Spain legend Pau Gasol pens tribute for Carolina Marin after badminton injury ends Olympic dream
World Number 4 and legendary badminton star Carolina Marin received a tribute from Spain basketball legend Pau Gasol after a heartbreaking end to her Olympic campaign in Paris. Facing China’s He Bingjiao in the semifinal, Marin was up a game and 10-6 in the second as she looked good to make the final.
However, Marin landed awkwardly on her knee and collapsed to the floor in pain. She eventually retired from the contest in tears. The 31-year-old now faces another lengthy road to recovery, considering she has suffered multiple serious knee injuries.
Pau Gasol, a two -time NBA champion with the LA Lakers, penned a heartfelt tribute to his fellow athlete. He said that it's heartbreaking to see her retire from the tournament. Originally posted in Spanish, the tweet reads:
“It hurts us a lot to see you retire due to an injury, but you have shown us to be a true CHAMPION. We love you, @CarolinaMarin ! I'm sure we'll see you smiling again soon. Always by your side 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼”
Carolina Marin was looking good to make her second Olympic gold-medal match, having not participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a knee injury. She had won the gold medal in the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Carolina Marin undergoes heartbreaking end to Paris Olympics campaign
Eleven points away from another Olympic final, Carolina Marin endured an injury, similar to the serious knee injury that had kept her out of the Tokyo Olympics. The star had underwent a long and patient recovery that required two significant surgeries.
It was clear that the 31-year-old was in anguish the moment she fell to the court, and her opponent immediately called for assistance as Marin continued to writhe in pain. Marin returned to the court and played two more points - losing both - before calling it a day.
Her coach, Fernando Rivas, later revealed that she was quick to recognize the problem and told him that her knee was ‘broken.’:
“It is super cruel, very unfair. ...We have no words to describe how it feels.”
Her opponent, despite the surprise victory, could not help but react in a similar manner and said after the contest:
"I feel very sad about what happened. She has been injured before and has overcome it twice. I hope she can overcome her injury again and return to the game."
While Carolina Marin recovers from her injury, the end to her 2024 campaign means she might have played her last on the Olympic stage.