Paris Olympics: Chinese Shuttler Pays Tribute To SF Opponent Carolina Marin With Pin Of Spanish Flag After Clinching Silver

Chinese badminton player He Bingjiao showcased a heartfelt gesture by paying tribute to her semifinal opponent, Spanish player Carolina Marin, after clinching the silver medal in the badminton women's singles at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Monday, August 5.

Carolina Marin had to withdraw from the semifinal clash against He Bingjiao due to a knee injury. During the second game, Marin jumped to return a shot from her Chinese opponent but had an awkward landing, injuring her right knee.

The former World No. 1 was crying inconsolably from the pain and then hugged He Bingjiao as she couldn't continue her game. Before leaving the court, Carolina Marin acknowledged the crowd.

China's He Bingjiao received walkover and qualified for the final of the women's singles event. Bingjiao had to settle for the Silver medal after losing to South Korean star An Se-young in the Final. However, He Bingjiao paid a unique tribute to Carolina Marin after winning the Silver medal.

In the picture that went viral on social media, He Bingjiao can be seen holding her silver medal and a pin of Spanish flag in honour of Carolina Marin, expressing her admiration and respect for the Spanish badminton star.

Carolina Marin was one of the favourites to win a gold medal in badminton women's singles. The 31-year-old topped the group stage by remaining undefeated and qualified for the pre-quarters, where she defeated Beiwen Zhang in three-game thriller. In the quarterfinals, Marin defeated Japan's Aya Ohori to advance to semifinal.

However, Marin's campaign ended with a withdrawal due to a knee injury. With Spanish badminton star withdrawing from the Semifinal, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia won the bronze medal.