The Spanish player badminton Carolina Marín assured this Tuesday in Oviedowhere on Friday he will pick up the Princess of Asturias Sports Award 2024, that his “greatest dream” is to retire “on a track, after seriously injuring his knee again at the Paris Olympic Games.
“My greatest hope is to be able to retire on a badminton court,” he said at the press conference on the occasion of the reception of the award that he will collect this Friday at the Campoamor Theater.
A process in which his team, his family, the public and also his psychologist have been key. In this sense, he has highlighted the importance of professional help to guarantee mental health in high-competition sport and in everyday life.
“One can be well, but if one wants to be better “he needs external help from a psychologist,” he commented, recognizing that this latest injury has been an important turning point in his professional and personal life to see things from another perspective.
He says that he has not yet touched a racket or a shuttlecock because he needs time to recover and is “eternally grateful” by the displays of encouragement on social networks and on the street.
Thus, he admits that his career is “a dream come true” because he has achieved win it all and especially values ”the medal of affection, support and empathy of the people.”
“I dreamed of this award several years ago”he assured. And Marín sees the Princess of Asturias Sports Award as recognition not only of her sporting career but also of badminton as a minority sport that has been increasing its practice and following in Spain.
In fact, she is satisfied that today’s children have her as a reference, since she did not have them when she started when she was eight years old. In this sense, he has praised the values that sport transmits on and off the track.
