Former Olympic gold medallist Carolina Marin was forced to retire from her women’s singles badminton semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao after she suffered a knee injury at the Paris Olympic Games 2024 on Sunday, August 4. (Full Olympics Coverage|More Sports News)
The Spaniard sustained the injury while she was ahead in the match, leading 21-14, 10-6. Known to be tough as nails, the three-time world champion put on a brace to continue playing two more points before she decided to retire.
The 31-year-old was seen in tears after the heartbreaking incident.
The Huelva-born badminton star has had her fair share of knee issues, previously suffering from an anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the past.
Marin won the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 after beating India’s PV Sindhu in the final.
Later on in the day, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed that Gregoria Tunjung will be awarded the bronze medal since Marin will not be able to compete against the Indonesian.
The Paris crowd applauded, standing up and cheering in sympathy, where her opponent He also went over, crouching down beside her injured rival.
