Badminton Ace Carolina Marin Offers Her Gold Medals To Medical Professionals In Spain

Ace badminton player Carolina Marin says medical professionals are the true warriors in this fight against COVID-19. “Next to you, I’m nothing,”  the Olympic champion from Spain told frontline hospital professionals of Virgen del Mar hospital in Madrid. The Rio Games women’s singles champion had a video interaction with the workers and she told them how they are the real inspiration for many.

Later, again, at the Sanitas Cima hospital in Barcelona, she told care workers they are the real champions. “I offered all my medals to them when I was talking to them as they are in fact the real heroes in Spain. They deserve every applause and accolade,” Marin, who has also won three World Championships, told The Indian Express. This gesture came in the wake of the increasing cases in Spain which was one of the worst-hit countries in the world with over 290,000 cases and 28,000 deaths.

“It was inspirational. I just wanted to thank them. They are the real heroes for all the effort in taking care of sick people in Spain during these terrible times. They did an incredible job and I would like to thank the frontline fighters who risk their lives every day and continue to serve people like us,” Marin, who has been spending lockdown in her hometown Huelva said.

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Marin came back to Spain after her semi-final match in the All England Open in mid-March. She visited her father who had been hospitalised after meeting with an accident just before the lockdown was imposed. Since then she is off the court, spending leisure time with family. "As much as the urge has been to return to court, the pandemic and the loss of human lives in my country and the world has shaken us all. Staying at home was the only way to help all those brave hearts fight it out for us,” she said. Marin also added that even though other professionals can rest at home in this crisis, healthcare workers risk their lives every day to make us feel safe at home.

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“This pandemic is unprecedented, yet we have so many inspirational stories that can only make me want to give back. Taking to the court and playing to win will be a way to pay gratitude for these health warriors. I hope people in India can come out of it soon too,” the 26-year-old said in solitude. She came to India the last time in Season 4 of the Premier Badminton League earlier this year.

Marin is now training again. She aims to clinch another gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics that is now postponed till 2021.

Also Read: Olympic Medal Has Changed My Life: Sindhu

Feature Image Credit: Firstpost

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