Two-time world champion Kento Momota announces retirement from international badminton
Momota became the first Japanese man to win the world championship in 2018 in China and the following year he successfully defended his crown in Switzerland.
Momota along with two other Japanese team staff were spotted in Kuala Lumpur International Airport where they were supposed to take a flight back to Japan.
Top-ranked Japanese badminton player Kento Momota (C) arrives at Narita Airport in Chiba prefecture on January 15, 2020. - Momota arrived Japan on Janaury 15 after being released from a Malaysian hospital following a car crash that killed his driver and left him with minor injuries. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)
In a latest update, it is now being reported that world number 1 Japanese shuttler Kento Momota, who was injured in a car accident, has been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment on Wednesday.
Momota along with two other Japanese team staff were spotted in Kuala Lumpur International Airport where they were supposed to take a flight back to Japan.
Momota was reportedly wearing a mask on his face and was unable to walk on his own. They were accompanied by some badminton officials from Japan and Malaysia.
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For the unversed, Momota had injured himself in a road accident in Malaysia on the early hours of Monday. The van which was carrying Momota to the Kuala Lumpur International Airpot (KLIA) had smashed into a 30-ton lorry from behind, killing the driver on the spot.
All the four passengers in the van, other than the driver, were Momota, UK badminton official William Thomas, Japanese assistant coach Hirayama Yu and physiologist Morimoto Arkifuki. All of them were rushed to a hospital where they received treatment.
Momota fans would hope to see him back on the court much sooner than later although there has been no official confirmation regarding the same.
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