After being stunned for a moment, Momota Kento turned around and closed the door first, and then walked to the center of the stage, just like he did on the badminton court four or five years ago...
Momota Kento at the press conference
The "Superman" who swept the world badminton
set a Guinness World Record with 11 championships in a single season
From March 1 to December 15, 2019, Momota Kento won the All England Open, Japan Open, and World Championships , China Open, Korea Open, World Badminton Tour Finals, including 11 men's singles championship titles in international competitions, setting a Guinness World Record for the most championships in a single season for a men's badminton player.
Previously, this record belonged to Malaysian legendary star Lee Chong Wei.
Kento Momota has been certified by Guinness World Records
The "kento" in Momota Kento's name is taken from the "Superman" character in movies and TV shows. Perhaps secretly, his father's best wishes for him made him become a superman sweeping the badminton field after going through hard work.
After receiving the official certificate from Guinness World Records, Momota Kento was very excited, but he still said modestly in the interview: "I will continue to work hard every day to play badminton and continue to make progress."
But the unknown in the arena , the influence on Momota Kento continued off the court. Because of a car accident in early 2020, Momota lost his hope of winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics at home. When he came to Chengdu this time, when he was interviewed by reporters, he still couldn't forget the accident, and even the ups and downs in his heart were still violent.
"Yes, it was precisely because of that car accident that I can no longer play badminton as I want..."
In January 2020, Momota Kento suffered a car accident in Malaysia
He debuted in the Thomas Cup and turned around in the Thomas Cup
Among the fans Feeling happy to end my career with support
In 2014, Momota Kento, who was only 19 years old at the time, participated in an international team event for the first time, representing the Japanese team in the Thomas Cup that year as the team's second singles player.
That year, the Japanese team was unstoppable and was crowned the Thomas Cup champion for the first time in history. Among the opponents Momota defeated in that tournament was the current world number one Axelsen.
At the 2024 Thomas and Uber Cup in Chengdu, Momota Kento, like Axelsen, enjoyed the "home court" treatment every time he appeared on the court. Momota's Japanese word "momota" is pronounced similarly to "momada", so every time he plays, the fans at the High-tech Sports Center cheer for the world badminton star with such voices full of love, encouragement and appreciation.
"When I first started playing badminton, I didn't expect that there would be so many people supporting me. I feel that it is a very happy thing to end my national team career with the support of so many people."
2024 On May 2, 2024, in the 2024 Thomas Cup badminton match, the Japanese team lost 1-3 to the Malaysian team and stopped in the quarter-finals. The famous player Momota Kento failed to play in this game, thus ending his national team career. According to the visual China
press conference online, Momota Kento answered a total of 11 questions, of which he mentioned his gratitude to the fans in 6 questions. He knows that without the support of fans, his journey in badminton may be more difficult, so he always tries his best to perform when he can seize the opportunity, just like he won the three group matches in Chengdu.
However, in the knockout match against the Malaysian team, the Japanese team lost the game 1-3 after the first four games. Kento Momota, who was "in the dark", failed to get the chance to save the team, but he did not complain at all. Instead, he said that he was very Fulfillment, happiness and joy.
“I really enjoy participating in team events and this time I specifically chose the Thomas Cup as my last international event. I had a very fulfilling week.There was no way around not being able to play (against the Malaysian team), but I saw my teammates working hard on the field, so I was able to cheer for them on the sidelines, which already made me feel very happy. "
Kento Momota said goodbye to his former self at the press conference.
Hope to continue to meet fans in some form in the future
"From the time I started playing badminton to now, there have been setbacks and gains in the process, but I have always maintained my passion for badminton. enthusiasm. I am no longer looking for my old self, I am looking for my new self. "
Before the Tokyo Olympics, Momota Kento was in deep trouble due to off-field factors such as car accidents and COVID-19. He tried to come back many times but was repeatedly eliminated in the first round of competitions. He even said to the media, "I seem to have been Chase your former self. "
World No. 1, Guinness World Records, countless championships... After the halo faded, it took almost an Olympic cycle for Momota Kento to finally reach a "big reconciliation" with his once-invincible self.
At the press conference Kento Momota was smiling and in a good mood. At the
press conference, the host asked the question that countless fans wanted to ask Momota, "Will you reconsider your decision to retire? "
When the translator translated the question into Japanese and said it to Momota, he said without a moment's hesitation -
"Not at all, you have no way to convince me. "
When he said this resolutely, Momota Kento was smiling. But after the camera moved forward, the corners of his eyes were slightly moist. It may be difficult, but Momota Kento knew that it was time to say goodbye to the professional arena he loved. .
"It is true that I have created my own record, but I always believe that these will always become a thing of the past. I hope that the next generation of Japanese players can break my record soon. "
After giving his own message to the young Japanese players, Momota Kento also expressed to the top players including Axelsen: "I am very lucky to be able to play against top players. These opponents on the court have made me a better player. I want to be stronger, so I’m very grateful for the message they sent me after they learned that I was quitting the national team. I will retire from international competitions earlier than them, but I hope they can continue to contribute more exciting games to fans around the world in the future. "
Of course, Momota Kento has not forgotten the fans who always support him.
"I am very grateful to all the fans for supporting me for such a long time. My national team career is officially over, but I will continue to play badminton and participate in badminton activities. Hopefully we will continue to meet in some form in the future. "
Postscript>>>
After about 20 minutes of press conference, Momota Kento stood up to meet the media's request for photos, and kept saying thank you.
After a while, he walked off the stage, where he came from Just like when he answered whether he would reconsider his decision to retire, he was so firm and even decisive that he did not close the door to the press room, but went straight to it. Walking towards the distance and the unknown...
Momota Kento at the press conference
Red Star News reporter Pei Han, Peng Jing, photographer Liu Haiyun
Editor Bao Chengli
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