In front of the elevators of the Vocento building, He Bing Jiao cannot contain his nerves. Three months have passed since the terrible August 4 when Carolina Marín fell on the track at La Chapelle in Paris, under the unmistakable crunch of her knee. The Chinese player clenches her hands as if trying to contain her vertigo. Upon arriving at the third floor of the Relevo offices, he asks in a whisper: “How is your injury?” The answer encourages her: Marín has already left the crutches behind. Without hesitation, he advances towards the living room where, on a blue velvet sofa, the Huelva native waits. Face to face, two champions transform their sporting rivalry into a story of humanity.
“I really wanted to see you,” Carolina breaks the ice with a smile that still bears the scars of Paris, but also gratitude for that gesture on the podium. He Bing Jiao, shy, responds with a soft voice: “Me too… I’m very excited to be here.” Words are unnecessary when memories fill the silence: the fall, the pain, and then the pin with the Spanish flag shining on the chest of the Chinese player on the podium, breaking Olympic protocol to send a message of respect and empathy. “No one had done anything like this for me,” Marín confesses.
That hug in the blue room It then moves to the main stage of the first edition of the Relevo X Change awards. Carolina, dressed in maroon and with a sobriety that contrasts with the intensity of the moment, takes the microphone to remember the impact of that gesture. «When the injury arrived, there was no Carolina for days. But then I saw what He did and I couldn’t believe it. I think we are not aware of what Chinese culture is like. “I don’t know if I would have been able to do something like that.” His voice mixes emotion and gratitude, the same one he felt in the darkest days of his recovery.
The Chinese player takes the stage with humility and gratitude. In rudimentary but brave Spanish, he says: “Hello, I am He Bing Jiao and I am from China.” Laughter breaks the ice before, now in novice English, he manages to express his feelings: «Carolina has always been a reference for me, a great reference. He has shown me how mentally strong he is. “I will always be grateful to him.” Jiao later confesses that she hesitated whether to get the pin on the podium, considering that Carolina deserved that gesture with a gold, and not with the silver that she ended up achieving.
Amid applause, Marín takes the floor again to close the circle: “I didn’t bring the gold from Paris, but I took something that weighs much more: a medal of love and support, which I will keep in my heart for the rest of my life.”
After the gala, Carolina had to reflect on her journey since the injury in an interview for the Vocento media: «I went to Paris with the goal of achieving my second Olympic gold and I brought back another medal, in the form of love, affection , support and empathy from all of Spanish society. Although he does not hide the fact that frustration is still present, he finds comfort in the support received from the people.
In the image, the winners in the ‘Relay x Change’. From the left, Salvador Gomar, president of the Valencian Football Federation, Elena Congost, Paula Leitón, María Arthuer and Sheila Ebana, mothers of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, Jesús Navas, Eli Segura, mother of Alexia Putellas, Carolina Marín and He Bing Jiao
At 31 years old, Carolina does not give up. His greatest hope is to get back on the track, although without rushing. «It’s not an obsession, but I don’t want an injury to end my sports career. “I’m in no hurry and I’m clear that I want to retire playing.” As she progresses in rehabilitation, she confesses that her life has changed: “I have never picked up a racket again and I am very focused on the rehabilitation itself.”
On the horizon, he imagines his farewell at home: «My idea was to retire at the 2025 World Cup in Paris, but the injury changes everything. I know that Spain will host the 2026 European Championship. I would love for Huelva to be the venue and to be able to retire there, at home. “It is my great dream and what I want to fight for.” That last game, surrounded by her people, would be the perfect ending to a career that not only adds titles, but a legacy of resilience anchored to an unmistakable motto: “I can because I think I can.” And he concludes: “And now what I can, above all, is enjoy and be happy with everything I have done and what life presents to me.”
