Heartbreaking moment Carolina Marin breaks down in tears and is consoled by coach after her Olympic dreams come crashing down as she gets injured in the women’s badminton semi final
- Marin seemed on its way to the final, led by Bing Jiao He from China with 21-14, 10-5
- The 31-year-old won the Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro
- She was denied the chance to defend her title due to an injury to her anterior cruciate ligament before Tokyo
2016 Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marin wept uncontrollably after her semi-final appearance in Paris ended in heartbreak due to a serious knee injury.
The Spaniard led 21-14, 10-5 ahead of China’s Bing Jiao He and seemed to be on her way to the final when she collapsed during a rally after an unfortunate landing.
The 31-year-old, who was denied the chance to defend her title in Tokyo in 2021 after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, lay ill on the field as coaches and medical staff rushed to her aid.
Marin fought bravely and tried to continue with her leg securely tied, but she collapsed again, hitting the ground in frustration and was forced to retreat.
Her abrupt and devastating exit from the competition was greeted with a huge round of consolation from the spectators at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena on Sunday, with Marin crying from the back of the pitch.
Carolina Marin was forced to retire midway through her Olympic semi-final after suffering a serious knee injury
The 31-year-old landed awkwardly during a rally when she looked set to make her first final since her 2016 victory
The Spaniard sobbed uncontrollably as she was forced to abandon the race after trying to continue with her knee heavily strapped
The badminton player did not speak to reporters as she left the arena to go to the hospital.
Jiao He will face An Seyoung from the Republic of Korea in the final. An defeated Gregoria Mariska Tunjung from Indonesia 11-21, 21-13, 21-16 in the first semi-final.
World number 4 Marin, if fit, will face Tunjung in the battle for bronze.