Carolina Marin: a drop of water in the desert
When Carolina Marin He arrived at the Madrid High Performance Center at the age of 14.Fernando Rivas asked him how far he wanted to go. “AND She told me that she wants to be the champion of everything and number 1. She has always been a very ambitious girl, but she understood this ambition in an innocent way. because he didn’t realize the sacrifices he would have to make,” recalls his coach for MARCA.
Spain had no tradition of badminton, a sport traditionally dominated by Asian women.that’s why Rivas had to innovate with Expensive and she, who always showed blind faith in her team, tried her best. “Copying is not the answer because a copy can never be better than the original,” says the technician. And to overthrow the Asian Empire, the key was a capacity for effort, reinvention and resilience that the Huelva native has demonstrated over the years.
“I don’t think there will be another Carolina Marin. It was like a drop of water in the desert. It’s not just about results, her milestone goes beyond. It was unthinkable for a Spanish woman to enter a world to which she did not belong and become the most successful in history,” says Rivas. olympic gold (Rio 2016), three world crowns And 8 European they turned it into greatest player in history. And if not Serious right knee injury in the semi-finals of the Paris Gameswe would be talking about a second Olympic medal. “I know what color it would be. “When I see her like this, I know she’s going to win.”speaks.
I don’t think there will be another Carolina Marin; It’s not just about results, this milestone goes beyond
And it is thanks to this excellent curriculum and transmission of values receives today (18:30) the Princess of Asturias Sports 2024.
Stubborn, resilient and extremely competitive
Rivas will be with her today at the Campoamor Theater, as will Maria Martinez, his psychologist since 2018. Caroline’s mental strength has always been emphasized, but she remembers that she continues to work on it. “I always appreciate your determinationwhich became his standard. That’s why identifies with the wolfbecause when he sets his mind to something, he goes for it, despite the fact that he knows what it will cost him in terms of effort and sacrifice. And this quality helped him not only on the court, but also in bad moments in his career, for example, due to injuries,” he explains.
“This is a man who Even though he is in pain, he quickly accepts failure and quickly thinks of what to do to continue.r. And she’s ready to fight. She worked on this strength. She is a wounded wolf, capable of healing her wounds and returning. He proved it. I really like the version he shows after his latest injury. Showing yourself vulnerable is also powerful.” says Martinez.
I always appreciate his determination, which he turned into a standard.
And that vulnerable part that made him connect with people also stands out. Guillermo Sanchezhis physical trainer the last eight years. “Carolina arrives, kind, loving, attentive and a good listener. I I prefer this one Expensive more human than Super Caro, who believes she can do anything. This quality makes her a great athlete, but also makes her take a lot of risks.“explains Sanchez, who admits that he sometimes addresses her as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde because it combines two versions.
“She’s very stubbornand if something gets between his eyebrows, he doesn’t stop. This is his advantage and his disadvantage. She’s an athlete extremely competitiveraised to maximum power. AND His ability to withstand fatigue and effort without losing strength is truly incredible. It stands out for its ability to support efforts in the “black” areas when you are really tired and your system is struggling. This allows her to perform high-intensity training where, when another athlete can’t take it anymore, she continues to perform. And it also stands out the ability to restore your system. It’s amazing how in one minute your heart rate increases from 180 to 60. And this allows you to put a lot of stress on them, their nervous system self-regulates very quickly,” he adds.
She is extremely competitive and very stubborn.
He will also be in Oviedo today, as well as Carlos de Santos, his physiotherapist. The whole team has her back. Wolf pack. “I highlight his resilience, his ability to always get up when something bad happens to him and do it as best as possible. Any athlete in his place would have left the sport. “Only Caro and we know what he endured and endured to return,” he says.
It is clear to everyone on the team that there would be gold at the Games.
“Of the athletes I have treated She is the best and I admire her ability to sacrifice the most. I already told her. We saw her suffer a lot trying to get back to her level. In Paris our hearts sank. It was very difficult. As a result, everyone on the team cried. It was very difficult. “It’s clear to everyone on the team that there would have been gold at the Games,” he adds with conviction. And today, Princess Valiant, who once challenged the Asian established order and now fights to return to say goodbye on the badminton courts, will receive her crown before the kings.