He Bingjiao is one of the great references of Chinese badminton in the last decade and saying this is not saying anything. In the Asian giant, according to government studies, the sport of racket and shuttlecock is practiced by around 250 million people. Therefore, it is normal that with such an imposing base they have been dominating the top of this sport worldwide with an iron fist for years together with other neighboring powers such as South Korea, India or Japan, in which the number of amateur players or professionals number in the millions. But in the midst of this overwhelming dominance, there appeared a decade ago a Spanish miracle called Carolina Marín.
The Huelva native has become an unprecedented challenge for the countries that have filled the Olympic and world record throughout the history of this sport. His game, intense, powerful and fast, surprised those who believed they had the absolute truth of the best way to win at badminton.. What we did not officially know until now, on the verge of her retirement after suffering three serious injuries to her knees, was everything that caused the emergence of the ‘wolf’ Marín, based on a voracious expression on and off the track, in an almighty china.
In an exclusive conversation with Relevo, taking advantage of her trip to Spain to meet Carolina Marín again and receive the Relevo of the world and break the molds.
Seeing Carolina’s winning character, I have always wondered what it is like to face her.
Competing against Carolina Marín is an incredible experience, because her style of play is very fast and very intense, and you experience sensations that are not usually felt on a court. For example, there have been times when I was already on match point, I only needed one more to win and I was four or five points ahead… how could I have lost? I come home and ask myself: what have I done wrong? How could this happen to me? I just don’t believe it. Carolina never gives up, she is at her best until the last second. At the same time, playing with her is always a pleasure because you notice her competitive spirit. But, at the same time, his character has turned against me. I have learned a lot from her.
“My coach has always told me that I should scream like Carolina Marín”
Chinese badminton player and Olympic runner-up in Paris 2024
Carolina has received a lot of criticism during her career for screaming during the game. You who have been on the other side of the network, what do you think?
I don’t think yelling is a bad thing. In fact, I really appreciate that he does it because it is a way of showing his competitive spirit. In fact, my coach has always told me that I should do like Carolina Marín and express my emotions more on the court so that the opponent sees my status. I’ve always thought I should have done more. Also, yelling to win a point is good because it means you’ve earned it. I appreciate that intensity, their emotions and their desire to win, because in our Chinese culture we are more reserved and keep it more inside. Seeing her must be a learning experience.
How was the arrival of a Spanish woman capable of reaching the top and being able to beat the great powers of badminton received in China and the rest of the Asian countries?
His arrival at the elite was as explosive as his way of playing. Within the Chinese team we were very impressed by both their speed, their power and intensity, we were amazed by their playing style in general. When she appeared, she started winning and how she won, we realized that she was going to be too powerful a rival and, internally, the technicians began to investigate and do studies to discover what would be the way to beat her.
How was that analysis?
We analyze his game. As a left-handed player who also has an offensive style of play, I began to secretly watch a lot of videos of their games to analyze what your plays are like and I learned a lot about Carolina.
“We invite male players to our training sessions to replicate Carolina’s speed and power”
What changed on the Chinese team to be able to face Carolina?
We started changing the preparation in two ways. On the one hand, we invited left-handed male players to come and train against us so we could face them. The objective was to replicate the speed and power that Carolina has when you face them. These qualities are not usually found in women, not even in China. So, we had to look for men. And on the other hand, we began to work more on our defensive side. ‘Caro’ has such an intense and persistent attack that we had to improve to be able to resist his attacks.
When you see a Spanish woman, from a country with only a few federated members, who is capable of beating the Asians… what do you think?
When Carolina Marín appeared, we remember seeing her for the first time in the group stage of the London 2012 Olympic Games, she was eliminated and that’s it. And four years later, she was the champion. In China we were very, very surprised that a player like Carolina could have emerged in Spain, who in four years made such impressive progress to become the best in the world.
Many players have expressed that facing Carolina and her fierce attack is scary. It’s true?
We never felt a hint of fear (laughs). Since its appearance, our main feeling and objective was to want and be able to win it. So we decided that being afraid of him wasn’t going to get us anywhere and we had to focus on finding ways to beat him.
Carolina Marín is the first player to return to the elite after a serious knee injury. What’s more, he has achieved it twice. Did you already consider him impossible and suddenly he was back in the elite?
I wasn’t surprised that he managed to come back. They have an incredible team of physiotherapists and physical trainers. And also, I know firsthand their mentality of competing. It was clear to her that if anyone had to come back, it was going to be her. In addition, my physical trainer is also Spanish and understands what the recovery process was for the entire team.
In an interview in Relevo, Carolina pointed out that in China, when a player suffers a serious injury, there are five other players of the same level waiting their turn.
In China, when you start playing badminton you are already surrounded by hundreds of children who play like you and you feel excited to be in the fight with millions of children at the same time who want to fulfill your dream. Even later, when you join the national team, there are also dozens of players. You know that you have to train a lot to enter the fight to represent the country. Yes, if there is an injury, there is always a person who takes over playing at the same level.
In an interview in Relevo, Carolina Marín revealed that she wants to create a badminton academy in Spain to continue her method.
I would really like to come to Spain to be with her at her academy, I would love it. The only thing is that both Carolina and I are left-handed, so all the academy players would have to be left-handed.
[Durante el reencuentro con Carolina Marín unas horas después de esta entrevista, He Bingjiao recordó esta cuestión y se ofreció a la onubense para poder venir a España a entrenar a los jóvenes de su academia.]
In Spain, we are worried because after the retirement of Carolina Marín we will no longer have a player of her level. You will get rid of Spain…
When I started playing badminton I admired my idols, who were the ones who played on the national team at that time. For this reason, Carolina should not worry about not having an immediate replacement because the children who have been watching her play will be inspired by her and a player will emerge who follows her legacy.
But it is not the same for an elite player to emerge in China as it is in Spain… because of the environment.
Well, I understand that Carolina Marín started badminton because there was a club in the neighborhood where she lived. In the same way, the center where badminton is played in the city where I was born was next to my parents’ work office. So, they took me there to play for a while amateur until my parents came out and picked me up to go home. Our stories are similar.
“One of the most emotional moments was when four Spanish fans approved my gesture from the stands”
Seeing your admiration and affection when talking about Carolina, your gesture on the Olympic podium is perfectly understood. Did you find out everything that happened in Spain because of your gesture? You won the affection of the entire country…
I didn’t think it would reach this level and I never thought about the impact the gesture could have. I just wanted to take Carolina Marín to the podium with me because she deserved to be there. I wanted to show my respects and all my support after what had happened in the semifinal. I did not wear the Spanish pin as something premeditated, I did not even imagine that I would be able to receive an award for doing so as a symbol of values.
During that day, we can surely say that you became as well-known and recognized in Spain as in China. Or more.
I am very surprised by the love and affection I received from Spain. I realized that people in Spain are so friendly that I love it. One of the most emotional moments I had at the medal ceremony was when I came down from the podium and saw four Spanish fans, dressed in a very beautiful red color, who began to give me the thumbs up. I felt very appreciated and honored, and also very moved by how the Spanish and also people from other countries had welcomed that action. I felt very loved.
How do you remember Carolina’s injury?
I was very nervous that whole day, also during the competition. I noticed that Carolina was playing at a very high level, the highest of all our matchups. I remember that Caro launched an attack at me and I was going to return a defensive blow diagonally. When I turned around and didn’t see her, I realized something was wrong. I got nervous and started calling the doctors. When the injury happened, I felt very sad because, as an athlete, I could feel his frustration. There the result didn’t matter and she proved to be the true champion when she decided not to go out in a wheelchair and do it on her own foot. To do that, you also need to have great strength and I admire it.
I was in the mixed zone after the injury and I saw you burst into tears. Carolina couldn’t see it and I think it’s good that she knows through this interview how bad you had those minutes.
I didn’t want to cry, but after answering questions and remembering that moment. I felt very emotionally attacked because, as an athlete, one of your biggest fears is having to retire due to a serious injury. At that moment, I was able to empathize a lot for Carolina because it is what you least want in your rival. The thing is, besides his coach, I was the person who was closest to what happened. I cried because I felt like I had what happened deep inside me.
Carolina has announced that she would like to play again to retire in a European Championship that could be played in her hometown, in Huelva in 2026. But you, after the Olympic silver, have already decided to end your sporting career and announce your retirement. What will you do now?
Now I have retired from my competitive career, but I am not going to walk away from badminton. Like Carolina, I want to continue training children, helping in their aspirations and motivations. I will train young people so that talents continue to emerge from this sport in China.
