NEW DELHI: Carolina Marin, one of badminton’s greatest players and the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medallist, has announced her retirement from professional badminton, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable career. The Spanish star shared the news through an emotional social media video, confirming she will skip the upcoming European Championships in her hometown Huelva despite receiving a wild card entry.
At 32, Marin said her decision was largely due to recurring injuries, which made it too risky 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 admitted she had hoped to play one final match but chose not to risk further damage. “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 it. I said it many times, and I am consistent with my decision.” Looking back, she realised her final appearance had already happened at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she was forced 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.Marin leaves behind an extraordinary legacy, including an Olympic gold medal, three World Championship titles, and multiple European crowns. She famously defeated P.V. Sindhu in the Rio 2016 final and became Spain’s first Olympic badminton champion.Though she won’t end her career on court in Huelva, the city still holds emotional value. “I wanted the road to end in Huelva, and so it will be. Not with the racket in my hand, but in the city where I was born, to close a circle of many years,” she said.Grateful for her journey, Marin thanked her supporters: “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.”“I leave my passion being very proud of everything I have achieved, but more than for the titles, for having earned the respect of the world of sport,” she added, while looking forward to a new chapter ahead.
