Spanish karate fighter World Champion in Madrid in 2018, Sandra Sánchez (Talavera de la Reina, 40 years old) has taken a run and is presented at the Dubai World Cup as the most internationally recognized karate fighter. He dominates the kata to such an extent that it has caused Japan to avoid presenting Kiyou Shimizu (27), who for a few years was the rival that closed the way to the gold medals. The competition started yesterday, and Sandra begins its journey tomorrow.
-With what imp have you agreed to reach forty in top form, and chain the Olympic and World Games almost without rest?
-Maybe it is because my progression has been later, and also because my dedication is maximum. Practically after the gold medal in Tokyo I only disconnected a week because I had this World Cup in mind.
-If you already have everything, why do you want more!
-Because it all started in Dubai. I spent three years working and the club there was the first to trust me, taking me to international tests before the Spanish Federation. I mean, I won the World Cup in Madrid, at my home, and now I want to do it at my second home. That is the affective plane, but there is also an open sports plane to fulfill.
-But if you have gathered at the same time everything that can be gained …
-This World Cup corresponds to the year 2020, which was not played due to the pandemic. My goal is to conquer it because I would be a five-time champion in the same season: champion of Spain, Europe, the Premier (World League), the Olympic Games and the world. An unprecedented and unique fact, and very beautiful for an athlete. In 2020 I won all the matches, but it was only three months of competition. This year I close the campaign this week and so far I have won all the competitions that I have played.
-That is, you want to repeat in the Guinness of Records next year.
-It was a very pleasant surprise to see me there (laughs).
-When you lost with her, you had a good relationship with the Japanese Shimizu. And now that she’s practically retired from your national team for you?
-She asked me how I managed the defeats against her, because she is a bit frustrated: she won silver in the World Cup and in the Games, but now her country does not present her to compete.
-When he returned from the Games, he gave Pedro Sánchez a replica of the gold medal. Are you the family of the Prime Minister?
-If they make us the genealogical tree, we are the same, distant relatives by surname. Actually what I’m trying to do is influence politicians to keep my sport in the Olympic program, because we have deserved to continue, but interests that I do not know remove us from Paris 2024.
– Does leaving the CAR mean that you are retiring?
It means that my partner and I leave a room in the residence to live in our house. I think that by age Jesús (Del Mora, the coach) and I should have more space for ourselves
