Danish badminton star Viktor Axelsen made his first public appearance in Malaysia since retiring from professional badminton last month, meeting fans in Penang on 26 May.
The former world number one took part in a regional engagement event organised by Monitor ERP, where he met fans, joined q&a sessions and participated in badminton activities with children and fans at the MBPP Relau Sport Complex.
According to a statement from Monitor ERP, Axelsen said his years competing at the highest level had taught him discipline and resilience beyond sport. The 32-year-old added that he remained grateful for his career despite stepping away from competition to focus on his long-term health.
Monitor ERP SEA chief executive officer Daniel Häggmark said Penang was selected as the second stop in the regional series after Jakarta, highlighting Axelsen’s continued popularity in Southeast Asia following his retirement.
Axelsen announced his retirement on 15 April after recurring back injuries. During his career, he won Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, claimed world championship titles in 2017 and 2022, and helped Denmark win the Thomas Cup in 2016.
