Marin, who won the gold medal in Rio 2016, faced an unexpected hurdle while leading the semifinal match against China’s He Bing Jiao — another top-class athlete who has recently announced her retirement. Despite Marin’s ambition to claim another Olympic gold, her dreams were shattered due to her third significant knee injury, marking it one of the toughest challenges in her career.

In her video message, Marin shares how deep her emotional and physical pain is, stating, "It has been the hardest blow in my entire career. I did not expect it at all." Her initial goal was to return to Spain with the gold but fate had other plans. Marin noted, "I have not been able to achieve it, but without any doubt, I have achieved another gold medal." This metaphorical gold comes from the huge support and love she has received from her fans worldwide.

She also highlighted the sportsmanship and respect between competitors, as He Bing Jiao honored Marin by carrying a Spanish pin to the podium, a gesture that the Spaniard deeply appreciated.

Marin's road to recovery will be tough. With a successful surgery behind her, she now faces a long period of healing — both physically and mentally. The future remains uncertain for Marin, as she considers the potential end of her competitive career, stating, "I don’t know if I will play again, if I will hold a badminton racket again."

Despite these uncertainties, Marin’s spirit remains unbroken. She requests privacy as she embarks on this recovery journey while being thankful for the outpouring of support that demonstrates her important place not just in badminton, but in the hearts of fans across the world. As she stated, "You have given me that gold medal with all your love, with all your support."