We're reaching the business end of the badminton competition in the doubles, with just team women's competitions this 3 August in the Olympic Village of Paris.

First of the day, Spain's Carolina Marin moved into the Olympic badminton semi-finals on Saturday 3 August and said it had been a long journey back since missing the Tokyo Games with a serious knee injury. Marin, the 2016 women's singles champion, beat Japan's Aya Ohori 21-13, 21-14 at La Chapelle Arena to set up a final-four showdown with China's He Bingjiao.

Marin was hot favourite for the title at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago until she suffered a cruciate ligament knee tear just months before the tournament. That kept her out for a year and came just two years after she ruptured the ligament in her other knee -- an injury that sidelined her for eight months of 2019.

Marin said it "means a lot" to be back in medal contention on the Olympic stage. "Three years ago, I couldn't think that I would reach a semi-final here in Paris," she said. "The journey has been a long way but I am here and I feel really proud of myself."

South Korea's world number one An Se-young also progressed with a 15-21, 21-17, 21-8 win over Japan's two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi. An's semi-final opponent will be Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, who beat Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon 25-23, 21-9.

Marin beat eighth seed Ohori in 52 minutes and looked in control of their match from the off. "I'm proud of myself because the day before yesterday I had a difficult match," said the 31-year-old. "Today from the beginning I wanted to keep the focus on the things that I want to improve."

China's He advanced to the semi-finals after beating defending Olympic champion Chen Yufei. The sixth seed shocked her countrywoman with a 21-16, 21-17 win and said she felt "calm" throughout the match. "I beat an Olympic champion today and I'm facing another one tomorrow," He said of her semi-final against Marin. "I hope tomorrow will be a good match for both of us."

Finally, at Porte de la Chapelle Arena, an all-Chinese women's doubles gold medal match has gone the way of top seeds and Tokyo 2020 silver medallists Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan. They beat compatriots Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning 22-20, 21-15 and, earlier, bronze went to Japan's Matsuyama Nami and Shida Chiharu.

Wins for China and a new husband-to-be yesterday

Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong won the badminton mixed doubles gold medal yesterday 2 August when top seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong thrashed their South Korean opponents in just 41 minutes. The Chinese duo lost in the final of the Tokyo Games three years ago but set the record straight with a 21-8, 21-11 victory over Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun. Backed by huge support from Chinese fans inside La Chapelle Arena, Zheng and Huang stormed into an early lead and took the first game in less than 20 minutes.

The South Korean pair made a better start to the second game but Zheng and Huang were relentless, eventually closing out the match when Jeong hit a return wide. Japan's Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino took bronze after a 21-13, 22-20 win over South Korea's Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung.

China has topped the badminton medals table at the last six Olympics. They are guaranteed more gold and silver when Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan take on Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning in an all-Chinese women's doubles final on Saturday. Chinese top seeds Liang Weikeng and Wang Chan reached the men's doubles final, where they will take on Taiwan's defending champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin.

It was a super special day for Huang Yaqiong for two reasons. She received a marriage proposal after winning gold. After receiving her Olympic gold medal for winning mixed doubles alongside Zheng Siwei, her boyfriend and Chinese men's doubles player Liu Yuchen proposed to her, and she said yes! It's not the first proposal we've had between athletes these Games, either. Argentina's Pablo Simonet and Maria Campoy got engaged in the Olympic Village earlier in the Games.