Momota reveals struggle after accident and Tokyo Olympics failure

Kento Momota faced a challenging year in 2020 — a year that should have been his career peak at the Tokyo Olympics.

The misfortune began when the Japanese badminton player had an accident in Malaysia after winning the Malaysia Masters. His injury resulted in a fracture in his right eye socket — affecting his vision.

“I’m lucky to be alive, but the double vision when looking at the shuttlecock made it almost impossible for me to play normally again,” revealed Momota.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic provided recovery time with the Olympics postponement, his performance remained subpar. Momota was eliminated in the group stage after losing to unseeded South Korean player Heo Kwang-hee.

“I knew I couldn’t win. My body couldn’t follow my mind anymore,” said Momota after his Olympic failure.