Source:REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] Chen Long, one of the greatest players in Chinese badminton history, retired in 2023. Although he was recommended to stay with the Chinese National Badminton Team as a coach, Chen Long felt he lacked sufficient qualifications and chose not to remain with the national team. Instead, he moved to Xiamen, Fujian. After retiring, Chen Long has been more active on social media, posting videos with his wife, badminton world champion Wang Shixian. Many fans are unaware of his current workplace and position. Recently, Chen Long attracted attention by participating in a housing selection event for talents in Xiamen. It was revealed that Chen Long is now a coach at the Xiamen Sports School. Although some may consider him overqualified, Chen Long expressed his desire to implement his ideas in youth training and gain experience for future coaching roles. Some fans believe that while the Chinese national badminton team has no shortage of excellent coaches, the grassroots youth training lacks quality coaches and talent. Chen Long’s willingness to contribute to youth training is seen as a positive step for the development of badminton at the grassroots level.