Olympic champion Carolina Marin retires from badminton: Decoding her achievements
What's the story
Carolina Marin, one of the greatest badminton players in history and a gold medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has announced her retirement from professional badminton. The Spanish star made the announcement in an emotional social media video. She confirmed that she would not be participating in the upcoming European Championships in her hometown of Huelva despite receiving a wild card entry. We decode her stats and present other details.
Injury impact
Recurring injuries prompt Marin's retirement
At 32, Marin said her decision to retire was largely due to recurring injuries that made it too risky for her to continue competing. "Today I want to be direct. My path in professional badminton has ended, and therefore I will not participate in the European Championships of Huelva," she said. She had hoped for a final match but didn't want to risk further damage.
Final match
Marin's last match at Paris Olympics
Marin's last appearance was at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she had to retire mid-match due to a knee injury. "In the end, I did retire on a track, in Paris, in 2024, only then we did not know," she said. Meanwhile, looking back on her journey, Marin expressed gratitude for her supporters: "Thank you for never letting me fall, for being by my side, and for supporting me in the hardest moments."
Retirement note
My journey in professional badminton has come to an end
Marin's retirement note read, "My journey in professional badminton has come to an end, and therefore, I will not be competing in the European Championship in Huelva (her hometown)." She added, "I wish my career had ended in a different way, but in life, things don't always go as we want, and we have to accept that." Marin thanked her team and family for their support throughout her career.
Career
Marin's illustrious career at a glance
Marin defeated PV Sindhu to win a historic women's singles gold at 2016 Rio Games. She has won three gold medals and a silver at the World Championships. Marin won the gold at European Games in 2023. Besides, she has won 7 gold medals at the European Championships. On the BWF World Tour, she has won 10 titles besides being 12 times runners-up. She has won 6 BWF Superseries titles and has been 4-time runners-up.
Information
More honors for Marin
She has also won 2 BWF Grand Prix titles and is a runner-up on 3 occasions. Marin has won 9 BWF International Challenge/Series titles and is a 5-time runner-up. For Spain, she has won 2 bronze medals and a silver at the European Women's Team Championships.