PETALING JAYA: Kenneth Jonassen (pic) is set to step down from his position as head coach of the Danish national badminton team at the end of this year.
Jonassen has been coaching in the Danish national team for 11 years and held the position of head coach for eight years but has decided not to renew his contract, which will expire at the end of the year.
“It has been a huge honour and privilege to be the head coach of the Danish national team for the past eight years,” Jonassen told Badminton Denmark.
“I have given everything to achieve success together with my coaching colleagues and the players and I’m incredibly proud of the results we have achieved together during this period.
“I have been incredibly happy with my time as national coach in Badminton Denmark but the job as head coach is also very demanding. I feel that the time has come to pass the baton on to a new face who can continue the fantastic project that Danish elite badminton is,” added Jonassen.
Jonassen is the longest serving and most successful Danish national badminton coach.
The 50-year-old played a pivotal role in developing current men’s singles world No. 2 Viktor Axelsen since his younger days.
Jonassen guided Axelsen to numerous titles including the World Championship crown in 2017 in Glasgow and gold in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics before the latter turned independent and moved to Dubai.
Under Jonassen also, Axelsen and his teammates created history by capturing Denmark’s maiden Thomas Cup title in 2016 in Kunshan, China.
Besides that, the Danish coach also guided current world No. 6 Anders Antonsen to a silver in the 2019 World Championships in Basel and the World Tour Finals title in 2020 where he beat Axelsen in an all-Danish final.
