Momota Kento: Badminton Star Overcomes Suspension and Injury on the Way to Tokyo

Japanese badminton star Momota Kento has spent most of the last three seasons at the top of the men’s singles rankings. With his impressive repertoire of strokes and seemingly inexhaustible endurance, he is the heavy favorite to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics. It has been a tough climb to the top, however, in which Momota has had to come back from a suspension for gambling and injury after a career-threatening traffic accident.

Fukushima Roots

Momota was born in Kagawa Prefecture in 1994. He began playing badminton in the first grade of elementary school and quickly showed a talent for the sport. He left home to attend junior high and high school in Tomioka in Fukushima Prefecture, where he furthered his skills under the instruction of the schools’ Indonesian coach.

“Our coach had a lively approach that kept practice interesting,” Momota recounts. “There were light moments when the team would play around and have fun, but when the time came to work, we were also expected to give our full attention to training.” He attributes to this the intense concentration players from Tomioka have on the court.

The style suited Momota, who continued to improve at a rapid pace. In his senior year, he won the singles title at the 2012 Asian Junior Badminton Championship, the first Japanese player ever to do so, and also helped Japan capture its first team gold at the tournament.

Momota Kento at the Olympic training camp in Chōfu, Tokyo, on July 12, 2021. Behind him hangs a banner reading “Tomioka-damashii” (Tomioka spirit) in honor of his alma mater. (© Jiji)

Early Stumble

After graduating, Momota joined communications company NTT East, making his debut for the Japanese national team in 2014. He put in a solid performance at the Thomas Cup, the world men’s team championship, helping Japan walk away with its first gold in the competition.

He had a successful 2015 season as well, winning the Singapore Open, part of the prestigious Badminton World Federation Super Series, and the Super Series Finals held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Finishing the year ranked third, he improved to second at the start of 2016.

Just as the title of world number one seemed in his reach, though, Momota fell victim to his own indiscretion. Just four months away from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, he admitted to gambling at an illegal casino in Tokyo and was handed a lengthy suspension by the Nippon Badminton Association, dashing his hopes of competing at the games.

Momota rejoined the circuit when the governing body finally lifted its ban in May 2017, but found that he had slipped 280 places in the rankings. In the interim, he had followed a strict regime of running and weight training and took the court in tip-top physical condition. He was already known as a strong technical player at the net, and with the addition of strength and stamina to his game, he could score at close quarters or wear down his opponents with long rallies before serving up the coup de grace.

After making his return to the national team in January 2018, Momota marched his way back up the rankings, further honing his game with each match against top-ranked international players. In August, he cruised to victory in the men’s singles at the BWF World Championships, and in September he capped his comeback by being crowned the world number one.

Reaching the top rung only fueled Momota’s drive. During the 2019 season, he matched his newly bolstered defense by perfecting a fast, attacking style, dispatching opponents in short order and conserving energy to give him an edge heading into the final rounds of tournaments. Opposing players struggled against his constantly fluctuating style, with Momota scoring exquisitely executed drop shops at one turn and then quickly shifting to a nearly impenetrable back-court defense. He racked up a record-setting 11 wins on the international circuit, including defense of his World Championships title, and finished the year with a 67–6 record, giving him a win ratio of more than 90%.

Traffic Accident

Momota started the 2020 season by winning the Malaysia Masters men’s singles in January. Several hours after the victory, though, the van he was riding in crashed on the way to Kuala Lumpur Airport, killing the driver and injuring several of the passengers. Momota suffered lacerations to his face and bruises to his body. He had double vision for a time and would later need surgery to repair a fracture to his eye socket, keeping him out of competition as he healed.

Aside from the physical trauma, the accident also shook Momota mentally, and there was a time as he convalesced where he thought he might give up playing. His uncertainty was worsened by the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March and the subsequent postponement and cancelation of major tournaments, including the Tokyo Olympics being delayed until 2021.

Momota attributes the support of fans and those around him for getting him through this tough period in his career. “I received words of encouragement from so many people,” he says. “I want to show my appreciation to them by winning Olympic gold.”

Momota speaks to the press about on March 6, 2020, in Tokyo about his return to health following a traffic accident. (© Jiji)

He returned to action in December 2020, winning the men’s singles of the Japanese National Badminton Championships for third straight time. Now in full health, he has his sights set on the games in Tokyo. “I’m so thankful to be able to play in the Olympics,” Momota says. “I lost my chance to compete in Rio because of bad decision making on my part. I’m determined not to let anything get in the way this time, though. I’m solely focused on playing my best. I want to use my performance on the court to repay all those who stood by me over the years.”

Momota makes a shot during the Japanese National Badminton Championship in December 2020, marking his return to competition after a 11-month pause. (© Jiji)

Unwavering Determination

Momota received an emotional boost in his Olympic bid from Japanese national team head coach Park Joo-bong, who at a press conference in June to announce the Olympic squad praised the world number one as having developed more than any other player over the last five years. “It fills me with joy to have someone I respect as much as Park show such confidence in me,” says Momota. “Despite all the challenges, it makes me glad that I stuck it out.”

Momota says that he has grown most mentally, something he attributes in part to his suspension for gambling. “Being banned from competing gave me a lot of time to think,” he explains. “I was determined to see it through, so I stuck to my practice schedule, and when I returned to the circuit, I was determined not to shy away from any challenges I might face.” He admits that he would never have been so bold as to declare his desire to stand atop the medal podium five years ago, but he does so now with confidence. “I have only one goal, to win gold.”

The Olympic badminton men’s singles tournament gets underway on July 24, with the final to be held on August 2. Momota will be fulfilling a childhood dream in playing in the games, but when he takes the court in Tokyo, it will be the support of fans and the challenges of the last five years that will be fueling his determination to win.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Momota stretches to make a shot during the men’s singles final of the Japanese National Badminton Championships on December 27, 2020, in Tokyo. © Jiji.)