Paris—He Bingjiao of China advanced to the women’s singles badminton final at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics on Sunday after her semifinal opponent, Carolina Marin of Spain, was forced to withdraw from the competition due to an injury.
Marin started strong, winning the first game 21-14 and leading 10-5 in the second game. However, she suffered an unfortunate turn of events when she landed awkwardly on her right knee after executing an overhead smash. Despite attempting to continue playing with a knee brace, Marin soon realized she was unable to proceed and had to retire from the match.
The stadium fell silent as Marin shed tears of pain and disappointment. Her coach rushed to her side to offer support, and in a touching moment, he also went over to check on He Bingjiao. The crowd showed their appreciation for Marin’s efforts, applauding the Spanish athlete as she left the court.
With Marin’s withdrawal, He Bingjiao moves forward to the final round, where she will compete for the gold medal in women’s singles badminton. Her advancement marks a significant achievement and continues China’s strong presence in Olympic badminton.
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He Bingjiao reaches women's singles badminton final at Paris Olympics
cgtn.com
