Olympics-Badminton champion Marin withdraws from Tokyo due to knee injury

[June 01, 2021]    MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Olympic women's singles badminton champion Carolina Marin confirmed on Tuesday that she is unable to defend her crown in Tokyo due to a knee injury.

Spain's Carolina Marin in action during her match against Beiwen Zhang of the U.S. Claus Fisker/Ritzau Scanpix via REUTERS

Marin, a five-time European and three-time world champion who beat Pusarla Venkata Sindhu of India to claim gold at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, said she has torn her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and both meniscus in her left knee.

"After examinations during the weekend and the medical consultation, I confirm that I have torn the ACL and both meniscus on my left knee," a statement released on her social media channels said.

"The preparation during the last two months had become very difficult for reasons beyond the team's control, but we were excited and knew that I would... (be in) the best possible shape for the Olympics.

"It won't be possible. I know that I am in safe hands and have a lot of people by my side."

(Reporting by Joseph Walker; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Christian Radnedge)

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.