Spain is noted for more for prowess with the football than the shuttlecock but rising badminton star Carolina Marin may help redress the balance a little.

The 18-year-old notched her second notable victory in two days at the Yonex BWF World Badminton Championships on Tuesday to claim her place in the next round.

In a marathon 69-minute tussle, Marin outlasted 15th seed Eriko Hirose of Japan 21-23 21-16 21-16.

On Monday, the Spaniard had beaten another much more experienced performer in the shape of Yao Jie of the Netherlands with a 21-18 23-21 scoreline.

Marin's whole-hearted style has been catching the eye for some time. In 2009 she won gold at the European under-17 championships and silver at the European juniors... FULL ARTICLE