Carolina Marín: “I don’t know when I will compete again nor do I want to know at the moment”

• ALEJANDRO GALLEGO

  MADRID

Updated 12/24/2024 – 02:26CET

When someone starts to review the great athletes who have marked the history of Spanish sport, numerous names always emerge that have become legends of our nation over the years, that is, those like Rafael Nadal, Pau Gasol, Fernando Alonso, Mireia Belmonte, Andrés Iniesta, Saúl Craviotto, Alexia Putellas, Carlos Sainz Cenamor, etc. However, there is no doubt that if there is an athlete to be missed in the series of names mentioned above, it is Carolina Marín (Huelva, 1993), winner of the gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. among other great championships he has achieved.

On November 26, the Huelva native presented her documentary, “Carolina Marín: the infinite struggle.” This documentary premiered on December 2 on ‘Movistar Plus+’, but the presentation took place previously in the Telefónica Building and the sports radio microphone was there, as it could not be otherwise.

The city council has told me that they are going to do everything possible to ensure that the 2026 European Championship is hosted in Huelva.

Carolina Marin

How are you feeling after the injury you suffered at the Paris Olympics?

I feel much better, of course I am living another moment right now. It is clear that I ran too much with the two injuries I had earlier in my sporting career to return as soon as possible. Taking into account that the Olympic Games was the most important event for me and that it happened three and a half months ago, well to this day I still don’t pick up a badminton racket because I need to continue with that parenthesis and be away, since I have been in a lot of pain and it has been a very critical moment in my sports career.

Is the recovery being positive or has there been any type of complication?

It is being very positive, in fact, what the doctors tell me in the reviews is that everything is in order. The knee has very good stability and the meniscus is also recovering well, which for us was almost the most important thing, especially the external meniscus which is the one that suffered the most. So at the moment I am complying with all the times and deadlines that are being set for me.

When do you think you will be able to compete on a badminton court again?

Right now for me time is infinite, I am in no hurry, I don’t know when I will compete again nor do I want to know at the moment. Therefore, I am still in that parenthesis in which I do not want to focus on badminton, but rather I want to focus on recovering my knee to have the daily life of a normal person.

What is your day to day like now?

Of course my daily life has changed to what it was before, but I have to tell you that I am not bored, although what I prioritize the most is still the recovery of my knee. I train every day from Monday to Friday, I go to the gym and have physiotherapy sessions. Of course, today I am attending many events that my sponsors propose to me and that I couldn’t attend before due to training and competitions, so now I can give them back a little of the love they have given me throughout my sporting career. On the other hand, it is also true that I am very lucky because they are granting me many awards and I wish I could attend all of them, but obviously Carolina Marín cannot be divided into five.

About this that I was commenting now on the awards, we have seen lately that she has been awarded several awards, among them: the Princess Asturias of Sports, the PRE award at the SICAB of Seville, the newspaper Sport has given her the Valores award , the AFE Foundation award, How do you feel?

I feel proud of what I have done throughout my life, but I am grateful because not only are they recognizing me for what I have achieved, but above all, they are valuing how I am as a person and as an athlete, the values ​​that I transmit both within like off the court. I have a responsibility and I carry it with great pride, which is to be a role model for the little ones.

How did the idea for “The Infinite Struggle” come about?

The idea was born at a dinner where I launched the proposal for its realization. They told me that they thought it was a very good idea and from there all this arose.

How was the production of the documentary carried out?

I prefer not to say too much because I want people to see it. I always say that medals are very beautiful, but that very few people know everything behind them and precisely thanks to this documentary the path that an athlete has to take to achieve their dreams is very well reflected.

Last week, Rafa Nadal, one of the best Spanish athletes of all time, retired. What did you think of his career? Has it been an inspiration for you?

Of course. Unfortunately I have never had a sporting reference in my life because badminton has always been a totally unknown and minority sport in our country. So, over the years I looked to Rafa Nadal for inspiration, both on and off the court. It seems to me that he is a person of 10 and that he should feel very proud, so from here I thank him for the great legacy he has left in our country and around the world.

Huelva is being talked about very strongly as the venue for the next European Badminton Championship in 2026. Would you be excited if it were at your home?

I would be very excited. Right now I think it is my focus and the moment in which I would like to reappear on a badminton court. I don’t know if it will finally be the moment, but it is a very big dream for me and I have made it clear that it is in the statements that I have been giving for a few weeks. In fact, the city council has told me that they are going to do everything possible to ensure that the European Championship is hosted in Huelva.

Finally, I have read that you like football and that you are from Barça. How do you see Hansi Flick’s new Barcelona? Are you excited?

I must say that I belong to Barça thanks to my father because he has always been very culé. I am not a faithful follower of football or Barcelona due to the little time I have, but if I had to choose a team, it would be Barça. I am happy with the results and victories we are achieving, so I hope everything continues moving forward.