Paris dream drives Marin to make injury comeback

TOKYO • A horror injury wrecked Carolina Marin's Tokyo Olympics dream but now the Spanish badminton star is aiming for a record fourth world title and gold at the 2024 Paris Games.

Marin was the hot favourite for the Tokyo title last year until a knee injury in May forced her to miss not just the Olympics but also the world championships in her home town of Huelva five months later.

The 29-year-old returned to action three months ago and she is making up for lost time at the current world meet in Tokyo.

Marin yesterday staved off four match points to book her place in the quarter-finals with a 16-21, 21-15, 22-20 win over China's He Bingjiao, letting out a wild scream of celebration after sealing the deal.

A record fourth world title is still not at the forefront of her mind, but she admitted the latest victory would give her the "self-confidence to face other top players".

"I don't want to think about the title every day because this is something that is going to happen only on Sunday when you win the last game," she said after setting up a blockbuster clash against top seed and home favourite Akane Yamaguchi today.

"I want to push myself as far as I can. I want to give my best in every game that I have to play here and of course, I'm looking forward to playing another quarter-final."

The anterior cruciate ligament tear on Marin's left knee last year came just two years after she suffered the same injury in her other knee - an injury that kept her out for eight months of 2019.

She said her two injuries were "really tough for the body but mainly mentally" and only the thought of winning Olympic gold in 2024 kept her going.

"When I broke my second knee, something that motivated me was that I couldn't win in Tokyo so I wanted to win the gold medal in Paris," said the 2016 Olympic champion.

"I don't want to put pressure on myself to keep this kind of goal in my mind.

"This is something that is going to happen in two years but it's something that sometimes motivates yourself."

As a veteran, Marin is conscious she is "not as young as the other players" and is wary of overloading her schedule, particularly with her injury record.

"Now I am in the moment to really care about my body," she said. "We need to keep focusing on what tournaments I should play because to have two serious injuries is really easy to say but really hard to feel."

Marin's resolve will be tested fully when she faces world No. 1 and defending champion Yamaguchi.

"To be away for more than one year, not playing these kinds of games against top players, sometimes, your confidence is not really high," she said.

"But today, to get this victory, gives me confidence, for sure."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE