Chinese table tennis fans expressed shock yesterday at the premature retirement of serial world champion Kong Linghui. The 30-year-old grand slam winner cited a drop in form - but said he would start a new career and hoped to become national coach.
'My technique has fallen behind. There is no way I can get back to international-competition standard,' the multiple Olympic gold medallist said after losing at the National Championships in Wuxi.
Kong, who turns 31 next Wednesday, had already announced plans to retire in 2007 in the wake of his arrest and police detention for drink-driving three months ago.
He was the centre of a media frenzy after crashing his Porsche in Beijing at 3am on July 30th, especially after he escaped a 15-day automatic detention because of his sporting commitments. But it is unclear whether the incident - which dented his popularity and prompted the Chinese Table Tennis Association to force him to make a public apology - was behind his decision to quit yesterday.
China's table tennis team are renowned for controlling players' behaviour and pundits claimed Kong had let his self-discipline slip.
Kong, one of just three players to win the grand slam of titles at the world championships, World Cup and Olympics, announced his retirement at the National Championship, which will be his last competitive meeting.