Carolina Marín, main character in a workshop on technology and sports at La Lonja de la Innovación of the Port of Huelva

As a Telefónica ambassador, she participated in a well-attended event at this technological node.

Huelva, June 11th, 2026 – La Lonja de la Innovación of the Port of Huelva has once again consolidated as an epicenter of innovation by holding a unique workshop, organized in collaboration with Telefónica, where the main character was Carolina Marín, olympic badminton champion from Huelva and benchmark in Spanish sports, who has revealed how technology and data are also transforming the world of sports.

The event was attended by the President of the Port of Huelva, Alberto Santana, and the Territorial Director of Telefónica, Joaquín Segovia, who welcomed the athlete to this technological node, a port reference in technology and innovation. Representing the Huelva City Council, was the Depuy Mayor for Social Services, Family, Employment, Housing, Economic Development and European Funds, Adela de Mora.

The President of the Port of Huelva has thanked the Olympic champion for her presence at this technological node, since she is an example for young people to follow due to her perseverance, commitment and passion for sports, “which combined with her talent has helped her achieve great accomplishment for Spanish sports. For this reason, we also appreciate that Telefónica has named her its brand ambassador and contributes today to sharing her experiences and growth process in the world of sports with companies and the general public attending this meeting”.

For his part, Joaquín Segovia noted that “our goal at Telefónica is for the talent in Huelva to have access to the same technology and the same data used by world leaders like Carolina Marín. We want to provide our SMEs and startups with the best technological tools so that they can be competitive and go out to win”.

The Deputy Mayor for Social Services, Family, Employment, Housing, Economic Development, and European Funds stated that “it is a satisfaction for Huelva to host meetings like this, which unite innovation, technology, business, and talent”, thanking the Port of Huelva and Telefónica for promoting initiatives of this caliber at La Lonja de la Innovación, “a space that has become a benchmark for entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and business development in our city.”. The councilwoman thanked Carolina Marín for her presence, “not only for her sporting successes, but for her ability to translate experience, effort, and self-improvement”, and pointed out that “data and technology are already transforming sports and also the way of undertaking, managing companies, and making decisions”, ensuring that “from the City Council, we will continue working to support our SMEs and entrepreneurs because Huelva wants to be where opportunities, knowledge, and innovation are generated. And meetings like this contribute precisely to that objective”.

During her speech, Carolina Marín delved into her experience regarding how the strategic use of technology, data analysis, and constant innovation are essential in elite sports, especially for optimizing performance, preparation, and decision-making. In this sense, the Olympic champion stated that the application of technology to sports has brought great benefits that, a few years ago, were unthinkable. “The data that technology offers us allows us to anticipate, optimize preparation, and make the most accurate strategic decisions at the right moment. They help train more intelligently than ever”, explained Marín before a full room of interested attendees.

Along these lines, the athlete from Huelva stated that “Big Data has helped me grow as an athlete”. Her team has been working with Telefónica for years, integrating solutions such as artificial intelligence, IoT sensors, and advanced analytics to obtain a competitive advantage. Furthermore, she added that technology “is not only key for sports performance, but also on a physical level. Through motion sensors or predictive analysis, risk factors can be detected, recovery and training can be personalized, and injuries can be prevented”.

Ultimately, the athlete concluded that “what was once based on intuition can now be supported by real data and real-time statistics”. Statistics that represent a great advantage, as they imply “knowing opponents much better before matches, being able to anticipate the game”. 

The event was a success with the public and demonstrated the enormous interest aroused by the transformations that technology is causing in the sports sector.

On the occasion of her visit, Carolina Marín participated in the upcoming episode of HoM: Humano o Máquina (Human or Machine), the podcast produced by La Lonja de la Innovación, as a result of the collaboration between the Port of Huelva and Telefónica. A podcast that, with only three episodes, has positioned itself in the technological port sector, with content totaling more than 420,000 views.

These types of meetings are part of the mission of La Lonja de la Innovación, which consists of connecting local talent, innovation, and global projection. With initiatives like this, it consolidates its position as a reference within the innovation ecosystem at both regional and national levels.

The champion's visit to La Lonja de la Innovación was completed with the contribution of the following dedication: “I can because I think I can”, recorded in the coworking space of this facility.

The event was attended by various authorities and personalities, as well as representatives of companies and startups.

The Port of Huelva launched La Lonja de la Innovación in 2022, the world's first port FIWARE node, which is managed by Telefónica as the service provider. Located on the first floor of the new fish market building, it is a space for promoting technological innovation in the port sector, where companies, startups, and entrepreneurs develop various technological projects in transport and logistics. Since its launch, it has consolidated itself as a strategic tool to activate open innovation applied to the port, industrial, and blue economy environment, and is the world's first port FIWARE node.