Rakuten TV launches Karate-do: The Path of Sandra Sanchez, a documentary that explains the empowering story of the karate Olympic champion, that will be available on the platform from 21 September in 42 countries. There will also be an exclusive premiere at Palacio de la Prensa in Madrid on 19 September. Furthermore, the documentary will also be screened in some Spanish cinemas.
The story follows the journey of Sandra Sánchez and how she has been able to overcome every obstacle in her way to become the extraordinary sportswoman she is today. After a long and hard-fought transition to the national team, she had to leave the prestigious High-Performance Centre to be close to her mother, diagnosed with cancer. Yet at that time, fears and doubts about her ability overwhelmed her and she describes hitting rock bottom. In those challenging moments, she decided to leave everything behind in Madrid to start a new journey in Australia.
Sandra’s return home awakens her love for Karate and her burning desire to become the Spanish Karate champion. With an unwavering persistence, she finds a top coach, Jesús del Moral, who later becomes her husband. Victories follow, one after another, fueling her indefatigable determination. The pair’s common love for karate strengthens their bond and drives them to achieve greatness together.
Throughout the documentary the audience will visit a variety of settings that carry significance in Sandra’s career. From Talavera de la Reina, where she grew up and first practiced karate, to Dubai, where she won her last world championship with a special focus on all the learnings taken from her stays in Japan, home of karate. Of course, one of the key moments in the documentary are the ins and outs of her Olympic victory in Tokyo 2020.
The different testimonies and interviews play a very important role in the film. Sandra herself confesses in her own words how she has become a respected athlete in the Spanish sport, as well as interviews from her closest friends and family:
- Jesús del Moral – Her coach and husband. He talks about Sandra’s career as her trainer, with a professional approach but also as his partner – a much more emotional side while discussing his relationship with Sandra.
- Javier Pineño – Her Karate Master. Her instructor since she was 6 years old. He always knew how to pass on his love for karate to Sandra, his values and the connection between tradition and sport.
- Serafin and Isabel – Sandra’s parents. Both have always supported her and describe their daughter’s entire journey from their point of view. It is worth mentioning that Isabel plays a key role in Sandra’s career when she was forced to leave the Centro de Alto Rendimiento academy due to her mother’s illness.
- Paco Sánchez – Sandra’s brother. He was the first member of the family to learn Karate and it was him who shared his love and devotion for this art with Sandra.
- Shimizu – Her greatest rival and friend. She knows Sandra from inside and outside of the tatami. The relationship between the two athletes during the documentary is an example of friendly rivalry.
- Rika Usami – Sandra’s inspiration. The karateka, who revolutionized the sport and was world champion in 2012, shares a close relationship with Sandra.
- Okamura Master – Rika Usami’s teacher and a reference in the world of karate. In Okamura’s dojo, Sandra learned how to lose and how to fall and get back on her feet. Her role was fundamental for Sandra to achieve her first world championship and then the Olympic gold.
- Ivan Leal – The two-time world champion has been a constant reference during Sandra’s youth and on her path to victory. The two-time world champion shows the effort and the milestone that Sandra’s career is for the karate world.
- Eleonora Giovio and Almudena Rivera – Two female Spanish sports journalists who give context to Sandra’s story, sporting success and her impact on the world of sport and karate.
Karate-do: The Path of Sandra Sanchez will be available on Rakuten TV from the 21st of September 2023. This documentary will be exclusive to Rakuten TV and available in 42 European countries, as part of the Rakuten Originals collection.
