Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion, Carolina Marin announced her retirement from badminton on Thursday due to a persistent knee injury.
The Spainiard took to social media and shared an emotional video message which she captioned, “My journey ends here”, and added that she took the difficult call to prioritise her health over a final appearance on court.
“My journey in professional badminton has come to an end and therefore I will not be competing in the European Championships in Huelva,” the former world No. 1 said.
“I wanted us to see each other for the last time on a track, but I don’t want to put my body at risk for that. I said many times, and I am consistent with my decision.” said Marin.
Over the years, she shared an intense rivalry with India’s PV Sindhu, and gave many Indian fans a heartbreak when she defeated Sindhu in the final of the 2016 Rio Olympics and also in the finals of the 2018 World Championships.
Marin had a stellar career where she had claimed the World Championship titles in 2014, 2015 and 2018, seven European titles and the Olympic gold at the 2016 Rio Games. However, the 32-year-old would have featured in next month’s European Championships in Huelva, Spain.
“I wish I had gotten the opportunity to end my career in a different way, but sometimes in life, things don’t always go the way that we want it to and we have to accept that.” Marin said.
Her last competitive appearance came at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she was making a comeback after two anterior cruciate ligament tears in 2019 and 2021.
“In the end, I did retire on a track, in Paris, in 2024, only then we did not know,” she said.
“Thank you for never letting me fall, for being by my side, and for supporting me in the hardest moments. Thank you for your unconditional love,” Marin added.
Although she will not compete in Huelva, her home soil, but Marin said she will still be present at the event.
“In a way, I will be retiring at Huelva, not with a racquet in my hand, but by giving back all the energy to the city where I was born and to experience an unforgettable week,” the Spaniard said.
“I leave feeling very proud of everything I have achieved in the sport. Not just the titles, but also earning the respect of the sports world both on and off the court,” she also said.
