Spanish badminton star Carolina Marín's bid for an Olympic gold medal came to a heartbreaking end as she was forced to withdraw from her semifinal match against China's He Bingjiao due to a knee injury. This unfortunate incident occurred after Marín had won the first game and was leading the second 10-5 before collapsing on the court in pain.
Marín, who has previously undergone surgery for two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, appeared to have aggravated her knee once again during a crucial moment in the match. Despite attempting to continue by wearing a knee sleeve, her movement was severely hampered, leading to her eventual retirement from the game.
He Bingjiao expressed her sadness over Marín's injury and praised her opponent's fighting spirit, noting that Marín had been struggling with an ankle issue but still managed to compete at a high level. He wished Marín a speedy recovery and hoped to see her back on the court soon.
The gold medal match will now feature He Bingjiao facing off against An Se-young of South Korea. He acknowledged Marín's strong performance in their semifinal encounter and credited her for motivating her to keep pushing forward in the competition.
