Retired Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marín opened the tenth International Sports Forum in León on Tuesday, speaking to a packed auditorium about her career.
The Regional Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport, Alberto Díaz Pico, attended the opening ceremony of the week-long gathering, which brings prominent national and international figures from various sporting disciplines to northwestern Spain.
Presented by journalist Sergio Sauca at the Auditorio Ciudad de León, Marín outlined her path in elite athletics following her retirement in March after suffering a severe injury at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Addressing aspiring athletes, the Olympic medalist and multi-time world and European champion said that those who do not take risks do not win, encouraging young competitors to seize every opportunity life presents to them.
She recalled leaving her hometown of Huelva at an early age for Madrid to pursue badminton, a sport that was largely unfamiliar to the Spanish public at the time. She acknowledged that her parents suffered the most during that difficult transition.
Marín noted that her success helped popularize badminton across the country, adding that she began seeing people playing the sport in public parks as it gained widespread traction.
Reflecting on career and values
Reflecting on contemporary society, Marín remarked that core values such as personal effort are increasingly being lost. She said people now expect immediate results and children are rewarded too early without understanding the dedication required to succeed.
She paid tribute to her long-time coach, Fernando Rivas, stating that he deserved much of the credit for her achievements. She added that while they shared extremely tough moments throughout their years of work together, those struggles proved worthwhile.
Marín also offered criticism regarding her administrative hurdles, recalling that after winning her first world championship in 2014, the Spanish Badminton Federation prevented her from taking on several sponsors. As a result, she chose to finance her own technical and support team to continue competing for major titles, investing in herself to reach the top level.
Looking back on a career marked by historic victories as well as major injury setbacks, Marín said she felt fortunate overall, concluding that although she had to sacrifice many things, the journey was worth it.
Promoting sports values and upcoming sessions
The International Sports Forum aims to bring the experiences of elite athletes to the public while emphasizing values such as effort, self-improvement, and commitment. Regional Minister Díaz Pico highlighted the importance of supporting initiatives that connect sports with society and promote its foundational principles.
The forum continues on Wednesday with sessions dedicated to tennis and water polo. Tennis coach Toni Nadal, who managed the career of his nephew Rafa Nadal for many years and previously attended the forum five years ago, will receive the FID Ciudad de León Award.
Active double Olympic medalist Paula Leitón will also speak on Wednesday. Beyond detailing her water polo career, Leitón will discuss her personal experience as a target of social media harassment regarding her physical build. She has authored a book on the subject and conducts educational courses primarily aimed at young people to provide strategies for combating cyberbullying.
