My Olympic experiences
Sandra Sánchez has made history, as she will be the only woman in the world to be European, world and Olympic champion in karate in an ephemeral and excellent performance, since her sport appears and disappears from the Olympic program in Tokyo
Today Sandra Sánchez has made history, she will be the only woman in the world to be European, World and Olympic Champion in karate in an ephemeral and excellent performance, since her sport appears and disappears from the Olympic program in Tokyo 2020 very much at her regret and that of all the people who love him.
I had the pleasure of interviewing her during her preparation in Sierra Nevada. At 39, she was already the best karate fighter in Katas in the world, she is even in the Guinness Book of Records as the woman with the most medals in her sport. I offered her an eraser or a pencil and she chose the last one to continue writing her magnificent legend, the one she is creating with her life.
It lacked the most important feat, the one that makes the most illusion, the one that grows through the Olympic spirit. The gold medal in some games was made possible in the country where karate was born, in its temple, in Japan.
His eternal smile turns into seriousness and the most absolute respect on the tatami. She entered him concentrated, her eyes slanted, focusing her entire being on the only possible goal for Sandra, to win.
From home, he lifted us all out of reverie with the first cry from the diaphragm, the Kiai, and made us dream of its magnitude. To err was not part of his vocabulary. They have been many hours of training, in the strictest silence with her coach, coach and husband, Jesús del Moral. When I asked her about him, she told me that it was part of her everything and, that everything, today has become the fullness of an entire Olympic champion.
Harmony, balance, fluidity, energy, credibility, precision, speed, perfect execution is what he has shown in each of his movements. Her karategui, pristine, danced to the perfect rhythm that Sandra was marking in each Kata. Only her rival, the Japanese Kiyou Shimizu, could bring her out of her dream, but Sandra’s story had only one end, being the first and last Olympic champion in history in a few games in Karate.
When he left the tatami he also made us dream, he knew that the secret was to leave his soul and he did so, he quickly regained his smile, melted into the most comforting embrace with Jesus, knowing that he had achieved it. Hanging the medal has allowed her tears of emotion to flow from her eyes, the same ones that flowed in those of her parents, in Talavera, proud of that girl, who changed dance for karate.
Sandra, thank you so much, thank you for everything, congratulations.
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