KUALA LUMPUR – Spain’s Carolina Marin faced a heart-wrenching exit from the Paris Olympics.
Just 11 points shy of reaching her second Olympic final, the Rio 2016 gold medallist was forced to retire during the semi-finals due to a knee injury.
Marin, who had been leading 21-14, 10-6 against China’s He Bingjiao, fell to the ground at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena and wept inconsolably.
Marin, who has had multiple knee surgeries since 2019, received brief medical attention and wore a knee guard in an attempt to continue.
Despite giving away two points, making the final score 21-14, 10-8, it was evident that she could not move comfortably due to the persistent pain.
Remarkably, after the medical attention, she refused to leave the court in a wheelchair, displaying her indomitable spirit.
With Marin’s retirement, Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung was declared the bronze medallist by default.
For the record, Marin also chose to sit out the 2020 Tokyo Olympics because of a knee injury.
Meanwhile, Bingjiao will face South Korea’s An Se Young in the final tomorrow.
“I feel very sad for Marin. She was leading and I was finding it very difficult to get back into the match.
“When she hugged me, she told me to keep fighting,” said Bingjiao. – August 4, 2024