Paris 2024: Heartbreak for Spain's Carolina Marin as badminton star suffers devastating semi-final injury
Tragedy has struck Carolina Marin once again.
The talk before her semi-final on Sunday (4 August) was about her long journey back since missing Tokyo 2020 in 2021 with a serious knee injury.
In devastating scenes in the Porte de la Chapelle Arena, the Spanish badminton star collapsed to the floor after landing awkwardly on her surgically repaired knee, just 11 points away from making it to the Olympic final.
With a cry of "oh no" on dropping to the court, the Rio 2016 gold medallist in women's singles put her hand to her face in distress, while opponent He Bingjiao of the People's Republic of China signalled that Marin needed assistance.
Having won the opening game and leading10-6 in the second, Marin was on her way to a comeback for the ages, and on the verge of a second Olympic final after several years hampered by multiple injuries, including two serious knee surgeries.
The crowd's concern was palpable as Marin writhed on the floor. But this is the Olympic Games and Marin attempted to continue.
Barely able to walk, let alone play, Marin crumpled to the floor again after a couple more points, her face contorted with disappointment and pain.
She wept uncontrollably, pounding the court in frustration.
Her coach was quickly on the scene, able to do nothing but place a hand on Marin's back.
He Bingjiao of People's Republic of China checks on Carolina Marin as the Spaniard receives attention for an injury in the women's singles badminton semi-finals at Paris 2024
Carolina Marin supported by crowd after injury devastation
The capacity crowd applauded over the cries of Marin, standing up one by one in sympathy, while He headed over too, crouching down beside her injured rival.
Medical teams were soon on hand, joining the people around Marin who was on her hands and knees. The emotional pain seemed more difficult to take than the physical.
The applause continued, the sound akin to rain splattering on a roof, accompanying the tears that continued to flow.
The words finally spoken to her coach we could not hear but the gesture of Fernando Rivas gently cradling Marin's head spoke volumes.
The Iberian superstar eventually got up to a standing ovation and walked out on her own, refusing the wheelchair as she left.
Later, Rivas would reveal what was said: “She looked at me and said, 'It’s broken.' It was as soon as she fell to the ground. It is a feeling that she already knows so, if she told me that, it is true. Now we have to evaluate the injury, we have to run the usual tests, be calm and accept what it is.
“Carolina feels devastated. I think it was super cruel, very unfair, and the truth is that we have no words. We have no words to describe how it feels because, at the level she was, how she was getting better throughout the competition, and with the determination she was playing these semi-finals... The truth is, this is very hard.
“It is not fair, I think Carolina deserved to finish the Olympic Games, winning or losing, but on the court.”
The reigning Olympic champion in the men's edition, Denmark's Viktor Axelsen who progressed to the final from his own match shortly afterwards, was also concerned for the Spaniard: “I feel for Marin. She's a friend of mine and she's such an amazing opponent. She was winning the match and to see her go down like that was obviously very, very hard for me personally.
"So it was hard to block it out when I was warming up and I just hope that I can give her a hug and some encouragement when I see her next time because she was definitely supposed to win that match.”
Carolina Marin of Team Spain plays a shot before suffering an injury during the women's singles badminton semiifinal match against He Bingjiao of People's Republic of China at Paris 2024
Carolina Marin imparts words of encouragement to He Bingjiao
On finally getting to her feet, the crowd roared their support with He coming over to offer a huge hug and nod of compassion.
"I feel very sad about what happened," said He afterwards. "She has been injured before and has overcome it twice. I hope she can overcome her injury again and return to the game."
Marin, meanwhile, stepped away from the court, having come so close to the fairytale comeback, but not without some incredible parting words to He: "Marin has told me to carry on with her spirit, so I will give it my all."
He Bingjiao will play on Monday (5 August) at 10:55 local time, against Republic of Korea's An Se Young, in the gold-medal match.