Beijing, China, January 2, 2025: Olympic badminton champion Huang Yaqiong announced on social media that she has submitted her resignation to the Chinese national team and ended her international badminton career, Xinhua News reports.
"I've been greeted with countless encouragement from everyone, hoping that I could continue my career. But, actually, since the run-up to the Paris Olympics, I've already regarded the Paris Olympics as my last one," Huang wrote.
"Although, based on my current form, I still possess the physical ability to compete, the accumulated injuries over the years, combined with the increasing age, have made me lack confidence to continue shouldering the mission of winning glory for the country and maintaining the form as an elite athlete."
After winning the silver medal at Tokyo 2020, Huang and her partner Zheng Siwei won mixed doubles gold at Paris 2024, finishing the tournament with a 6-0 record without dropping a set.
Zheng also announced last November that he would retire from international competition.
Huang said that, although she has left the national team, her bond with badminton remains unbroken. She will still contribute to the sport in her own way. "Badminton is my lifelong pursuit, and I'm willing to give it my all," she said.
Huang, 30, is a three-time world champion in mixed doubles and two-time mixed doubles champion at the Asian Games in 2018 and 2022.
As well as winning gold in Paris, Huang also received a marriage proposal from her boyfriend as she was leaving the court after the victory ceremony.