Image of Momota's car, after hitting a truck. in Kuala Lumpur.
World No. 1 badminton, the Japanese Kento Momota, favorite for gold at the Tokyo GamesHe was injured Monday in an accident in Kuala Lumpur in which his driver died, hours after winning the Malaysian Masters.
The 25-year-old Japanese star suffers a broken nose and bumps on the face. The accident occurred when he was heading to the airport, police said, specifying that the driver died after his vehicle hit a truck that was driving slowly along the highway.
Momota starred in a spectacular 2019, reaching a record of 11 titles, among them the World Cup, the Asian championship and the All England Open. In his trophy list he only lacks the Olympic gold.
An assistant coach, a physiotherapist and a manager were also injured.
The accident occurred around 0440 local (2040 GMT) on Sunday, the fire service told AFP. “The injured were able to leave the van alone, with some scratches,” he added.
The images show the front of the truck against the truck, but the rear seems intact.
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