Joran Kweekel: I will retire from international badminton

Jij het nieuws, wij een tikkie!

Don't get me wrong, I've learned so much on this journey. The lessons from a life in high-performance sport are ones I'll carry with me forever. I've had the privilege to live this life, meet incredible people, and work alongside the best in the field. I'm deeply grateful - thank you to everyone who has been a part of it.

Still, not achieving those goals makes it incredibly hard to walk away from the game I love. Some goals were added along the way, and with time, I realized that living the life I was living, they became unreachable. And most of all, I stopped believing I could reach the ones I set out so long ago.

Even though I didn't reach the finish line I dreamed of, I still feel satisfied - not with the outcomes, but with the journey and everything it taught me. If I had the chance, I'd do it all over again. Sure, I'd change some things. But I'd still choose this path.

With age comes responsibility - and now it's time to embrace a new chapter in life, wherever it may lead.