Known for her unbreakable spirit of improvement on the slopes, Carolina Marin You are living a bittersweet moment. While preparing to walk down the blue carpet of the Campoamor Theater and receive the prestigious Princess of Asturias Sports Award This Friday, his last year has been a true carousel of emotions. The champion, considered one of the best badminton players in the world, has had to overcome challenges on and off the court.
Last August, an injury It kept her from the Olympic dream, but her motto “I can because I think I can” has pushed her to return to training stronger than ever. This combative spirit is what has earned her international recognition, adding three world titles, seven European titles and, of course, Olympic gold in Rio 2016.
However, as Vanitatis relates, his life off the slopes has also been marked by ups and downs. The Huelva athlete has recently gone through a breakup with her boyfriend, Gen Esteban San Millána promising athlete on the Real Sociedad team. Despite the discretion with which they managed their relationship, Carolina had already hinted at problems last May. “I’ve had a crisis… it’s a bad thing,” he confessed in La Resistencia with David Broncano. After months of rumors, their separation was confirmed when, on her birthday, Gen was no longer present. In addition, the athlete deleted the photos she shared with him from her social networks, ending a relationship that became public for the first time on Valentine’s Day in 2023. What few knew is that Carolina and Gen shared more than love for him. sport: together they adopted an abandoned dog. However, the story had a sad ending when the animal died a few months later.
Carolina Marín and Gen Esteban
This would be Carolina’s second known ex-boyfriend. Before her relationship with Gen Esteban San Millán, Carolina Marín had a relationship with Alejandro Carrasco, an osteopath, sports massage therapist and kinesiologist. They met at the Joaquín Blume residence for athletes in Madrid, where a solid relationship emerged that led them to live together in the capital, sharing their lives with Thori, his beloved mongrel dog. Alejandro was a fundamental pillar in the most crucial moments of Carolina’s career, accompanying her even during her victory at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, where she won the gold medal.
Although their relationship ended, Carolina still keeps photos of that time with Alejandro on her Instagram account, a detail that shows the positive impact it had on her personal and professional life.
Four years without his father
The personal blow from their current breakup is added to the loss of his father in 2020, a tragedy that has strengthened his bond with his mother, Toni. Carolina’s mother has been her greatest support, and we will see her with her when she receives the Princess of Asturias Award. Recently, Carolina organized an emotional 60th birthday party for him, an event that, according to what she herself said on Instagram, was not easy to organize due to her mother’s reluctance. Finally, they managed to gather their closest family and friends for an unforgettable celebration. In her message, the athlete highlighted the strength of her mother, who, in addition to her work in a nursing home, has been the fundamental pillar during the most difficult moments, such as the knee operations that Carolina has had to face.
But Carolina is not just badminton. Her love of animals recently led her to visit MundoPark, ua natural reserve dedicated to the conservation of fauna, where she enjoyed being surrounded by wolves and other animals. Furthermore, although she had to leave flamenco at the age of 12 to dedicate herself to badminton, she continues to show her passion for dance on social networks, where she does not hesitate to join the most viral choreographies of the moment.
Carolina’s relationship with the Royal House also has its own anecdote. After his victory in Rio 2016, Queen Letizia proposed that he give badminton classes to her daughters, although this never came to fruition. Even so, the royal family’s admiration for the champion is evident, making her an example of effort and perseverance.
Curiously, the athlete also knows how to enjoy life outside of sport, and was invited to the 30th birthday of the influencer Rocío Camacho, where we saw her having a great time and rubbing shoulders with the top figures on Instagram. A lover of cooking, Carolina has confessed that her great dream would be to retire in the 2026 European Championship, and for it to be held at the Sports Palace that bears her name in Huelva. A life full of successes, challenges, and above all, passion.