China's Li Xuerui gets injured during the women's singles badminton semifinal between China's Li Xuerui and Spain's Carolina Marin at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Aug. 18, 2016. Li Xuerui lost the match with 0:2. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Li Xuerui couldn't make the bronze medal match at the Rio Olympic Games after she picked up a leg injury in the women's singles semifinals in the badminton competition on Thursday.
Li strained her left knee in the second set. She managed to finish the match but lost 21-14, 21-16 to Spain's Carolina Marin.
Later examination showed that the player tore her anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) and also had injury in lateral meniscus, said Chinese head coach Li Yongbo.
"She already did a great job in the competition," said Li about his player.
In the wake of Li's absence, Nozomi Okuhara of Japan will be awarded the bronze medal by walkover.
