PARIS, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Luis Ramon Garrido's encounter with badminton legend Lin Dan on Friday was a poignant moment for the Mexican athlete.
Garrido's mind flashed back to the mid-2010s, when he was among the world's top 50 players and had secured his spot at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
At that time, Lin was still at the peak of his power and somebody Garrido admired immensely.
However, Garrido's priorities changed rapidly as a life-threatening illness and a series of knee surgeries derailed his promising career.
"I can remember him since I was a little kid, he was just unreal," Garrido said a day after he crossed paths with Lin at the Olympic Village.
"He's my favorite ever badminton player. I just saw him there, so I told him he's my idol."
Garrido's path to his Olympic debut in Paris has been littered with challenges. In 2015, he battled rhabdomyolysis, a condition that severely affected his kidneys.
"I almost lost my life," he recalled. "The doctor told me that if I didn't get better in the next couple of days, it would maybe have been the end."
Determined to recover, Garrido moved to Spain for specialized treatment, eventually returning to the sport that he learned from his father as a toddler.
"We started playing in an old gym in the university, just for fun," he said. "I was practically still a baby, playing badminton in a nappy."
His comeback was further hampered in 2018 by severe knee injuries. "I destroyed my right knee playing in a tournament," he explained. Despite eight surgeries, Garrido maintained his Olympic dream.
"I thought about retiring in 2022 but I couldn't get the Olympic dream out of my mind," the 28-year-old confessed. "I know I'm going to fight and even if I have to give my life, I will do it. It's just a dream to be here." ■
