General

Rajiv Ouseph in action at the 2017 European Championships in Kolding. (Credit: Mark Phelan/Badminton Europe)
Retired Champion: European title was my highlight
Date: 7/18/2019 10:02 AM
Published by : Aidan Jones (BEC)
Rajiv Ouseph, following announcing his retirement, has singled out the European Championships title in 2017 as possibly the best moment of his badminton career

The Englishman announced yesterday that he would put down the racket after the TOTAL BWF World Championships in Switzerland this coming August.

Ouseph, who was born in London in 1986, became the first English Men’s Singles player in 27 years to become a European Champion. In Kolding, Denmark he beat the home soil favourites to win the European Championships.

- It was very special, especially winning in Denmark against such a strong field it was definitely my best achievement, a proud Rajiv Ouspeh said.

- I did not think I would be a European Champion when I became Junior National Champion. It has come through a lot of hard work and dedication, and I have a lot of people to thank for that.

The Englishman has put the European Championships title at the top of the list ahead of some other big achievements.

- It is a good one to have on my CV, and I think I was the third English player to win that event in singles, so it is very special, he said.

- The Danish dominance of both Men’s and Women’s singles players means that it is very difficult to win something like that. I look back on it very fondly. I do hope that in years to come, more English players will be able to win, Ouseph added.

Team GB: An honour

Ouseph has taken part in multiple multi-sport events for England and Team GB. The 32-year-old has won medals for his country at the Commonwealth Games on three different occasions and he participated in the London 2012 and Rio de Janiero 2016 Olympics for Team GB.

- I have been very lucky that I have been able to serve my country for such a long time. I will always look back on my career very proudly. I want to be remembered as someone who tried their best, Ouseph said.

Ouseph claimed a Silver medal at the European Championships in Huelva in 2018, but it all began at the age of nine, where he picked up the racket for fun. With an obvious skill level, 23 years later, Ouseph can be proud of what he has achieved.

Passing on the batten

Ouseph, who will retire after the World Championships in August has revealed that he is leaving the Men’s Singles thrown in good hands with Toby Penty.

Penty competed for Team GB at the European Games in Minsk after Rajiv Ouseph decided to not compete in the multi-sport event.

- I feel like now, Toby is ready to take on the mantle of being the best in the country and he can go on and do well in the future and especially in the Olympics, he revealed.

- I have tried to pass on any experience I have to him. He has developed into a very good player, and the results for him have started steadily to improve.

- One of the reasons for stopping was to give him the chance to get into bigger events just like the European Games just gone, where he did really well, Ouseph continued.

Biggest achievements for Rajiv Ouseph

European medals

2017 European Gold medalist – Kolding, Denmark
2005 European Junior Gold medalist – Den Bosch, Netherlands
2018 European Silver medalist – Huelva, Spain
2014 European Silver medalist – Kazan, Russia
2010 European Bronze Medalist - Manchester, England
2016 European Bronze Medalist – La Roche-sur-Yon


Team GB achievements

Reaching the quarterfinal of the 2016 Olympic Games – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 
Silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games - Delhi, India
Bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia

English National Championships
English National Champion (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)

BWF World Ranking

Highest World Ranking: 10


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