Heartbreaking moment. Spanish badminton star will not defend Olympic title due to injury

The 2024 Olympic Games continue in Paris. Today, among other competitions, the semi-finals of the women's badminton competition are taking place.

The match saw representatives from Spain and China face off. Carolina Marín, the Olympic champion of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, was up against Bing Jiao He. Marín had been performing confidently throughout these Games and held an advantage over her opponent in the semifinal, with the score at 21-14, 10-5 in her favor. It seemed certain that Marín would secure her place in the final, but one moment changed everything: during a rally, she fell and sustained an injury.

After receiving medical attention, Marín returned to the court and tried to continue the match. However, after another incident, she fell again and could not proceed.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Marín burst into tears. The audience at Porte de La Chapelle Arena applauded her, and her coach rushed to support her.

Following this, Marín did not speak to the journalists and went directly to the hospital. This incident marks her second missed opportunity to win Olympic gold. In the previous Tokyo Games, she was unable to compete for medals due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee.