Jayce
Luis Ramon Garrido last saw Lin Dan during the 2024 Paris Olympics, when Lin Dan was encountered in the Olympic Village. At that time, the Mexican player was ranked among the top 50 in the world and had just secured his place for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Following this, a life-threatening illness, eight knee surgeries, and growing self-doubt kept him out of competition for over four years.
“I remember him from when I was young; he was simply amazing,” Garrido said. He had just brushed shoulders with alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn and taken a photo with Lin Dan at the edge of the Olympic torch relay. “He is my favorite athlete. I just saw him there and told him that he is my idol.”
Garrido’s teenage career was promising, and he was once close to appearing alongside Jeremy Lin at the Rio Olympics. However, his journey to debut in Paris was long and arduous, often fraught with immense pain.
“In 2015, I almost lost my life,” said the 28-year-old. “I was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. My kidneys were failing. They couldn’t process everything, so I was urinating blood every day.
“For a while, the odds were 50/50 because if you don’t treat this disease properly, it progresses quickly. The doctors told me that if I didn’t get treatment, it could be over within days.” Garrido survived, moved to Spain to live with a specialist for four months, and slowly returned to his first love: badminton.
He learned the sport from his father when he was very young. His father was a former professional soccer player who, after retiring, began developing sports rackets for a university in Monterrey.
“We started playing badminton in an old gym at the university just for fun,” Garrido said. “I was still a baby, playing badminton in a diaper. I was just addicted to playing badminton.”
In early 2018, Garrido’s professional career faced a nearly terminal setback as his first knee injury made him question whether he wanted to continue competing.
“I injured my right knee in a match,” he said. “I injured all parts: the patella and tendons, knee ligaments, and both menisci. It was extremely painful—both physically and mentally.”
Over the next four years, he underwent eight knee surgeries.
“I considered retiring in 2022, but I couldn’t forget my Olympic dream,” he said. “I knew I wouldn’t win a medal; it wasn’t pessimistic or negative, just a fact.
“Despite all the injuries and wasted time, I know my place; I know who I am. I knew I would fight, even if it meant giving my life.
“It doesn’t matter who is in front of me. Looking back on the whole process, participating in the Olympics feels like a dream.”
