Kuala Lumpur: According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF), He Bingjiao has officially submitted her retirement application to the BWF and will no longer participate in international-level competitions. On August 13th, the BWF updated its latest world rankings, and He Bingjiao, who had previously been ranked seventh in the world after winning the silver medal in women’s singles at the Paris Olympics, has quietly disappeared from the list.
He Bingjiao was born on March 21, 1997, in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.
Here’s a quick summary of some of her big achievements. In 2011, she was selected for the Chinese national youth team training; that same year, she won the silver medal in women’s singles at the China National Games. In 2013, she won the women’s singles title at the Vietnam Open. In 2014, she won the gold medal in women’s singles at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. In 2015, she won the women’s singles titles at the China Masters and the Indonesia Masters. In 2017, she secured the women’s team championship at the 13th National Games of China. In 2019, she was the runner-up in women’s singles at the Asian Badminton Championships. In October 2021, she won the Sudirman Cup Mixed Team Championship and the 2020 Uber Cup. In October 2023, she claimed the silver medal in the women’s team event and the bronze medal in women’s singles at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. On May 5, 2024, she also won the Uber Cup with the Chinese team. On August 5, she was the runner-up in women’s singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On August 5, in the women’s singles final at the Paris Olympics, He Bingjiao won the silver medal in the women’s singles event. During the award ceremony, she held her medal in her left hand and a Spanish flag in her right hand, sparking discussions on social media.
This was because during the women’s singles semifinal, He Bingjiao’s opponent, Spanish star Carolina Marin, was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury, allowing He Bingjiao to advance to the final. That’s why, during the women’s singles award ceremony, He Bingjiao held the Spanish flag to pay tribute to Marin.
The International Olympic Committee later commented on the gesture, stating, “This is the true meaning of the Olympic spirit.” The Spanish Olympic Committee also expressed gratitude to He Bingjiao on their official social media, calling it “the best embodiment of the Olympic spirit.”
He Bingjiao’s decision could be due to various factors such as injuries, family, and career planning, each athlete chooses their own time to retire.
Upon hearing the news that He Bingjiao has officially submitted her retirement application to the BWF, many badminton fans expressed their best wishes for her future life.
