Jakarta, IO – Indonesian men’s doubles badminton player Kevin Sanjaya announced his retirement from the sport that made him famous via his Instagram account @kevin_sanjaya on Thursday (16/5).
Kevin said he was grateful for the brilliant career he has built during his duet with Marcus Fernaldi Gideon. However, he felt that his badminton career has come to an end. “My journey in the world of badminton started when I was five,” said Kevin.
“At the age of 12, I moved from Banyuwangi to Kudus to pursue my dream of becoming a national athlete. In 2013 I got the opportunity to join PBSI (the Indonesian Badminton Association) training center in Jakarta.”
He added that he was proud to have won many awards, including in Olympic and World Championship. Before making the decision, he has consulted with several PBSI administrators, per Inews, Fri (17/5).
“I waited several months, finally I got an answer in mid-January 2024,” explained Kevin. “However, the answers given did not match my expectations and I was not given a clear target. Finally, at the end of February, I decided to retire.”
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Kevin’s retirement wrapped up the illustrious career of the “minions”, the duo’s nickname. This came after his partner Marcus also announced his decision to retire at the age of 33 a couple of months prior.
Known for their powerful smashes, speed and brilliant net skills. They have carved out a legendary reputation in the world of international badminton. (un)
