New Delhi, Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen and former India coach Vimal Kumar have paid emotional tributes to two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen following his retirement announcement.
Axelsen, 32, announced his retirement due to ongoing back problems, which have made it difficult for him to compete at the highest level.
He won consecutive gold medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and finished on top in the 2017 and 2022 World Championships.
Lakshya Sen reflected on their shared journey from training together in Dubai in 2022 to crossing paths on the sport's biggest stages.
Vimal Kumar called Axelsen's retirement 'a significant loss for the sport itself' and hoped the Badminton World Federation would involve him in a larger capacity.
