Carolina Marín retires: Olympic champion ends historic badminton career at 32

Spain's Carolina Marín has announced her retirement from professional badminton, bringing to a close one of the most decorated careers in the sport.

The 2016 Olympic champion revealed her decision ten days before the European Championships in her hometown, Huelva, citing ongoing injury problems and the need to prioritise her health.

Marín leaves the game with an outstanding record that includes one Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, three world titles and seven European crowns, establishing herself as the most successful player in European badminton history.

Her achievements came in a discipline traditionally dominated by Asian competitors, where she emerged as a rare and consistent challenger.

Her career was repeatedly affected by serious knee injuries. She suffered anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in her right knee in 2019 and 2024, as well as another in her left knee in 2021, which also involved damage to two menisci.

Despite these setbacks, she returned to win major honours, although she was unable to defend her Olympic title in Tokyo and fell short of another gold in Paris.

"My journey in professional badminton has ended, so I won’t be taking part in the European Championships in Huelva," Marín said. "I wanted us to see each other one last time on court, but I don’t want to put my body at risk."

She added: "Deep down, I did retire on a court, in Paris in 2024, we just didn’t know it at the time."

Beyond her titles, Marín is widely regarded as a pioneer who transformed the profile of badminton in Spain.

She thanked her team, family and supporters, saying: "This journey wouldn’t have been possible without every person who’s been part of my team and without my family."

Marín concluded by expressing pride in her career and a desire to remain connected to the sport, stating she hoped to continue promoting its values in the future.