"VAN" (Sports Desk - 22.09.2026) :: The extraordinary story of Sandra Sánchez, Olympic and The World Games champion and Chair of the International World Games Association (IWGA) Athletes Committee, comes to the big screen this month with the world premiere of Karateka.
Directed by Aritz Moreno, the new feature film tells the story of Sánchez’s remarkable journey in karate – from her beginnings in Talavera de la Reina, Spain, to becoming one of the most successful athletes in the history of the sport and winning Olympic gold at the age of 39.
The film had its world premiere tonight, on 21 September, at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it was screened in the Velodrome Section. Karateka will be released in Spanish cinemas on 30 October, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Spain.
For the IWGA, the story carries a particular significance. Sánchez is not only one of the most accomplished athletes in The World Games community, but today continues to play an important leadership role within the organisation as Chair of the IWGA Athletes Committee and a member of the IWGA Executive Committee (ExCo).
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