China badminton hero Lin Dan calls it quits after 20 years – and two Olympic gold medals
- ‘Super Dan’ retires with Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic single titles and five world championships underscoring his greatness
- The 36-year-old was still hoping to make a fifth Games appearance at Tokyo 2020, but injuries and age take their toll
Chinese superstar Lin Dan has retired from badminton after claiming two Olympic titles over a career spanning two decades.
The Beijing 2008 and London 2012 men’s singles champion, who is also known as “Super Dan”, announced the not-unexpected decision on China’s popular Weibo social network on Saturday.
“From 2000 to 2020, it has been 20 years and I have to say goodbye to the national team. It’s quite hard to say when the words come from your mouth,” said Lin.
“In 2000, I became a member of the national team. I was so proud and excited … over the years, I went through a lot of ups and downs with my family, teammates, coaches and fans.
“Even after competing in four Olympic Games, I have never thought of leaving the court. But now at 36 [he will be 37 in October], my body condition and injuries will not allow me to play along with my teammates … in future, I want to have more time to spend with my family members and find my new ‘battle field’,” he said.