Danish badminton player Viktor Axelsen, who won gold in Tokyo and Paris, has announced his retirement from sports at the age of 32 due to ongoing back problems. The two-time world champion and three-time European champion cited these issues as hindering his ability to play and train at a high level.
“Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult. But I have reached a point where my body no longer allows me to continue,” Axelsen wrote on his Instagram account.
Axelsen boasts an impressive resume in badminton, including two world championship titles (2017, 2022), three European championship titles (2016, 2018, 2022), and two Olympic gold medals (2021, 2024) in the singles category. He held the world No. 1 ranking for 183 weeks.
“I have achieved everything I dreamed of, and more,” he continued in his farewell message. “While this is goodbye to Viktor Axelsen as a badminton player, it is not a final farewell to the sport.”
Axelsen played his final match in November at the French Open in Paris.
