PARIS: Rio gold medallist Carolina Marin’s run at the Paris Olympics ended in heartbreaking fashion today when the Spaniard retired midway through her women’s badminton semifinal against China’s He Bingjiao with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
Marin was leading 21-14, 10-8 and looked to be cruising to the gold medal match when she collapsed.
Coaches and medical staff rushed to help her and she tried to continue with her knee heavily strapped but collapsed again in tears minutes later, punching the ground in frustration.
She stayed there for a couple of minutes before rising, hugging her opponent and tearfully limping off court, refusing a wheelchair that was brought to her.
Marin had previously torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee ahead of the Tokyo Games and had to bow out before she could defend her title.
Federation officials could not immediately confirm the exact nature of Marin’s injury.