Tokyo Olympics: Kento Momota Suffers Shock Exit In Group Stage

Kento Momota crashed out of the Tokyo Olympics after he lost to South Korea’s Heo Kwang-Hee 15-21, 19-21 in the final Group A encounter on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Japanese shuttler, who was considered the favourite for the gold on his home turf, was also the first seed heading into the competition. With only one shuttler qualifying from his group, Heo will now turn his attention towards the elimination rounds.

Momota was one of three seeds to be eliminated at the group stages, the others being Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long and India’s Sai Praneeth. Japan’s other hope, Kanta Tsuneyama, ensured that the hosts would be represented in the knockouts as he defeated Brazil’s Ygor Coelho de Oliveira 21-14, 21-8.

Another big upset was Rio Olympics gold medallist Chen Long getting knocked out from the group stages)