Source:REUTERS/Manon Cruz
[Saba Sports News] On March 27, 33-year-old Spanish badminton star Carolina Marín Martin posted a video on her personal social media announcing her retirement and confirming she will miss the European Badminton Championships in April, which were to be held in her hometown. In the video Marín said her journey has come to an end. She thanked everyone, saying they were part of that journey. As she begins a new chapter, she will uphold the values that have guided her growth and work to give back to society. Marín explained that the decision was made because of the condition of her knee and a desire to prioritize quality of life.
Records show Marín won the women’s singles gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the only non-Asian woman to win that event; she is also a three-time BWF World Championships champion. At the last Paris Olympics she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee in the women’s singles semifinal against China’s He Bingjiao and subsequently withdrew—the match became the farewell of her competitive career. Statistics show Marín suffered three ACL tears over the course of her career.
The editor believes Marín was one of the most dominant women’s singles players in badminton history; her retirement marks the end of an era and is a milestone in the development of European badminton.