue to contribute to promoting the sport.
