One of the very greatest says goodbye 

The most winning European women’s singles player ever, Carolina Marín, announced yesterday that she is retiring from badminton. 
 
A player, a person, and a mentality that sets new standards for the sport—and one that will be remembered and modeled after by generations to come. 

From a country where badminton is not the biggest sport, where there were no world top players to measure herself against, Carolina Marín managed to carve her name into history. 

She first picked up a racket at the age of 8, when a friend took her to the local hall in Huelva to play badminton. It was love at first sight. From there, things moved quickly, and her talent was undeniable. So much so that at just 14 years old, she moved from Huelva to Madrid to join the national setup under the guidance of Fernando Rivas. 
It was difficult for her family to let their young daughter move alone to pursue her dreams, but even then, Carolina Marín showed her determination and talked them into letting her seize the opportunity. 

In 2009, she won the European U17 Championships, and the same year, at just 16, she claimed silver at the European Junior Championships. Two years later, she took revenge and won the 2011 European Junior Championships. 

The big international breakthrough 

Her true breakthrough on the international stage came in 2014. 
 
That year, she won her first of seven European Championships, defeating Anna Thea Madsen in the final. But the biggest surprise came later that year, when she won the World Championships, despite never having won a Super Series tournament before. 

2014 marked her arrival on the world stage, one she would go on to dominate for the next decade. 

In 2015, she proved to everyone that she was no one-hit wonder, winning no fewer than five Super Series tournaments along with her second World Championship title. Her aggressive playing style and incredible pace were rarely seen at that level, making her a dangerous opponent for anyone across the net. 

She was therefore among the favourites at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where she went all the way and became the first European women’s singles player ever to win Olympic gold. 

Her third and final World Championship title came in 2018, when she defeated P. V. Sindhu - the same opponent she had beaten in the Olympic final. 

 

Injuries, comebacks, and resilience 

In 2019, the year before she was set to defend her Olympic title in Tokyo, she suffered a serious ACL injury. 
 
She fought her way back, once again demonstrating the incredible mental strength that defined her career. She won four out of five tournaments in her comeback, including her fifth European Championship title. 

However, misfortune struck again. Just two months before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she suffered another devastating knee injury, tearing her ACL again, along with both menisci. 

For most athletes, two such injuries would mean the end. But not Carolina Marín. 
Her motto, “I can, because I believe I can,” proved true once again as she climbed back to the top of the world rankings, overcoming what seemed like an impossible mental and physical challenge. 

Her dominance in Europe 

Marín continued her impressive run in Europe: 

• European Champion in 2021, 2022 

• European Games winner in 2023  

• European Champion again in 2024  

She also won multiple Super Series titles and claimed the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships in 2024. 

This set the stage for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. After dominating the group stage and securing victories over Zhang Beiwen in the round of 16 and Aya Ohori in the quarterfinals, she led 21–14, 10–7 in the semifinal against He Bing Jiao. 

Then it happened again. 

Time stood still as Carolina fell to the ground, another serious knee injury.  

Three ACL injuries in one career. And this time, so close to reclaiming Olympic gold. 

 

A story of relentless belief 

For many, this could have been the ending: 31 years old, three ACL injuries, and having already won nearly everything the sport has to offer. 

Most would have understood if she had stopped there. 

But not Carolina Marín. 

For over a year and a half, she fought to return, through two surgeries and endless rehabilitation, with one clear goal: the 2026 European Championships in her hometown of Huelva. 

That goal is now, unfortunately, out of reach. But the fact that she fought so hard and came so close once again shows the extraordinary mental strength of this remarkable athlete. 

Carolina Marín, from Huelva, Spain, to the very top of the world, redefined women’s singles badminton and left a legacy that will live on forever. 

 
Winning biography: 
 
European Championships – 7 

European Games – 1  

World Championships – 3 

Olympic Games – 1  

World tour – 18

European Circuit Tour - 9