Sofia Oliveira, the first Portuguese woman to win a WAKO kickboxing world title, announced her retirement from competitive sport at the pinnacle of her career after securing gold in Abu Dhabi.
The 27-year-old athlete confirmed her intention to step away from international championships. Her decision follows a historic victory at the WAKO World Championship in Abu Dhabi, where she claimed the K1 -60kg title on Friday.
Oliveira described the win as “the best farewell I could have in these types of championships.” She added that these events “take up a lot of time and I’ve already done what I had to do.”
Her path to the gold medal involved defeating several top contenders. She overcame Canada’s Ashleigh Bartelds, Bosnia’s Emina Prguda, Slovakia’s Lucia Cmarova, and Ukraine’s Alina Martyniuk. The latter two were ranked first in the K1 -60kg category.
The Portuguese fighter expressed profound satisfaction after her victory. “I felt that the work is completely rewarded,” Oliveira said. “All the effort we put in throughout the year is completely rewarded now with the medal.”
While she did not explicitly target gold, Oliveira, representing a Portuguese club, admitted the dream was always present. “All of us who train have the goal of gold,” she said.
Beyond her personal achievement, Oliveira hopes her success serves as an inspiration for others. “I want to be the first of many, I hope,” she stated. She added, “Especially an example for women, to understand that we are capable of a lot.” She also mentioned another Portuguese world champion, Catarina Dias, who won a bronze medal.
While stepping back from competition, Oliveira plans to remain involved in the sport as a coach. “I want to help other people achieve a bit of the career I also achieved,” she said. She also highlighted the need for greater support for kickboxing in Portugal, believing these victories can help “the serious start to begin now.”