China take three golds at Badminton Asia Championships
With three golds, three silvers, and seven bronze medals, China's badminton team asserted its dominance in the 2024 Badminton Asia Championships, here on Sunday.
Imagine winning all there is to win in your respective sport before your 23rd birthday. And by all, we mean all. That is the curious case of Carolina Marin, the World No.4 as per the latest badminton rankings and of course, as most Indians associate her, the 2016 Rio Olympic Games champion.
In conversation with The Statesman, Marin revealed that she hasn't lost her will to win despite a somewhat rocky start to the year. “What do you mean by not the ideal start to 2017?” exclaimed the spunky Spaniard.
“It is impossible to keep winning for an extended period of time in a sport that is so competitive. All the players are training day and night to beat you, so it is natural that you lose a few games here and there,” she added.
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Her quest for a second All England title came to a premature end at the hands of Malaysia’s Ratchanok Intanon in the quarters and a walkover in the German Open final rankled the Spaniard, who is renowned for giving her all on the court.
“I was struggling with injuries post-Rio because my preparations for the Olympics were really intense and it is only natural that I tapered my schedule to allow my body to recover,” Marin said.
And, suggestions of complacency are smashed away with a curt “Yes, I have an All England Championship title (She beat Saina Nehwal in the 2015 final) and an Olympic gold, but so what? I’m not one to rest on my laurels and am always preparing for the next tournament.”
So, is the 23-year-old Huelva native looking forward to reclaiming her No.1 ranking?
“Yes, of course! I feel recharged and ready to get my groove back. Crazy for the sport I am and my competitive fire hasn't dimmed one bit. I know it'll be burning bright for the next couple of years at the very least,” Marin added.
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